Potion preparation in The Witcher

For the purposes of this article, "potion preparation" will refer not only to the preparation of potions in particular, but also to the preparation of oils and bombs. Generally anything requiring a formula, ingredients and meditation to prepare.

Depending on the difficulty level chosen by the player, alchemy can be extremely important to game play. Geralt can create potions that increase health or endurance regeneration, allow him to see in the dark, or provide other beneficial effects. He can create blade oils which enhance the performance of his weapons, or he can create actual weapons: bombs. The recipes for these alchemical concoctions can be learned through scrolls, or by experimentation. If Geralt experiments and creates an unknown mixture he can choose to drink it (if it is a potion!), but if the potion is a failure it will poison or blind him, possibly kill him, so saving first is highly recommended. He can also experiment with oils and bombs, but the latter could prove quite risky.


 * Potion Failed.png a failed potion experiment
 * Oil failed.png a failed oil experiment
 * Bomb failed.png a failed bomb experiment?

Assuming intermediate or advanced gameplay, Geralt uses potions, oils, and bombs as part of his battle preparation (for potions and oils) or during battle (in the case of bombs). But before he can use them, he either has to make them himself or find them ready-made.

It is also a lot of fun.

Before you begin

 * You need a place to meditate.
 * You need a formula or recipe.
 * You need the appropriate ingredients described in the formula.
 * You need a base, if you are making a potion:
 * strong alcohol if your potion consists of 3 ingredients,
 * high quality alcohol for 4 ingredients,
 * top quality alcohol (or White Gull) for 5 ingredients.
 * A list of alcohol used as potion bases.
 * It is also useful to have your ingredients sorted by secondary substance to maximize potion utility.

Mechanics

 * Select the desired formula from the list of formula on the left to add ingredients to the vial automatically.
 * Check which ingredients have been added to the vial, looking at the secondary substances. You may want to swap one ingredient with another to either keep a valuable ingredient for trading, or to select a particular secondary substance that will give the potion a useful additional effect.
 * Left-click on the "mix" icon (the alembic, shown on the right) at the bottom right side of the screen. Formulae for which you do not have the necessary ingredients will not be available.
 * Left-click on the hourglass icon to brew the potion (or oil, or bomb) while meditating.