The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Guide to Alchemy

In the Witcher series, the study of alchemy can create powerful offensive and defensive concoctions that can bring an advantage into battles. Alchemy isn’t only used by witchers, but also by a sizable amount of the world’s populace. By synthesizing herbs, monster parts, and other ingredients, Geralt can bolster his combat effectiveness. Alchemy's major strength is giving the player an edge in a specific encounter by increasing a certain stat or ability to match which fighting style is needed. Players can craft potions, oils, and bombs.

Discover all of the strengths of Alchemy, along with powerful recipes, in our Guide to Alchemy.

General Info
In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, potions, bombs, and weapon oils are all crafted from materials players will find in their travels.

Once he crafts an alchemical substance or compound, Geralt holds a limited supply of each on-hand which can be replenished with the requisite strong alcohols (or other materials) in the inventory whilst meditating. The limit of on-hand supply can be increased by selecting character upgrades in the alchemy branch.

All alchemical creations are based on formulas that are discovered via scrolls, word of mouth, and myriad other means. To successfully execute these recipes, Geralt must utilize items and compounds foraged, bought or otherwise crafted and be of the requisite level.

Practical Uses
Potions are the most common use for alchemy and serve as buffers (temporary stats or ability bonuses).

Crafting
Crafting potions requires a recipe, a base substance (usually strong alcohol), and some other item(s) which may be acquired along the journey. When ingested, potions raise Geralt's toxicity therefore he can only ingest a certain amount based on his current stats and buffers.

Replenishing
Once Geralt has brewed a particular concoction, he'll only need an alcoholic beverage on-hand to replenish his stock. Potions are refilled each time Geralt meditates provided he has alcohol; every potion in the inventory will be fully-stocked upon doing so.

Weapon Oils
Of the three alchemical tools Geralt can craft or purchase, weapon oils can be the most effective but likewise require the most planning and wherewithal. Knowledge of the local bestiary is key to maximizing weapon oils' advantages.

Practical Uses
Oils are used to coat swords thereby increasing Geralt's damage rating for the particular foe the oil targets. Effects are only seen after a successful hit.

Once applied, weapon oils last the duration of the sword and even seem to persist through repairs. Different oils may be switched out as the situation dictates but the former oil's effects are no longer applicable.

Crafting

Crafting oils requires a recipe, a base substance (usually an oil or tallow), and some other item(s) which may be acquired along the journey. As of this writing, oils have never been observed to run out or need replenishment.

Bombs
Bombs are area-effecting, thrown projectiles which can damage, stun or cause other effects on clustered groups of enemies.

Practical Uses
Bombs can be used to deal direct damage, damage-over-time, stun, or other temporary effects which serve as combat force multipliers.

Crafting
Crafting oils requires a recipe, a base substance (usually a powder), and some other item(s) which may be acquired along the journey.

Replenishing
Like potions, bombs may be replenished via meditation provided Geralt has alchemical powder on hand.

Similarities and Differences from Earlier Versions of Witcher
The earlier alchemic substances (aether, hydragenum,quebrith, rebis, vermilion and vitriol) and secondary stubstances (albedo, nigredo, and rubedo) all return and are crafted from plant and animal components found throughout the world, and themselves used in more advanced recipes.

In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, potions, bombs, and weapon oils have been revamped from the previous games. Instead of constantly having to hunt for components and crafting these items, you only need make each type of item once. Instead, you now carry a limited supply of each potion type, and as long as you have alcohest, your potion supply will be automatically replenished by meditating. Weapon oils are never used up, and instead now apply 20 or more "uses" to the weapon (depending on the oil's level) rather than a duration. Like potions, bombs are equally limited in supply. These limited qualities/uses can be increased by alchemy-focused abilities.

Unlike previous games, preparing for combat by drinking the right potions and applying the appropriate coating is no longer necessary. Most potions have a short effect duration of less than a minute, which makes them combat-use items. Additionally, only two types of potions and bombs can be kept at the ready at any given time (likely a limitation to accommodate console controllers). You can drink potions or apply blade coatings straight from your inventory, even while fighting. The developers have explained this departure from the overall Witcher theme as a design choice due to the open-world nature of the game, where combat can happen unexpectedly.