Alchemy 101: A guide for all you need to know

Atalle

Warning, if you want to learn ingredients on your own, this guide contains spoilers and also some of the potential combinations of reagents to make multi-potions. I will post where spoilers are and you will need to click show to reveal areas that contain spoilers. Enjoy!

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General guide

Alchemy is a crafting profession, which allows the crafting of potions and also poisons. At this time there are no uses for poisons (negative effects) but I presume at some point we may be able to use them on our weapons or something of the such. With alchemy users can combine multiple reagents to make basic potions and also sometimes concoctions that have multiple beneficial effects. These can be used either during battle using quick slots or out of battle from inventory or quick slots.

What you will find from this guide:

• Alchemy 101 - What you need to know about Alchemy, Alchemy skills and how to equip potions in your quickslots as this is not very intuitive.
• Reagents and Solvents - The raw ingredients to make the potions, what they look like in the wild and guild store, and also the associated traits with each reagent (spoiler).
• Resource Tables - A list of known combinations of reagents and solvents that creates well sought after potions (Spoilers). This area will be focused more on reagents gatherers will be looking for as well as common potions used in game. There may not be every possible combination known listed.
• Economics - Which potions may be more marketable to other players.

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Alchemy 101:

To make potions you need to find reagents in the wild and/or buy from another user/ guild store and have the appropriate solvent for your level to be able to make them. Solvents are found throughout the world either in bags, crates, boxes, water skins, etc and/or can be found in the water as "pure water." So far there are no known NPCs that sell solvents and/or reagents (February).

Reagents have 4 traits associated with them. In order to discover these traits you will have to successfully create a potion using two reagents with the same trait. Otherwise the potion will fail and no potion will be created. As a beginning rule of thumb just like in other TES games, eat the first reagent you find as it will unlock the first trait. Below in the spoilers section, as long as they do not change after release, you can find a list of the reagents and their associated 4 traits. When crafting and trying to unlock traits use a solvent and only two reagents, if you have the passive Laboratory Use (more on that later) and you use two reagents that create a potion and a third reagent that does not this will result in a failed potion.

Leveling tips on alchemy:

• Use the highest level solvent possible as this will greatly increase the experience gained, however if your current character level is not high enough you may not be able to use the potions crafted
• Make sure to always use reagents that will make a potion or poison.
• Discovering new traits results in slightly more experience gain.
• Crafting that results in a failed potion (no yield) gives little experience.
• Crafting with two reagents or three reagents yield the same amount of experience (beta v0.17)

Skill Points:
Just like every other crafting profession there are skill points that can be used to help enhance your alchemy potions. Below is a list and description of where you can place skill points:

Solvent Proficiency (1-8): Allows the Alchemist to use different solvents and make higher level potions.

Keen eye: reagents (1-3): Reagents in the world will be easier to see.

Medicinal use (1-3): Potions last longer.

Chemistry (1-3): Produces extra potions per crafting attempt.

Laboratory Use: Allows the use of up to three reagents while making potions. Unlocks at level 15. Get this as soon as possible if you plan on being an alchemist.

Snakeblood (1-3): Reduces negative effects in potions.

Quick slots:
The game has designed a quick slot feature, which allows users to equip consumables to a key so that they may be used in the heat of the moment during battle. The default key for using a quick slot item is Q, however, first you must equip an item to the quick slot menu in order to be able to use it during battle. To do so open your inventory (Default i); in the upper right hand corner of your inventory there is a arrow, click the arrow to open your quick slot menu. Your quick slot menu will be composed of 8 empty slots that you can drag and drop consumable items only to the menu. Once equipped which ever item is initially at the 12 o'clock position will be the item equipped to the Q key. During game play (i.e. when not in a character menu/inventory) you can switch your quick slot item to one of the other 8 items by holding the Q key and moving your mouse right or left to the item of your choice, which will be highlighted. That item will now be the item equipped to the Q key and can be then used as long as no cool downs are active. So the three main take away points are: Equip your consumables before going to battle. To use a equipped item from your quick slot push the Q key. Then switch to the next item by holding Q and once the cool down is over you can use the next equipped item.

This concludes the introduction on Alchemy and Quick Slot items. If you have any questions or need further clarification please post below. Below you will find more on what each reagent/solvent looks like as well as spoilers, showing the traits for each reagent.

Enjoy!

As always please post comments, corrections, information and I will edit that into my guide.

-Atalle

If you liked this guide check out my other guides:
Alchemy101
Enchanting 101
Quickslots: A short pictorial guide
Rededication Shrine: How to Respec

Atalle

Reagent and Solvent Pictures:

Solvent list:
There are two types of solvents water and oil. Water solvents make potions (Positive consumables) and Oil solvents make poisons (Negative consumables).

There are 9 known water solvents, each of which allows an alchemist to craft various levels of potions. In general the higher the level the more your character recovers or increases from the potion buff.

Water Solvents:

• Natural Water: used to make level 3 potions.
  
• Clear Water: used to make level 10 potions.
  
• Pristine Water: used to make level 20 potions.
  
• Cleansed Water: used to make level 30 potions.
  
• Filtered Water: used to make level 40 potions.
  
• Purified Water: used to make level CP 10 potions. (Champion Points 10)
  
• Cloud Mist: used to make level CP 50 potions.
  
• Star Dew: used to make level CP 100 potions.
  
• Lorkhan's Tears: used to make level CP 150 potions.

Oil Solvents:
Image here eventually

• Grease: used to make level 3 poisons.
  
• Ichor: used to make level 10 poisons.
  
• Slime: used to make level 20 poisons.
  
• Gall: used to make level 30 poisons.
  
• Terebinthine: used to make level 40 poisons.
  
• Pitch-Bile: used to make level CP 10 poisons. (Champion Points 10)
  
• Tarblack: used to make level CP 50 poisons.
  
• Night-Oil: used to make level CP 100 poisons.
  
• Alkahest: used to make level CP 150 poisons.

Solvent Pictures:
Solvents are found in many places in the world: crates, bags, boxes, wardrobes, etc. They can also be found in specific locations such as water skins and pure water. Below are a few pictures of what they look like in game. Solvent types all tend to be solely based on where you find them not based on your alchemy or character level.



Reagents:
There are 18 different known reagents that can be mixed and matched together with a solvent to craft a potion. An alchemist can mix either two or three reagents at a time to uncover a plethora of various potions that cannot be found from loot(s) or from a NPC vendor.

Reagents are found in all zones and tend to be found in similar locations based on topography. Some players have noticed certain reagents do not spawn as frequently in certain zones, which may be related to the types of topography within that zone.

Reagent Pictures:
Below are pictures of the various reagents found throughout the world of Tamriel.



Below here are pictures of what the reagents look like in the world with keen eye on. These were all taken in first person and up close to show the detail of the reagents.

Beetle Scuttle (Looted from various type of Beetles, Shalks, Thunderbugs)


Blessed Thistle


Blue Entoloma


Bugloss


Butterfly Wing (Looted from Butterflies)

Various colors of butterflies.

Clam Gall (Only found in Summerset from doing Geysers and inside Giant Clams)

Posted a few pics of how they blend in so well. Hoping Zenimax changes this in a future update.
Here's a link to someone's harvest map of Giant clams
https://i.imgur.com/1kp4h8j.png

Columbine


Cornflower


Dragon's Bile
Looted from the bag's after killing a Dragon in Elsweyr

Dragon's Blood
Looted from the bag's after killing a Dragon in Elsweyr

Dragonthorn


Emetic Russula


Fleshfly Larva (Found from looting fleshflies)

They look like a black cloud, usually around dead bodies

Imp Stool


Lady's Smock


Luminous Russula


Mountain Flower


Mudcrab Chitin (Looted from Mudcrabs)


Namira's Rot


Nightshade


Nirnroot


Powdered Mother of Pearl (Looted from Giant clams and Geysers only found in Summerset)
See above Picture for Clam Gall for Giant clams

Scrib Jelly (Looted from various types of Scribs)


Spider Egg (Looted from various types of Spiders)


Stinkhorn


Torchbug Thorax (Looted from Torchbugs)


Violet Coprinus


Water Hyacinth


Whitecap


Wormwood


Keen Eye Passive:
Posted below are pictures taken from the same location showing the keen eye passive in first person and third person, showing the difference of how keen eye helps a gatherer find alchemy reagents easier. This keen eye passive is also available for other crafting professions. In my opinion, for an alchemist gatherer, keen eye can make the difference between finding few reagents to many, this passive is a well spent skill point (at least 1 for sure!). The alchemy reagent in the picture is Columbine and was found in Bethnik.

20 Meters

First person view without keen eye 20m Third person view without keen eye 20m

First person view with keen eye 20m Third person view with keen eye 20m

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30 Meters

First person view without keen eye 30m Third person view without keen eye 30m

First person view with keen eye 30m Third person view with keen eye 30m

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40 Meters

First person view without keen eye 40m Third person view without keen eye 40m

First person view with keen eye 40m Third person view with keen eye 40m

Atalle

Reserved

Atalle

Resource Tables:
This part of the guide has resource tables for both gathering reagents and also crafting potions. The goal of this part is to make it easier for you to know what reagents to look for in the wild for a specific potion (i.e. Restore Health) and then the latter part is a table with common potions and how to craft them to get the best possible outcome.

Reagent and Buff Table::
Looking for a specific type of potion? Below is a table with all the reagents and their associated traits. This part of the guide is geared towards gatherers; what they need to look for in the wild for a specific potion. This also is a table for those looking to craft a specific potion and not wanting to waste any time with failed crafts.

SPOILERS

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Crafter's Resource:
For the purpose of these table(s) I did not include how long the character would have the buff and also by how much the character would be effected; rather just included what reagents combined together would give what type of effect(s). Alchemy is a crafting profession with many variables. With Medicinal use and Snakeblood the outcomes change and vary all depending on how many skill points are learned in those skills.

Potion names are named based on the type of solvent used and also the effect produced. Below is a list of the beginning potion name dependent on the solvent used.

• Natural Water = Sip of
• Clear Water = Tincture of
• Pristine Water = Dram of
• Cleansed Water = Potion of
• Filtered Water = Solution of
• Purified Water = Elixir of
• Cloud Mist = Panacea of
• Star Dew = Distillate of
• Lorkhan's Tears = Essence of

Poison names end in different roman numerals based on solvent and have a different prefix based off the effect produced:

• Grease = [X] Poison I
• Ichor = [X] Poison II
• Slime = [X] Poison III
• Gall = [X] Poison IV
• Terebinthine = [X] Poison V
• Pitch-Bile = [X] Poison VI
• Tarblack = [X] Poison VII
• Night-Oil = [X] Poison VIII
• Alkahest = [X] Poison IX

Potion effects:
Listed below are each type of effect created from potions and how it will effect your character. An X is used in a place where a variable can be changed either by solvent type used and/or depending on how many skill points are used in Medicinal use. The purpose for this is so I can shorten the crafter's resource table. Read below for more on that.

• Restore Health: Restore X Health immediately and then X over X time.
• Restore Magicka: Restore X Magicka immediately and then X over X time.
• Restore Stamina: Restore X Stamina immediately and then X over X time.
• Increase Spell crit: Increase Spell crit by X for X sec
• Increase Weapon crit: Increase Weapon crit by X for X sec
• Increase Spell power: Increase Spell Damage by X for X secs
• Increase Weapon power: Increase Weapon Damage by X for X secs
• Increase Spell Resist: Increase your Spell Resistance by X for X secs.
• Increase Armor: Increase armor by X for X secs
• Detection: Increase Stealth detection by Xm for X secs.
• Invisibility: Vanish for X secs.
• Increase Speed: Increase movement speed for X% for X time.
• Unstoppable: Become immune to knockback and disabling effects for X secs.
• Ravage Health: Ravage X Health immediately then X over X secs.
• Ravage Magicka: Ravage X Magicka immediately then X over X secs.
• Ravage Stamina: Ravage X Stamina immediately then X over X secs.
• Lower Spell crit: Reduce Spell crit by X for X sec
• Lower Weapon crit: Reduce Weapon crit by X for X sec
• Lower Spell power: Reduce Spell Power by X for X sec
• Lower Weapon power: Reduce Weapon Power by X for X sec
• Lower Spell Resist: Lower your Spell Resistance by X for X secs.
• Lower Armor: Lower armor by X for X secs
• Lower Speed: Lower movement speed for X% for X time.
• Stun: Stuns for X secs.

Table of possible potions. This table only shows the effects, not the amount as the amount the potion effects the player is dependent on Solvent type and Medicinal use skill line. Also the names are truncated to not include the beginning of the name (i.e. Sip of, Tincture of, Potion of etc). There are two spreadsheets at the bottom one is most of the possible potions the other is the Creme of the Crop (Best of the Best Potions at least in my opinion).
Link to Google Spreadsheet with potions. *note* Have not updated this since 2014 but always see many people linked in to it.

If you'd like to see more potions added to it please send me a PM or post a comment on this guide. Thanks
Atalle

Brysonian

Very helpful thank you

METALPUNKS

Wow thanks so much. Best guide so far.

ZoM_Head

How do you apply a poison to a weapon? or cant you? I tried to drag it, but my character ended up just drinking it instead...

ZoM_Head

How do you apply a poison to a weapon? or cant you? I tried to drag it, but my character ended up just drinking it instead...

Atalle

@Elmojito1000eb17_ESO‌ poisons are not implemented yet.

Winke

thank you for putting this all together!

Humanistic

This is awesome! Thank you so much!

ZoM_Head

Atalle wrote: »

@Elmojito1000eb17_ESO‌ poisons are not implemented yet.

Thank you and sorry for the double post (It was during the server down time yesterday).

specialmonkeys

Super helpful! Thank you so much for all this!

Fexelea

Thanks to Atalle's for allowing us to incorporate this fantastic work to the wiki's Alchemy page here:
http://elderscrollsonline.wiki.fextralife.com/Alchemy

I'm hoping to flesh out Reagents section with locations for each, for example their level range if there are any. If anyone has any info please let me know

Atalle

@Fexelea‌ All 18 reagents are in all zones. Some spawn in specific topographical areas, like nirnroot and water hyacinth spawn near water. Solvents tend to be area based, but they have a great deal of overlap.

Fexelea

Ok then we can simplify those tables

Berial_00

Since they don't seem to want to 'sticky' anything I'll just post in this thread so I can find it again easily. Thank you for this!

Censorious

What is the effect of solvent on duration of invisibility if any?
As far as I can see there's no advantage in using anything beyond the most basic.

Atalle

@Censorious‌ Solvents don't change the time. If you combine 3 reagents that have the invisibility trait you can increase it to 4 seconds. I do believe you can get it to 5 seconds if you also have 3 skill points in medicinal use.

I haven't tested that yet though.

mattriddle

Possible to get a list of which areas each reagent can be found in?

Atalle

reagents can be found in all zones

Hexador

So I recently got snake blood 3/3 and was expecting to be able to make potions like Increase Armor w/o also having a negative effect thrown in (ex: Reduced Weapon Power). However, they are still present.

How exactly does snake blood work? Is it similar to medicinal use in that it only improves potions for the alchemist?

Also, does any one else find it annoying that there are negative effects yet no way to use them to your advantage?

Atalle

@hexador Not sure if snake blood is bugged then, may want to submit a feedback on it.

Poisons are coming they announced it before release so we will have use for negative effects at some point.

Strelok

Gotta keep this near the top :P

Creepsley

the Addon Alchemist is also an awesome thing, as it displays the potions you havent discovered yet ;-) less reagents that gets lost ^^

BugCollector

What can I do with a Ravage Health potion? I can't bind it to my destruction staff, I can't drink it because of the bad effect. What's its purpose?

Atalle

@BugCollector‌ eventually they will be implementing poisons but they have not yet. Si stay tuned to patch notes.

BugCollector

Atalle wrote: »

@BugCollector‌ eventually they will be implementing poisons but they have not yet. Si stay tuned to patch notes.

Ok, thank you!

JOnEB4EvR

Looking to get into alchemy. Was totally lost since there's so many things to gather. Thanks for the info and hard work!

Rev Rielle

Well done! Nice Guild.

Elmojito1000eb17_ESO wrote: »

How do you apply a poison to a weapon? or cant you? I tried to drag it, but my character ended up just drinking it instead...

No, you cannot yet, but Zenimax are working on addition poisons to the game. Maybe with the Thieves Guild or Dark Brotherhood? It might make sense to do so with those, but who knows.

SilvaRavenheart

Great intro to alchemy. I refer to this lots now. Thankyou.