Hastega (Final Fantasy XII)

Hastega is a Time Magick spell both in the Zodiac versions of Final Fantasy XII as well as in the original PlayStation 2 version. It is a multi-target status enhancement spell that speeds up the ability gauges of those affected, allowing them to act more frequently. Its ailment counterpart is Slowga. It is an upgrade to Haste.
Hastega can be cast by Zeromus, Avenger, and Judge Drace in the Trial Mode Stage 100.
Another way to use the spell is via the Hastega Mote consumable item.
==Obtained==
Hastega's license costs 125 License Points in the Zodiac versions, where the spell is found in Great Crystal's Uldobi Phullam Pratii behind Gate Taurus II, in the deeper part of Great Crystal reachable after the party has the Treaty-Blade as part of the story. Navigating the Great Crystal is tedious as the area lacks an in-game map. The player will need to unlock zodiac gates, but each Gate Stone corresponds to two gates, and only one can be open at one time.
The player can make some detours to pick Hastega up on their way to fight Omega Mark XII to avoid multiple trips through the dungeon. Omega is behind Gate Taurus I, so after nabbing Hastega from behind Gate Taurus II, the player can backtrack to the Taurus Gate Stone and reactivate it and come back and open the other Taurus Gate. The player can fight the foes that spawn along the way, or simply ignore them on their way to the next area to make traversing faster. When ignoring enemies, it is best to use the Flee function to disable gambits. Many enemies here will use status ailments on the party. In the Zodiac versions, the player can use the fast-forward functions to make navigating faster. Though the zodiac gates have timers, there is plenty of time to get through them if the player is heading the right way.
:Video guide
#Enter from Giruvegan to Waystone VIII in A Prama Vikaari → right to Scorpio Gate Stone → activate the Scorpio Gate Stone
#Return to Waystone VIII (Mom Bombs will spawn) → right through open Scorpio Gate to A Vikaari Dhebon → use Waystone IX to enter Dha Vikaari Kabonii
#Take the only exit to A Vikaari Kanbhru Ra, an area with Waystone IX in the middle and two locked gates in the sides → continue straight on into Dhebon Jilaam Praatii'Dii (north and northeast exits both work; Mom Bombs spawn along the way)
#Continue on to Sagittarius Gate Stone → activate the Sagittarius Gate Stone → backtrack two rooms to A Vikaari Kanbhru Ra with the waystone and the two gates → lower the Sagittarius II Gate in the east
#Use Waystone XII in A Vikaari Sirhru Praa to enter Dha Vikaari Dhebon Praa
#Northeast to Leo Gate Stone (Necrophobes will spawn) → activate Leo Gate Stone → backtrack to the waystone
#Continue on until finding a room with two exits, Sirhru Jilaami Pratii (Reapers, Necrophobes, and Shadonirs will spawn along the way)
#Nearest left path to Sirhru Pis Pratii (Shadonirs) → continue on until coming to Leo Gate II → unlock Leo Gate II (Ash Wyrm will spawn)
#Either northern exit → continue two rooms (Skulwyrm will spawn) to Waystone XV in A Vikaari Uldobi (Reaper will spawn) → use Waystone XV to reach Waystone XVI in Dha Vikaari Sirhru
#Middle exit to Libra Gate Stone → activate the Libra Gate Stone → northwest (left from where the player entered) into Uldobi Jilaam Praa'vaa
#Left to Uldobi Jilaam Praa through unlocking the Libra Gate II (Skulwyrm and Forbiddens will spawn) → straight on (Ash Wyrm) to the Capricorn Gate Stone (Forbiddens)
#Activate the Capricorn Gate Stone → backtrack to Waystone XVI (back one room, straight on, right, right) → take the left exit from the waystone to unlock Gate Capricorn I
#Activate the Virgo Gate Stone → backtrack to Waystone XVI → right to Libra Gate Stone → left to Uldobi Jilaam Praa'vaa (Skulwyrm) → right through a Gate Virgo I to Uldobi Jilaam Avaa (Giruveganus will spawn) → left to A Vikaari Kanbhru → take Waystone XVII to the apex of Great Crystal at Dha Vikaari Uldobi (Forbiddens)
#Take the only path into Kanbhru Pis (save crystal) → left to Aquarius Gate Stone (Forbiddens) → activate the Gate Stone → backtrack to Waystone XVIII (back one room, right) → take Waystone XVIII back to the Uldobi level
#The only path to Uldobi Jilaam Avaa (Giruveganus) → right to Uldobi Jilaam Praa'vaa (Forbiddens and a Skulwyrm) → straight on to Uldobi Jilaam Praa (Ash Wyrm) → right into Uldobi Phullam Praa'vaa unlocking Gate Aquarius I
#Backtrack to Uldobi Jilaan Praa → right to Capricorn Gate Stone (Forbiddens) → activate the Gate Stone → backtrack to Uldobi Jilaan Praa (Ash Wyrm)
#Straight to Uldobi Jilaam Praa'vaa → right to Libra Gate Stone → left to Uldobi Jilaam Pratii'vaa (Skylwyrm and two locked gates)
#Unlock Gate Capricorn II on the right but do not go through
#Backtrack to Libra Gate Stone → right to Uldobi Jilaam Praa'vaa (Skulwyrm and Forbiddens) → left to Uldobi Jilaam Praa (Ash Wyrm) → right through the open Aquarius Gate to Uldobi Phullam Praa'vaa (two Skulwyrms)
#Continue to Taurus Gate Stone (Forbiddens) → activate the Gate Stone → back one room to Uldobi Phullam Praa'vaa (two Skulwyrms) → through open Aquarius Gate to Uldobi Jilaam Praa (Ash Wyrm) → left through the open Libra Gate to Uldobi Jilaam Praa'vaa (Skulwyrm and Forbiddens) → right to Libra Gate Stone → left to Uldobi Jilaam Pratii'vaa (Skulwyrm and Forbiddens) → right through open Capricorn Gate to Uldobi Jilaam Pratii (Ash Wyrm) → left to Gate Taurus II in Uldobi Phullam Pratii'vaa
#Unlock Gate Taurus II (three Skulwyrms) → continue to find Hastega treasure
In the original version, Hastega's license costs 110 LP. It is bought for 16,600 gil from Dalmasca Estersand once the Sky Fortress Bahamut appears.
In the Zodiac versions, Haste is used by the Time Battlemage, as well as by Machinist after they unlock the Esper Famfrit on their License Board. The Esper Zodiark also has it in he Zodiac versions, but during a summoning the other party members will disappear and only the summoner remains alongside the Esper.
==Mechanics==
Hastega temporarily bestows the Haste status to all allies in range that quickens their ATB gauge fill rates by 50%, allowing them to act more frequently. It stacks with the superior Berserk and is removed with Dispel and Slow; Haste and Slow statuses cannot usually co-exist.
The formula for the duration is:
:Duration = 40 + (Vitality \times 0.4) s
The duration depends on the receiver's Vitality stat, not the caster's. Haste and Slow do not affect the length other status effects will last, but Stop will halt them.
Hastega costs 70 MP to cast without Channeling licenses. The spell will bounce from Reflect unless the caster wears the Opal Ring.
==Use==
Hastega is a status enhancement spell the player can easily set up via the gambit system (such as with Ally status:Berserk→Hastega, Ally status:Slow→Hastega, or Self→Hastega). Instead of using the spell, the player can also gain constant Haste from the Hermes Sandals accessory.
Haste lets the affected act more often, making it a generally useful status buff. It is especially beneficial to have Haste and Berserk on the same character. However, since Haste only affects the ATB gauge speed and not animation speed, combos, or the "cooldown time" after using an ability, it mainly makes a difference for physical attackers using their fastest weapons. If most damage comes from combos, then the relevance of Haste is also diminished, as the ATB does not charge in-between. Therefore, using Hastega more to heal Slow than to maintain a constant Haste status may be a good idea, to rid of the ailment while also getting an additional boon affecting all nearby allies as well. Activating the Self→Hastega only in boss battles may also be a good idea, as the status is only useful when the character needs to act numerous times in a short time. Choosing a specific target for Hastega rather than Ally:Any may be better if Haste runs out at different speeds on different characters; it would be best to recast it when it has run out on all of the party. For this reason, the player may prefer to use it manually rather than via gambits.
Hastega outclasses Haste outright as long as the player has more than one party member. Hastega's downside is that it becomes available very late into the game, when the player only has the very last dungeon or optional content left to do. Late game bosses also tend to kill party members outright, meaning that Haste status will be nullified every time unless they wear the Hermes Sandals; it is likely not worth recasting all buffs every time someone is KO'd, and to prioritize the more crucial ones like Bravery or Berserk.
Category:Time Magicks in Final Fantasy XII