Alchemy in The Witcher 3 involves using potions, decoctions, and oils to enhance Geralt’s Witcher abilities, combat power, and Stamina in battle. It can be a confusing section of the game to new players, but with the correct abilities, alchemy greatly enhances our playing style. Let’s take the time to explore a few that will help you along the way.
The Alchemy Tree of abilities has numerous abilities that can be combined to create one of the most powerful builds in the game. Despite being more subtle in its effects than abilities from the Combat Tree, these skills often compound for potent results in battle. These are 10 of the most useful and best Alchemy abilities.
1. Refreshment
The Refreshment ability encourages using potions in battle.
Our first ability is a simple one that can be acquired relatively early in the game. Refreshment heals Geralt each time he drinks a potion and increases its duration even if the potion doesn’t necessarily restore health. At its highest stage, this ability makes potion effects last 25% longer and heals a quarter of our maximum health.
This ability can be combined with healing potions such as Swallow to enhance your health regeneration in combat. Additionally, Superior versions of potions that are already powerful can be made even better and longer lasting with Refreshment.
Refreshment Details:
- Level 1:
Each potion dose imbibed heals 5% of maximum Vitality.
Potion duration time: +5%
- Level 2:
Each potion dose imbibed heals 10% of maximum Vitality.
Potion duration time: +10%
- Level 3:
Each potion dose imbibed heals 15% of maximum Vitality.
Potion duration time: +15%
- Level 4:
Each potion dose imbibed heals 20% of maximum Vitality.
Potion duration time: +20%
- Level 5:
Each potion dose imbibed heals 25% of maximum Vitality.
Potion duration time: +25%
2. Fixative
Oils are an integral part of a Witcher’s battle preparation.
The Fixative ability increases the charges that blade oils have and at its final level, it keeps blade oil effects on a sword indefinitely. This is incredibly overpowered for higher-level bosses that require numerous hits to kill. As of Patch 4.0, the ability also allows us to apply up to three different oils on a sword.
Fixative is an ability that is necessary for boss battles and hordes of enemies that would otherwise bring us to an early grave. Additionally, having three different oils equipped is useful for battles with multiple enemy variants such as Skellige contracts that involve traversing through caves with Drowners, Sirens, and Water Hags. Lastly, the ability also increases other potion duration times as a bonus.
Fixative Details:
- Level 1:
Blade oils now have 33% more charges.
Potion duration time: +5%
- Level 2:
Blade oils now have 67% more charges.
Two different oils can be applied to a sword at a time. (since Patch 4.0)
Potion duration time: +10%
- Level 3:
Blade oils do not wear off.
Up to 3 different oils can be applied to a sword at a time. (since Patch 4.0)
Potion duration time: +15%
3. Efficiency
Bombs are a mighty type of ranged attack with area damage.
The Efficiency Ability targets our use of bombs in the game by increasing the maximum number of bombs we can keep in each slot. At its fifth level, we can keep five bombs of different varieties. This is useful throughout the game as bombs can tear through herds of low-level ghouls or whittle down grand beasts.
Efficiency is needed in any build centred around the use of bombs. Having more in hand allows us to unleash waves of blasts onto the battlefield and finish fights within seconds. As with most other Alchemy abilities, it also increases our Potion durations.
Efficiency Details:
- Level 1:
Increases the maximum number of bombs in each slot by 1.
Potion duration time: +5%
- Level 2:
Increases the maximum number of bombs in each slot by 2.
Potion duration time: +10%
- Level 3:
Increases the maximum number of bombs in each slot by 3.
Potion duration time: +15%
- Level 4:
Increases the maximum number of bombs in each slot by 4.
Potion duration time: +20%
- Level 5:
Increases the maximum number of bombs in each slot by 5.
Potion duration time: +25%
4. Tissue Transmutation
Decoctions are a double-edged sword that gives us insane power and leaves us with zombie Geralt!
Tissue Transmutation makes decoctions much more useful in the game. Despite giving Geralt a deathly countenance, this ability uses mutagen decoctions that we consume to increase our maximum vitality by up to 1000 HP for the duration of the potion. It also increases the duration time of the decoction, making it useful to take during battle.
This ability can be used strategically by combining multiple decoctions to increase maximum Vitality to game-breaking values. Imbibing three different decoctions simultaneously with this ability will increase your HP by 3000.
Tissue Transmutation Details:
- Level 1:
When consumed, mutagen decoction increases maximum Vitality by 200 for decoction's effective duration.
Potion duration time: +5%
- Level 2:
When consumed, mutagen decoction increases maximum Vitality by 400 for decoction's effective duration.
Potion duration time: +10%
- Level 3:
When consumed, mutagen decoction increases maximum Vitality by 600 for decoction's effective duration.
Potion duration time: +15%
- Level 4:
When consumed, mutagen decoction increases maximum Vitality by 800 for decoction's effective duration.
Potion duration time: +20%
- Level 5:
When consumed, mutagen decoction increases maximum Vitality by 1000 for decoction's effective duration.
Potion duration time: +25%
5. Side Effects
Potion use ensures survival and brings an edge to every challenging battle!
This Alchemy ability brings intrigue and spontaneity to our battles. While equipped, imbibing any potion brings a chance of activating another random potion from our potion armoire. Additionally, the second potion doesn’t increase Toxicity.
The Side Effects ability becomes most useful at its fifth level when it always triggers another potion’s effects, giving us a two-for-one result in battle. We have found the best way to use this ability involves consuming a potion such as Superior Swallow for health regeneration to ensure the other potion’s effects might include Stamina regeneration, attack enhancements, or other battle improvements.
Side Effects Details:
- Level 1:
Oil applied to blades gives a 3% chance of poisoning the target on each hit. The chance is greater the higher the level of oil used.
Potion duration time: +5%
- Level 2:
Oil applied to blades gives a 6% chance of poisoning the target on each hit. The chance is greater the higher the level of oil used.
Potion duration time: +10%
- Level 3:
Oil applied to blades gives a 9% chance of poisoning the target on each hit. The chance is greater the higher the level of oil used.
Potion duration time: +15%
- Level 4:
Oil applied to blades gives a 12% chance of poisoning the target on each hit. The chance is greater the higher the level of oil used.
Potion duration time: +20%
- Level 5:
Oil applied to blades gives a 15% chance of poisoning the target on each hit. The chance is greater the higher the level of oil used.
Potion duration time: +25%
6. Cluster Bombs
Bombs – in a world of swords, you’d think nothing of them but they are truly amazing weapons!
Bombs can unleash devastation upon your enemies when we’ve acquired enough skills to upgrade our proficiency with them. The Cluster Bombs skill separates our bombs into explosive fragments, widening the area of damage dealt. At its final stage, our bombs detonate in six fragments released like mines upon our foes.
Cluster Bombs allow us to dominate fights against multiple enemies as our explosives increase in size and area damage. This is most useful alongside Pyrotechnics to maximise our damage with bombs. Your enemies will be blown to bits with a skill of this nature equipped!
Cluster Bombs Details:
- Level 1:
Upon detonation bombs separate into explosive fragments. Number of fragments: 2
Potion duration time: +5%
- Level 2:
Upon detonation bombs separate into explosive fragments. Number of fragments: 3
Potion duration time: +10%
- Level 3:
Upon detonation bombs separate into explosive fragments. Number of fragments: 4
Potion duration time: +15%
- Level 4:
Upon detonation bombs separate into explosive fragments. Number of fragments: 5
Potion duration time: +20%
- Level 5:
Upon detonation bombs separate into explosive fragments. Number of fragments: 6
Potion duration time: +25%
7. Killing Spree
The Butcher of Blaviken unleashes his boundless bloodlust with Killing Spree
Killing Spree gives us a reason to increase our toxicity and down more potions. With this ability, we increase our critical hit chance by up to 50% (Lv 5) for the duration of a fight with every opponent murdered when our Toxicity is above 0. This is incredibly useful in Alchemy builds that ensure a steady stream of decoctions and tonics into our bloodstream.
The best way to use this skill is to consume a potion or two to bring our Toxicity to a fair amount and then hack and slash through foes to increase your Critical Hit chances. This ability also increases our potion duration time, a perfect addition to an already powerful ability. We can also combine this ability with Aerondight and other swords to maximise our critical hit chances.
Killing Spree Details:
- Level 1:
If Toxicity is above 0, each opponent killed increases the critical hit chance by 10% for the duration of that fight.
Potion duration time: +5%
- Level 2:
If Toxicity is above 0, each opponent killed increases the critical hit chance by 20% for the duration of that fight.
Potion duration time: +10%
- Level 3:
If Toxicity is above 0, each opponent killed increases critical hit chance by 30% for the duration of that fight.
Potion duration time: +15%
- Level 4:
If Toxicity is above 0, each opponent killed increases the critical hit chance by 40% for the duration of that fight.
Potion duration time: +20%
- Level 5:
If Toxicity is above 0, each opponent killed increases the critical hit chance by 50% for the duration of that fight.
Potion duration time: +25%
9. Heightened Tolerance
Toxicity can be difficult to manage. This ability makes it easier to work with.
Heightened Tolerance is a necessary ability for every alchemy build. With all the potions we take to enhance Geralt’s abilities, staying below the safe threshold becomes irritating. This ability increases Geralt's potion overdose threshold and the duration our potions are active.
At its highest level, the safe Toxicity threshold increases to 100%. This enables us to consume more potions than we could without Heightened Tolerance and it allows us to bring our Toxicity to greater amounts when using the Killing Spree and Frenzy abilities.
Heightened Tolerance Details:
- Level 1:
Increases potion overdose threshold from 75% to 80%
Potion duration time: +5%.
- Level 2:
Increases potion overdose threshold from 75% to 85%
Potion duration time: +10%.
- Level 3:
Increases potion overdose threshold from 75% to 90%
Potion duration time: +15%.
- Level 4:
Increases potion overdose threshold from 75% to 95%
Potion duration time: +20%.
- Level 5:
Increases potion overdose threshold from 75% to 100%
Potion duration time: +25%.
9. Hunter Instinct
Hunter Instinct vastly increases our Critical Hit damage against various enemies.
Enter your Witcher battle trance with Hunter Instinct. This underrated ability enhances our Critical Hit damage against targeted enemies by up to 100% when we have maximum Adrenaline. It fits perfectly into Alchemy builds by bringing us into an Adrenaline rush that puts power into Critical hits.
Strategically, this ability can be combined with the Maribor Forest potion to increase the rate at which Adrenaline points are generated. Our Adrenaline Point gain can also be improved using Combat abilities such as Crushing Blows, Precise Blows, or Strength Training.
Hunter Instinct Details:
- Level 1:
When Adrenaline Points are at their maximum, critical hit damage against the targeted enemy type is increased by 20%.
Potion duration time: +5%
- Level 2:
When Adrenaline Points are at their maximum, critical hit damage against the targeted enemy type is increased by 40%.
Potion duration time: +10%
- Level 3:
When Adrenaline Points are at their maximum, critical hit damage against the targeted enemy type is increased by 60%.
Potion duration time: +15%
- Level 4:
When Adrenaline Points are at their maximum, critical hit damage against the targeted enemy type is increased by 80%.
Potion duration time: +20%
- Level 5:
When Adrenaline Points are at their maximum, critical hit damage against the targeted enemy type is increased by 100%.
Potion duration time: +25%
10. Protective Coating
Protect yourself against fiendish beasts and elusive creatures!
Witcher oils drench our blades in substances that harm and damage specific monster types more than an attack from a clean blade. Protective Coating extends the usefulness of our oils by giving us bonus protection against the attacks of an enemy that our oil targets. We can extend the amount of beasts we receive protection from by combining this skill with Fixative to apply different oils simultaneously.
This skill is handy during Witcher Contracts when we prepare and oil our silver sword for a specific kind of beast. We can acquire up to 25% protection against the enemy’s attacks, while also dealing out more damage using the oil. Alchemy builds work best with this ability because of its additional increase to Potion duration and the buffs we receive on our oils.
Protective Coating Details:
- Level 1:
Adds 5% protection against attacks from the monster types the oil targets.
Potion duration time: +5%
- Level 2:
Adds 10% protection against attacks from the monster types the oil targets.
Potion duration time: +10%
- Level 3:
Adds 15% protection against attacks from the monster types the oil targets.
Potion duration time: +15%
- Level 4:
Adds 20% protection against attacks from the monster types the oil targets.
Potion duration time: +20%
- Level 5:
Adds 25% protection against attacks from the monster types the oil targets.
Potion duration time: +25%
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