Best Potions

[Invader]

Are there any really good potions out there worth brewing? I've found the dragon blood potions from draconomicon but surely there has to be some more interesting stuff.

[ericgrau]

Worth buying and selling? Yes. Worth brewing for yourself? Not as far as I know. You need too few of them for it to be worth it. Generally the level 1 potions are nice because they are a nearly free non-caster thing to do during a buff round, instead of sitting on your hands. At higher level the level 2 potions become more affordable.

For level 1 I like protection from evil and, for some builds, enlarge person. Level 2 has bull's strength and invisibility (to get away, instead of CMW). I'm sure there are many others, just look for good level 1 and 2 spells. As for more special potions that aren't directly based on spells, I don't know any. But those dragonblood potions don't seem any better.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Depends. Are you willing to build your character around brewing potions? If not, then mostly no. Use it to make some low-level buffs for your buddies and leave it be.

If you -are- willing to seriously dedicate the character to potion-mastery, then you'll want to look at the alchemist savant PrC from magic of eberron and master alchemist PrC from magic of faerun (neither is even loosely tied to its setting's by fluff). If you stack them right you can make potions of -most- spells. Pairing spell-vials with Tenser's Transformation lets you spam spells with iterative attacks or you can hand them out to your buddies and -everybody- gets to spam magic like an action-economy abusing boss.

[Rubik]

I'd suggest looking at some of the obscure lists, such as the trapsmith. Combine with cost reductions and the Sanctum Spell feat to reduce the level of the spells even further for maximum savings all around.

[Slipperychicken]

If your GM isn't a tool, and will let you craft Oils with Brew Potion, then you can make oils of Align Weapon, hand them to your big stupid fighters, and then they can stop whining and bypass DR/Alignment without wasting money for a +5 weapon.

Remove Curse/Break Enchantment could be a lifesaver, particularly if the party healer is cursed such that he can't cure himself of it. Then the fighters can just pour it down his throat and he'll be fine.

Along those lines, giving your fighters some healing potions (assuming a Healing Belt is out of the question) could be useful if the healer gets KO'd.

Technically an alchemical item, but a few doses of Trollbane (from Dungeonscape) can be very nice if you run into something stupid like War Trolls, Troll-Blooded Warforged Juggernauts, the Tarrasque, or the Emerald Legion, whose regeneration is otherwise difficult to bypass. A bit pricey at 90 gold per swing, but it does let any piercing/slashing attack ignore regen, so it's best saved until you can blow a few thousand on obscure consumables.

Basically, anything you'd want cast when the appropriate caster isn't available is worth considering as a potion.

[ericgrau]

Shillelagh oil is nice at low level.

[Rubik]

Hoard Gullet. It's the ultimate in indigestion medication.

[Invader]

Hoard Gullet. It's the ultimate in indigestion medication.

Yeah this is def a good one.

[Venger]

Hoard Gullet. It's the ultimate in ingestion medication.

ftfy :smallbiggrin:

seconding enlarge person. I'm a fan of rhino's rush. handy, no scaling, and usable the whole game

[weckar]

Biggest problem with brewing potions is the time it takes (a day per). Especially since you can do a LOT of fun things with them. For cheap, situational spells that are best used when you couldn't otherwise use the spell, for example.

I always like, when a mage, to carry potions of Joyful Noise. Just in case. It does depend on the spell version you use, though. You need the one that targets yourself, not the area around yourself.

Potions of Shocking Grasp are also a perfectly valid alternative to ingested poisons, and much cheaper.

[Rubik]

I'm sure there's any number of spells that could be turned into oils to be used as splash weapons. How about a Sanctum Spell'd Dominate Person, for instance?

[weckar]

I do have to wonder... Any spell that targets one of more creatures of lv 3 or lower can potentially be made into a potion. But, if a spell calls out the caster in the effect, who does that apply to once the potion is used?

Specifically, I'm thinking of spells such as Crystalline Memories...

[TuggyNE]

I do have to wonder... Any spell that targets one of more creatures of lv 3 or lower can potentially be made into a potion. But, if a spell calls out the caster in the effect, who does that apply to once the potion is used?

Specifically, I'm thinking of spells such as Crystalline Memories...

The person who drinks the potion (or applies the oil?) is always the caster. That's spelled out.

[weckar]

But.... then who is the target? *scratches head*

[Rubik]

But.... then who is the target? *scratches head*Um... You can cast spells on yourself as the target, y'know.

[weckar]

True, but does that cover the cases for all potions? The drinker is both the caster and the target? But it is still keyed off the CL of the brewer?

[Rubik]

True, but does that cover the cases for all potions? The drinker is both the caster and the target? But it is still keyed off the CL of the brewer?The same occurs in other cases, too, such as with wands, scrolls, power stones, soul crystals, and other magic items.

[JDL]

Remember that, assuming you're creating them yourself, while no spell can exceed spell level three, there's no limit on caster level. If you have gold to burn you can make some very long lasting buff spell potions in a single day's work.

Some of my personal core favorites are:

Potion of Ventriloquism: If you're a low to mid level spellcaster that likes to use invisibility, this potion means your verbal components won't give your position away to the enemy. Nothing in the spell itself says that making the will save gives the enemy the correct location either, merely that they recognize it's an illusion.

Potion of Glibness: If you read this forum's webcomic you should know why.

Potion of Divine Favor: Luck bonus on attack and damage rolls is a nice stacking bonus for a cheap price.

Oil of Bless Weapon: As mentioned above, a situational spell that can really make a huge difference in a fight. It's so cheap you should always have at least one on hand.

Neutralize Poison: Another spell you don't need all the time but when you need it, you need it NOW. Grants immunity for a decent duration afterwards too.

Remove Blindness/Deafness, Remove Curse, Remove Disease: As above, minus immunity. It's a good idea to invest in one or two of each and then forget about them.

Potion of Shield: Since this is a self only spell, it's a useful one to buy in bulk for a boost to the AC of your melee that don't have shields.

There's plenty of others, but explore what spells you have available to you at the time to decide what you most want.

[Rubik]

Potion or oil of a shadowcraft mage's shadow Miracle, cast as a cantrip? So long as the potion targets a creature or the oil targets an object or creature, this should be eminently doable, and is likely one of the best deals on magic items in the entire game.

[Fouredged Sword]

I like to keep a few potions of Guidance of the Avatar on my characters. It's 300gp, but +20 to a check within the next 5 min can be the difference between making a near impossible check and having it be trivial.

[StreamOfTheSky]

Potion of Ventriloquism: If you're a low to mid level spellcaster that likes to use invisibility, this potion means your verbal components won't give your position away to the enemy. Nothing in the spell itself says that making the will save gives the enemy the correct location either, merely that they recognize it's an illusion.

Potion of Glibness: If you read this forum's webcomic you should know why.

Potion of Divine Favor: Luck bonus on attack and damage rolls is a nice stacking bonus for a cheap price.Potion of Shield: Since this is a self only spell, it's a useful one to buy in bulk for a boost to the AC of your melee that don't have shields.

You can't make personal spells into potions (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/creatingMagicItems.htm#creatingPotions).

Spells with a range of personal cannot be made into potions.

[Rubik]

You can't make personal spells into potions (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/creatingMagicItems.htm#creatingPotions).This is what spellguard of Silverymoon is for.

[Invader]

I like to keep a few potions of Guidance of the Avatar on my characters. It's 300gp, but +20 to a check within the next 5 min can be the difference between making a near impossible check and having it be trivial.

Isn't it just a minute, not that it should matter all that much.

[Fitz10019]

Every meleer should have a potion of Mage Armor for when you inevitably face ghosts.

It's very situational, but having a potion of Levitate can spare you from climb checks. Really, though, a scroll would be cheaper if you have the luxury of an idle caster nearby.

[ericgrau]

Every monk without a party mage should have about 20 potions of mage armor for whenever he can. Way better and cheaper than bracers of armor. And by the time you run out you can get a pair of wands and spam cross class UMD checks until you finally succeed. Still way cheaper and you'll never run out the whole campaign. The purpose of the second wand is for your frequent nat 1s before succeeding.

[Venger]

Every monk without a party mage should have about 20 potions of mage armor for whenever he can. Way better and cheaper than bracers of armor. And by the time you run out you can get a pair of wands and spam cross class UMD checks until you finally succeed. Still way cheaper and you'll never run out the whole campaign. The purpose of the second wand is for your frequent nat 1s before succeeding.

Buy them partially charged to save money

[ericgrau]

Now that's really not necessary at 750 gp a pop even with two :smallbiggrin:. Normally this is where I'd advocate half or random charged wands with DM permission as it'd be reasonable to find them used, but I'm taunting you on purpose.