The rogue darted through the thick crowd, dodging between people and slipping through the gaps. He could feel the king’s guards hot on his heels, but he knew he had a chance to escape.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the vial of invisibility potion. He downed it in one gulp and disappeared from sight. The guards stopped in their tracks, confused. The rogue was gone.
Potions are a crucial part of any Pathfinder game. They can be used to help players escape danger, boost their stats, and much more.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the different types of potions available and their costs. We’ll also discuss how to brew your own potions.
Table of Contents
Potion Basics
Potions can be used in a variety of ways in Pathfinder games. When consumed, the drinker gains the benefit of the potion. Characters must use an interact action to drink a potion.
There are a few things every Pathfinder player should know about potions.
First, they can be used to heal hit points and ability damage.
Second, most potions have a limited duration. Once the potion’s duration expires, the benefits of the potion are lost.
Lastly, you can pour potions into another player’s mouth as an action. This is a helpful way to share potions with your allies.
Potion Cost List
| Potion Name | Item Level | Rarity | Price |
| Barkskin Potion | 4 | Common | 15 gp |
| Potion of Flying | 8 | Common | 100 gp |
| Invisibility Potion | 4 | Uncommon | 20 gp |
| Potion of Water Breathing | 3 | Common | 11 gp |
| Truth Potion | 6 | Uncommon | 46 gp |
| Serum of Sex Shift | 7 | Common | 60 gp |
| Potion of Resistance (lesser) | 6 | Common | 45 gp |
| Dragon’s Breath Potion | 7 | Common | 70 gp |
| Invisibility Potion | 4 | Uncommon | 20 gp |
| Healing Potion (lesser) | 3 | Common | 12 gp |
| Potion of Swimming | 6 | Common | 50 gp |
| Potion of Tongues | 12 | Uncommon | 320 gp |
| Potion of Quickness | 8 | Common | 90 gp |
Common Potions
Finding and acquiring potions in Pathfinder can be a tricky task. The best place to start is usually the nearest apothecary or general store.
There you can find basic healing potions, buffing potions, and more. These potions are typically inexpensive and easy to come by.
Every adventurer should carry at least a few potions. Other potions are crucial as well, depending on the situation you’re in.
Barkskin Potion
Golarion can be a rough place. If you’re having trouble staying on your feet in battle, try drinking a barkskin potion! Drinking this potion will cause your skin to become as hard as tree bark for 10 minutes.
By drinking a barkskin potion, you’ll gain the effects of a 2nd-level Barkskin spell. You’ll be more difficult to hit, but keep in mind that bark is flammable! Avoid open flames after drinking one of these.
Potion of Swimming
Drinking a potion of swimming will cause you to become buoyant and able to swim powerfully. The potion’s duration is 10 minutes. For the duration, you’ll be able to swim as fast as you can run on land.
A must-have for seafaring adventurers, this potion will let you swim with ease through even the most turbulent waters. It also comes in handy for escaping dangerous creatures that live in the deep ocean. Look for these potions at your local potion shop.
Potion of Quickness
Strength isn’t the only way to win a fight. Speed can be just as deadly! By drinking a potion of quickness, you’ll gain the effects of haste, giving you more actions on your turn.
With a potion of quickness in your belly, you’ll be running circles around your opponents. A level 9 item, these potions aren’t easy to produce, so finding one may be difficult. Buying one of these potions will set you back about 90 gp.
Healing Potion
Healing potions are among the most common types of potions available in Pathfinder. They can be used to heal hit points and revive unconscious players. Some healing potions also provide temporary immunity to certain diseases.
There are several kinds of healing potions available, each with its own degree of potency. It would be a mistake to underestimate how helpful healing potions are.
Even a small dose of healing can make the difference between life and death in a dangerous encounter.
| Potency | Level | Price | Effect |
| Minor | 1 | 4 gp | Restore 1d8 Hit Points |
| Lesser | 3 | 12 gp | Restore 2d8+5 Hit Points |
| Moderate | 6 | 50 gp | Restore 3d8+10 Hit Points |
| Greater | 12 | 400 gp | Restore 6d8+20 Hit Points |
| Major | 18 | 5,000 gp | Restore 8d8+30 Hit Points |
Potion of Flying
When drinking a lesser potion of flying, the drinker gains the ability to fly for one minute. A greater potion will extend the duration to an hour.
The drinker can fly up to 40 feet per round and can maneuver easily in the air. The potion does not allow you to pass through walls or other solid objects.
Use a potion of flying to cross a vast chasm, reach a high ridge, or quickly scale a castle wall. It’s a good idea to carry enough flying potions for your entire party; otherwise, you might be flying solo.
Serum of Sex Shift
When a character drinks a serum of sex shift, they undergo a physical transformation that changes their gender. The effects happen instantly and can’t be undone. And the transformation lasts until you drink another serum of sex shift.
Serums of sex shift are used for various reasons. Some players might drink them to change their character’s gender for roleplaying purposes, while others might use them for espionage and war games.
Potion of Water Breathing
This smelly potion tastes like rotting fish, but you don’t drink it for the flavor. Gulp this potion down, and you’ll be able to breathe underwater like a fish for an hour!
Drinking a potion of water breathing will give you the same effects as a 2nd-level water breathing spell. This can be extremely useful for swimming, exploring underwater areas, and combatting aquatic creatures.
Uncommon Potions
Pathfinder features a number of uncommon potions that provide unusual benefits to players. Some of these potions include invisibility potions and truth potions.
By utilizing powerful potions, players can gain a significant advantage in combat or avoid fighting altogether.
Use these uncommon potions wisely, as they can be quite powerful in the right hands. Of course, you’ll need to find them first!
Invisibility Potion
Invisibility potions are a valuable tool for any Pathfinder player. They can be used to escape danger, sneak past enemies, or just have some fun. A favorite of rogues and wizards, invisibility potions are a must-have for any adventurer.
When consumed, an invisibility potion causes the drinker to gain the effects of a 2nd-level Invisibility spell. The potion’s effects last for 10 minutes. If you take a hostile action, you’ll lose the effects of the spell. Remember: out of sight, out of mind.
Potion of Tongues
When a character drinks a potion of tongues, they gain the ability to understand and speak any language for up to 4 hours. This can be extremely useful for communicating with NPCs, solving puzzles, and understanding scrolls.
Great for spying on enemies and for Diplomacy checks, the potion of tongues is a must-have for the Pathfinder player who wants to be prepared for anything.
Use this potion to:
- communicate with NPCs who don’t speak your language.
- decipher scrolls and magical writings that are
- in a language you don’t understand.
- solve puzzles that are language-based.
- get an edge in combat by understanding your enemies’ plans and strategies.
Truth Potion
When a character drinks a truth potion, they can’t intentionally lie and may be forced to tell the truth. This can be extremely useful for interrogating suspects or getting information from unwilling sources.
The truth potion can also be used in social situations, allowing the drinker to get the truth from others without resorting to violence or threats.
In combat, truth potions can be used to force enemies out of hiding or to get the information you want from a hostage. Outside of fights, they’re very useful for coercing someone without resorting to violence or threats.
Crafting Potions
Brewing potions can be a fun and rewarding experience. It can also be a great way to save money, as potions can get expensive. Crafting potions relies on your character’s crafting skills. Brewing potions is a downtime activity, and you’ll likely need several days of effort to complete the task.
In order to brew a potion, you must first find a formula. Potion formulas can be found in various places, including spellbooks, scrolls, and in the possession of NPCs.
Once you have a formula, you must gather the necessary ingredients. The ingredients for a particular potion will be listed in the stat block.
Creating a potion is a difficult task that requires time and patience. It’s not something you can do on the fly; successfully creating a potion will take time. You’ll also need the right tools for the job.
You can buy a set of alchemist’s tools from any general outfitter, but you might have a more challenging time finding an alchemist’s laboratory.
Alchemical Materials and Supplies
Players can find ingredients for brewing potions in a medley of ways, including searching for them in the wild, buying them from merchants, or taking them from defeated enemies. To get started, you’ll at least need to purchase the basics.
Professional Pathfinder potion making is a delicate art. You’ll need the proper equipment for the job, including an alchemist’s lab and alchemists’ tools.
Alchemist’s Lab
Before you can brew potions and other alchemical items, you’ll need to get an alchemist’s lab. You can use the lab to mix the ingredients together and create the potion.
While a simple cauldron might suffice for brewing a basic ointment, creating powerful magic potions requires serious equipment.
The alchemist’s lab comes with a variety of tools and supplies, including a mortar and pestle, a retort, and an alembic. It also has several storage jars for holding ingredients.
- The alembic is used to distill potions.
- The mortar and pestle are used to grind ingredients together.
- The retort is used to heat ingredients and combine them with other substances.
- Storage jars can be used to store ingredients or potions.
With an expanded alchemist’s lab, you’ll have even more tools at your disposal. As a result, you’ll receive a +1 item bonus to crafting checks when you create alchemic items in an expanded alchemist’s lab.
Alchemist’s Tools
Being an alchemist in Pathfinder can be a lucrative business. Potions can be expensive and alchemists can sell their own creations for a high price. There are a variety of potions and concoctions that an alchemist can make, so there’s something for everyone.
In order to be an alchemist, you must first find a set of alchemist’s tools.
The alchemist’s tools include vials, chemicals, and other items you need for simple alchemical work. Professional alchemists wear these tools at all times, ensuring they can quickly draw and replace them at a moment’s notice.
Identify Alchemy
If you’re in possession of a set of alchemist’s tools, you can attempt to identify the nature of an alchemical item that you find. To do this, you’ll need at least 10 minutes to examine the item. If you succeed, you’ll identify the item and learn how to use it.
Finding Formulas
Alchemists usually keep the formulas for the potions they know in a formula book. If you discover a new formula, you can copy it into your formula book for safekeeping.
Formulas are uncommon and rare items. As such, they are usually quite valuable. Potions are a lucrative business, and alchemists will often use tricks to hide their formulas. If you do find the formula for a potion, don’t be surprised if it’s written in a secret code.
You can also try to purchase formulas. Alchemists and traders may be willing to part with a potion’s formula for the right price.
Players can also try to reverse-engineer potions. If you have the right tools, you can attempt to learn the secrets of a potion, but doing so will ruin the item. Trying to learn a formula is risky, but it’s the only way to learn how to make certain potions.
Your First Brew
Brewing your first potion can be a daunting task. Not only do you need the appropriate equipment, but you also need to know the right formula. With the right ingredients and tools, however, anyone can brew a potion.
If you’re in a settlement, you can spend gold to find the necessary ingredients. You’ll need to gather enough raw materials to cover the item’s price, so it’s good to have lots of money on hand.
Brewing a potion takes roughly four days of work. During that time, you’ll make the necessary preparations and prepare the ingredients. High-level potions may take even longer to craft. You’ll also need to make a crafting check. If you succeed, you’ll have a new brew!
For more on brewing potions, see pages 243-254 of the Core Rulebook.
Toil and Trouble
The path to becoming a successful alchemist in Pathfinder is fraught with danger. Not only do you need the right equipment, but you also need to be knowledgeable about what ingredients and formulas go into creating potions that serve your needs. With all of these requirements, it’s not easy being an adventurer!
Having the right potion on hand can make all the difference. Whether you’re fighting ferocious monsters or trying to impress a beautiful noble, with the right ingredients, you can make any potion you need.
