If you’re using a Bow or Crossbow, then you know how strong they can be for ranged battle.
But it’s easy to forget about the ammunition you’re using.
This ranking is here to close the gap & help you pick from the best of each category (bolts & arrows). The goal is to help get your Archer and Time Battlemage up to maximum damage output ASAP!
There are a lot of combos with weapons and ammo too, so try out different variations.
But we’ll outline the best combos right here to make it easy.
Best Arrows in FFXII
Some of the best arrow ammo is some of the hardest to get.
Whether that means hard to get due to cost or location, you can gauge your options here.
3. Assassin’s Arrows
These arrows do great damage with attack power of 3. Being Assassin arrows, they have a nice little trick up their sleeve as well – which is a 25% KO chance on hit.
This is a massive perk for any weapon, but especially for ranged jobs.
A 1 in 4 chance to instantly KO is no joke!
Combining these arrows with the Perseus Bow makes sense based on where these items are found.
Obviously the higher damage bow you can use, the better, including the Traitor’s Bow or Yoichi Bow – which are easier to acquire by the time you gather these arrows.
How to get:
– Found in Phase 2 Shaft area of Henne Mines and in Penumbra-South area of Pharos-Subterra
– Also acquired from the Fafnir hunt
2. Icecloud Arrows
These arrows are a bit stronger with an innate attack boost of 4.
They also have an elemental effect which, as you can guess, is Ice.
The Perseus Bow is a good choice here as well. Reason being that bow & these arrows are both the rewards from the Permafrost Bow & Quiver Bazaar recipes.
But if you want to maximize damage for Ice-weak enemies, then make sure to equip a higher critical rate bow, such as the Dhanusha or Seitengrat.
How to get:
– Found in the Old Elanise Road area of Cerobi Steppe and in the Abyssal-North area of Pharos-Subterra
– Also available through the Bazaar
1. Artemis Arrows
These are by far the best arrows in The Zodiac Age – which means they’re also the hardest to acquire.
But it’s worth it for the highest attack power arrows in the game.
These arrows have an attack power of 5 which will rip enemies to shreds quickly.
They also have an Earth element to take down Earth-weak enemies even faster.
And because they’re so difficult to get, you may as well go for the best-of-the-best bow to match.
Combining these arrows with the Seitengrat Bow is the obvious choice. Seitengrat has a quicker Charge Time too, so the extra damage will be very noticeable… although that bow is so OP that it may not even matter.
How to get:
– Found in The Northsward area of Cerobi Steppe
– Also acquired through the Bazaar system as Arrows of the Moon Goddess
– The Hunt Club sidequest line will also reward these arrows
Best Bolts in FFXII
As with Bows and Arrows, combining the right crossbow with the right bolts can make or break combat.
Let’s take a lot at the best ones and see which combos are worth testing out.
3. Time Bolts
The Time bolts are incredibly effective in FF12 – mostly because of their effect, but they hit hard too.
They have a decent attack power of 2, which is similar to most of the bolts you’ll run across by this point.
What makes them stand out is the 25% chance to inflict Doom on enemies with each hit.
A good combo Crossbow to pair with Time Bolts is the Tula, which you’ll find in the same area as these bolts.
How to get:
– Found in the Umbra-North area of Pharos-Subterra
– Also acquired through the Bazaar system, from the recipe called Scout’s Crossbow
2. Sapping Bolts
This name is a dead giveaway for what they do.
To put it simply, there’s a 25% chance on each hit to inflict Sap on your enemies.
These bolts are stronger than the Time Bolts by a bit as well, sitting at 3 attack power.
You can also acquire them slightly earlier in the game – making them a solid choice if you can find them.
A good combo crossbow for these bolts is either the Gastrophetes or the Tula. Both are found in similar areas as the Sapping bolts, so it’s easy to chase them down together.
How to get:
– Found in the South Liavell Hills area of Cerobi Steppe and in the Umbra-South area of Pharos-Subterra
– Also acquired from the Ixion hunt
1. Grand Bolts
The Grand bolts also match their name by being the best bolts in FFXII with the highest damage.
They have an attack power of 4, which is pretty solid for ranged ammo.
Only the Sapping bolts come close to that.
With a powerful crossbow and these bolts at your side, you can do massive damage to almost anything. But your best bet would be the Penetrator Crossbow, because you can buy it outright in Balfonheim Port.
Obviously these bolts work even better with the most powerful crossbow, that being the Tula.
If you spend the time to get both then your Time Battlemage will appreciate it.
How to get:
– Found in the Crossfield area of Cerobi Steppe
– Also acquired from the Bazaar system as Piercing Bolts
– The Hunt Club sidequest line will also reward these bolts
