There is one way to help "fix" alchemy in the low levels. Create diseases/curses that can only be cured with player created potions. Let's say at level 10, I'm fighting a monster that has poison as an ability. This poison has no timer, it just keeps ticking until I'm dead; unless of course I have a potion that cures it. You better believe I'm buying cure potions before I do the dungeon that has those monsters with poison. This game needs random disease/curses/poisons that occur when fighting enemies for potions to be viable in low levels.
Create diseases/curses that can only be cured with player created potions. Let's say at level 10, I'm fighting a monster that has poison as an ability. This poison has no timer, it just keeps ticking until I'm dead; unless of course I have a potion that cures it. You better believe I'm buying cure potions before I do the dungeon that has those monsters with poison. This game needs random disease/curses/poisons that occur when fighting enemies for potions to be viable in low levels.