Alchemy

Learn about The Witcher's alchemy system, including secondary elements like Albedo, Nitrol, and Rubedo, and the uses of alcohol for potion bases and drinking games.

Ingredients with two elements can be used to make even stronger potions. Matching all the secondary elements will create a potion with added effects. For example, if you make a Cat potion (Rebis and two Quebrith) with Ruebedo as a secondary element in all three (for example, a potion made with Green Mold and two Gravier Bones) you’ll get a Cat potion with Ruebedo as its dominant substance. In addition to letting you see in the dark, this potion will increase your vitality regeneration. There are only three secondary elements: Albedo, Nitrol, and Rubedo. If you use components with the required primary elements and identical secondary elements, you’ll get a secondary substance dominated potion.

• Albedo: Reduces toxicity of consumed potions
• Nitrol: Increases damage dealt
• Rubedo: Increases Vitality regeneration

Alcohol serves two major purposes in The Witcher. First, stronger alcohol can be used as potion bases. The second function of alcohol is to participate in various drinking games with NPCs, which can get you information and items. Most potions require High-Quality Potion bases, but White Gull can be used to create potions with five Alchemical Ingredient slots.

Low-quality potion bases (three Alchemical Ingredient slots) include Dwarven Spirit, Local Pepper Vodka, Nilfgaardian Lemon, Redanian Herbal, Soldier’s Hooch, Temerian Rye, Wormwood Spirit and Zerrikanian Spirit. High-quality potion bases (four Alchemical Ingredient slots) include Alcohest, Azoth, Cherry Spirit Cordial, Mandrake Cordial, Plum Cordial, Temerian Spirit and Wyvern Blood Spirit.

Potions are one of the most important tools of a Witcher. They can do all sorts of wonderful things, from increasing your Vitality or Endurance regeneration, allowing you to dodge and parry better, deal more damage, or make your blood poisonous to blood-sucking beasts.

Common Potions:

• Bindweed
  Ingredients: Aether (x1), Quebrith (x1), Vermillion (x1)
  Effects: Increases resistance to acid and acid-based poisons.
• Black Blood
  Ingredients: Vitriol (x3), Rebis (x1), Aether (x1)
  Effects: Turns the imbiber’s blood into poison, lethal to monsters which drink it.
• Blizzard
  Ingredients: Vitriol (x2), Rebis (x2)
  Effects: Improves reflexes and reaction time, allowing a Witcher to better parry and evade attacks.
• Cat
  Ingredients: Rebis (x1), Quebrith (x2)
  Effects: Grants vision in total darkness.
• De Vries’ Extract
  Ingredients: Rebis (x1), Aether (x1), Quebrith (x1), Hydragenum (x1)
  Effects: Makes concealed creatures visible.
• Golden Oriole
  Ingredients: Aether (x2), Vitriol (x2)
  Effects: Renders a Witcher’s body immune to poison and neutralizes existing poisons.
• Fisstech
  Ingredients: Quebrith (x1), Hydragenum (x3), Vermillion (x1)
  Effects: Narcotic causes the user to feel stunned and lose consciousness.
• Full Moon
  Ingredients: Vermillion (x2), Hydragenum (x2), Quebrith (x1)
  Effects: Significantly increases maximum Vitality.
• Kiss
  Ingredients: Vermillion (x1), Vitriol (x2)
  Effects: Increases resistance to bleeding and stanches any current bleeding.
• Maribor Forest
  Ingredients: Rebis (x2), Aether (x1), Quebrith (x1)
  Effects: Significantly increases maximum Endurance; predominantly used by Witchers trained in the use of signs.
• Perfume
  Ingredients: Vitriol (x1), Aether (x1), Quebrith (x1)
  Effects: A gift that almost any lady will appreciate.
• Petri’s Philter
  Ingredients: Quebrith (x2), Hydragenum (x1), Vermillion (x1), Rebis (x1)
  Effects: Increases the intensity of all the Witcher Signs.
• Shrike
  Ingredients: Rebis (x1), Hydragenum (x1), Quebrith (x1), Vermillion (x2)
  Effects: Inflicts pain on assailants during combat.
• Swallow
  Ingredients: Vitriol (x1), Aether (x1), Rebis (x2)
  Effects: Accelerates the regeneration of Vitality.
• Tawny Owl
  Ingredients: Vitriol (x1), Aether (x2)
  Effects: Significantly increases Endurance regeneration.