Witchers must be well-versed in crafting their potions and consumables if they want to survive against monsters. The knowledge of crafting and brewing your potions and concoctions among other consumables like oils and bombs in The Witcher 3 is known as Alchemy.
No matter what playstyle you adopt, embracing alchemy and potions is not only useful but in some cases quite essential to defeating bosses and progressing in The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt. If you are struggling to understand how alchemy and potion-making works in The Witcher 3, allow us to guide you.
How to brew potions in The Witcher 3
Almost all of the potions or decoctions in The Witcher 3 can be brewed by Geralt, provided he has all the ingredients required for the potion. Potions can also be found in almost all locations in TW3 as random loot so you might not feel the need to craft them. You can go through most of the game without making a single potion.
Still, you will be spending a large sum of your money on purchasing potions and decoctions to ensure that you can even heal and get power-ups to get through the difficult parts of the game. That is why it is essential to master the art of alchemy and brew your own potions for Geralt.
To craft the various potions, you need to get their recipes. Although Geralt starts with a few recipes for basic decoctions that you might need at the start of the game, you can find more potion recipes as loot once you progress through The Witcher 3.
Most alchemy and potions recipes can be found in the open world in treasures and loot from enemies. You can also purchase several alchemy recipes from vendors across the world in The Witcher 3.
Once you have the recipe you want to brew, open the Alchemy page from the menu and select the potion. Most potions will require herbs or alcohol to craft. Thankfully, these items are very common and you should have an ample supply if you loot a lot.
Why do you need Potions?
Honestly, this is a no-brainer. Potion and decoctions provides power boosts to Geralt, like increased damage, better accuracy, superior vision and the ability to regenerate stamina fast. Potions can provide upgrades to Geralt for a relatively low price.
Some Potions provide increased damage against specific enemy types; others provide increased defense against particular attack types. In short, you can turn the tables in a fight using a single potion.
The downside of taking Potions
Although Alchemy and Potions seem an excellent way to get temporary boosts, excess potions can negatively affect Geralt.
In TW3: Wild Hunt, Geralt might have some innate immunity to the potions he uses, but using too many will increase the toxicity. As your toxicity increases, you will start noticing darkened veins on Geralt’s body, and your scars will turn red.
As your toxicity rises, your health will start draining automatically, meaning that the more potions and decoctions you take, the weaker you get in The Witcher 3. This means you can’t continue to drink potions and decoctions endlessly as you will end up dying due to excessive toxicity.
You can reduce your toxicity levels by using White Honey and Superior White Honey. This will remove all your toxicity and any active potion effects.
All potion recipes in The Witcher 3
Below are all the different potions you can brew through Alchemy in The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt, their ingredients and the effects of each potion. This way you will have an idea of which potions to use when fighting certain enemies or trying to survive in certain areas.
Black Blood
Effect: Deal damage to vampires and necrophages after receiving some damage
Ingredients: 1x Dwarven spirit + 2x Sewant mushrooms + 4x Ghoul’s blood
Bindweed
Effect: Increased resistance to Acid and acid-based poisons.
Ingredients: 1x Aether + 1x Quebrith + 1x Vermilion b
Enhanced Black Blood
Effect: Deal damage to vampires and necrophages after receiving some damage
Ingredients: 1x Alcohest + 1x Black Blood + 1x Hellebore petals + 5x Sewant mushrooms + 5x Ghoul’s blood
Superior Black Blood
Effect: Deal damage to vampires and necrophages after receiving some damage
Ingredients: 1x White Gull + 1x Enhanced Black Blood + 5x Hellebore petals + 5x Sewant mushrooms + 1x Han fiber + 1x Nostrix 1x Rebis
Blizzard
Effect: Slows down time immediately after killing an enemy
Ingredients: 1x Dwarven spirit + 5x White myrtle petals + 1x Golem’s heart
Enhanced Blizzard
Effect: Greatly slows down time immediately after killing an enemy
Ingredients: 1x Alcohest + 1x Blizzard + 1x Celandine + 5x White myrtle petals + 1x Golem’s heart
Superior Blizzard
Effect: Slows down time immediately after killing an enemy, and stamina cost reduces with 3x Adrenaline Points
Ingredients: 1x White Gull + 1x Enhanced Blizzard + 1x Celandine + 4x White myrtle petals + 1x Sewant mushrooms + 1x Buckthorn 1x Rebis
Cat
Effect: Ability to see in darkness
Ingredients: 1x Dwarven spirit + 4x Berbercane fruit + 2x Water essence
Enhanced Cat
Effect: Ability to see in darkness for an increased duration
Ingredients: 1x Alcohest + 1x Cat + 5x Berbercane fruit + 1x Cortinarius + 3x Water Essence
Superior Cat
Effect: Ability to see in darkness for an even more duration
Ingredients: 1x White Gull + 1x Enhanced Cat + 4x Berbercane fruit + 4x Cortinarius + 1x Moleyarrow + 1x Allspice + 1x Aether
Full Moon
Effect: this potions increases maximum Vitality
Ingredients: 1x Dwarven spirit + 2x Wolfsbane + 1x Dark Essence
Enhanced Full Moon
Effect: Increases maximum Vitality for a longer time
Ingredients: 1x Alcohest + 1x Full Moon + 2x Crow’s eye + 5x Wolfsbane + 2x Dark Essence
Superior Full Moon
Effect: Increases maximum Vitality for even longer durations of time
Ingredients: 1x White Gull + 1x Enhanced Full Moon + 1x Mistletoe + 1x Verbena + 4x Crow’s eye + 4x Wolfsbane + 1x Quebrith
Golden Oriole
Effect: Immune to Poisons
Ingredients: 1x Dwarven spirit + 4x Blowball + 1x Light Essence
Enhanced Golden Oriole
Effect: Immune to Poisons for longer durations of time
Ingredients: 1x Alcohest + 1x Golden Oriole + 6 + Blowball + 1x Celandine + 2x Light Essence
Superior Golden Oriole
Effect: Immune to Poisons for longer durations of time, and Poisons start healing
Ingredients: 1x White Gull + 1x Enhanced Golden Oriole + 4x Blowball + 4x Celandine + 1x Han fiber + 1x Ranogrin + 1x Quebrith
Killer Whale
Effect: Increased breath supply while underwater
Ingredients: 2x Dwarven spirit + 5x Balisse fruit + 6 + Buckthorn + 5x Drowner tongue
Maribor Forest
Effect: Generate Adrenaline Points faster
Ingredients: 1x Dwarven spirit + 3x Berbercane fruit + 1x Alghoul bone marrow + 4x Drowner tongue
Enhanced Maribor Forest
Effect: Generate Adrenaline Points faster for extended durations of time
Ingredients: 1x Alcohest + 1x Maribor Forest + 5x Berbercane fruit + 1x Crow’s eye + 2x Drowner tongue
Superior Maribor Forest
Effect: Generate Adrenaline Points faster and generate 1x Adrenaline Point upon consumption
Ingredients: 1x White Gull + 1x Enhanced Maribor Forest + 4x Berbercane fruit + 4x Crow’s eye + 1x Hellebore petals + 1x Ribleaf 1x Vermilion
Petri’s Philter
Effect: Increases Sign intensity
Ingredients: 1x Dwarven spirit + 5x Arenaria + 1x Specter Dust
Enhanced Petri’s Philter
Effect: Increases Sign intensity for an increased duration of time
Ingredients: 1x Alcohest + 1x Petri’s Philter + 6 + Arenaria + 1x Buckthorn + 2x Specter Dust
Superior Petri’s Philter
Effect: Increases Sign intensity and have special effects upon usage
Ingredients: 1x White Gull + 1x Enhanced Petri’s Philter + 4x Arenaria + 4x Buckthorn + 1x Longrube + 1x Ranogrin + 1x Rubedo
De Vries’ Extract
Effect: Reveals hidden opponents.
Ingredients: 1x Rebis + 1x Aether + 2x Quebirth + 1x Hydragenum
Kiss
Effect: Increased resistance to Bleeding.
Ingredients: 2x Vitriol + 1x Vermilion
Swallow
Effect: Increased Vitality regeneration
Ingredients: 1x Dwarven spirit + 5x Celandine + 4x Drowner brain
Enhanced Swallow
Effect: Increased Vitality regeneration for longer durations of time
Ingredients: 1x Alcohest + 1x Swallow + 6 + Celandine + 4x White myrtle petals + 5x Drowner brain
Superior Swallow
Effect: Increased Vitality regeneration for even longer durations
Ingredients: 1x White Gull + 1x Enhanced Swallow + 6 + Berbercane fruit + 6 + White myrtle petals + 4x Celandine + 4x Crow’s eye + 2x Vitriol
Tawny Owl
Effect: Speeds up Stamina regeneration
Ingredients: 1x Dwarven spirit + 2x Verbena + 1x Arachas venom
Enhanced Tawny Owl
Effect: Speeds up Stamina regeneration for longer durations
Ingredients: 1x Alcohest + 1x Tawny Owl + 4x Verbena + 2x Wolfsbane + 1x Arachas venom
Superior Tawny Owl
Effect: Speeds up Stamina regeneration which never expires during the night
Ingredients: 1x White Gull + 1x Enhanced Tawny Owl + 4x Verbena + 4x Wolfsbane + 1x Fool’s parsley leaves + 1x Mandrake root + 1x Sewant mushrooms
Thunderbolt
Effect: Increases Attack Power
Ingredients: 1x Dwarven spirit + 2x Cortinarius + 1x Endrega embryo
Enhanced Thunderbolt
Effect: Increases Attack Power for longer durations
Ingredients: 1x Alcohest + 1x Thunderbolt + 2x Cortinarius + 1x Fool’s parsley leaves + 2x Endrega embryo
Superior Thunderbolt
Effect: Increases Attack Power for longer durations and grants 100% Critical Hits chances in storms
Ingredients: 1x White Gull + 1x Enhanced Thunderbolt + 4x Cortinarius + 4x Fool’s parsley leaves + 1x Verbena + 1x Bryonia + 1x Quebrith
Wives’ Tears
Effect: Neutralize effects of alcohol intoxication.
Ingredients: 1x Rebis + 1x Aether + 1x Quebirth
White Honey
Effect: Clears Toxicity
Ingredients: 1x Dwarven spirit + 1x Honeysuckle
Enhanced White Honey
Effect: Clears Toxicity
Ingredients: 1x Alcohest + 1x White Honey + 2x Honeysuckle + 1x White myrtle petals
Superior White Honey
Effect: Clears Toxicity
Ingredients: 1x White Gull + 1x Enhanced White Honey + 4x Honeysuckle + 4x White myrtle petals + 1x Balisse fruit + 1x Hellebore petals + 1x Vitriol
White Raffard’s Decoction
Effect: Restores Vitality
Ingredients: 1x Dwarven spirit + 2x Ribleaf + 4x Nekker heart
Enhanced White Raffard’s Decoction
Effect: Restores a larger portion of Vitality
Ingredients: 1x Alcohest + 1x White Raffard’s Decoction + 4x Ribleaf + 1x Bryonia + 5x Nekker heart
Superior White Raffard’s Decoction
Effect: Restores Vitality completely and grants immunity for a short duration of time
Ingredients: 1x White Gull + 1x Enhanced White Raffard’s Decoction + 4x Ribleaf + 4x Bryonia + 1x Pringrape + 1x Bison grass + 1x Vermilion
Shrike
Effect: Inflict pain on assailants during combat.
Ingredients: 1x Rebis + 1x Quebirth + 1x Hydragenum + 2x Vermilion
Ursine pheromones
Effect: Ursines do not attack
Ingredients: 1x Dwarven spirit + 1x Berbercane fruit + 1x Ergot seeds + 1x Hellebore petals
Willow
Effect: Grants immunity to Stun and Knockdowns.
Ingredients: 2x Aether + 1x Quebirth
Drowner pheromones
Effect: Drowners do not attack
Ingredients: 1x Dwarven spirit + 1x Drowner brain + 1x Sewant mushrooms + 1x Puffball
Nekker pheromones
Effect: Nekkers do not attack
Ingredients: 1x Dwarven spirit + 1x Green mold + 1x Drowner brain + 1x Moleyarrow
