Items in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is an extensive category comprised of various consumables, tools, crafting materials and diagrams, key items and many more that Geralt can obtain. These items serve a multitude of purposes ranging from healing and providing temporary buffs to opening doors and pathways, progressing quests, unlocking gameplay features and many more. Items can be found as enemy drops, looted from chests, purchased from merchants, obtained as a reward for completing quests and objectives, and some can also be crafted.
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All Items in The Witcher 3
Potions in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt refer to special alchemical substances that Geralt can imbibe to gain various temporary buffs. These buffs include being able to see in the dark, immunity to poison, improved vitality regeneration, increased damage and many more. Unlike Decoctions, the effects of potions have a much shorter duration and more charges, making them more ideal for use in the middle of combat rather than as a preparatory measure before battle. Potions can be crafted through Alchemy and their usage and effects are heavily tied to the Alchemy Skill line. Potion usage has adverse effects on Geralt's blood Toxicity that must be managed properly to prevent overdosing.
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The Witcher 3 Potions Overview
Potion Crafting
Potion brewing is an age-old traditional craft amongst Witchers, honed through years and years of experience, and the study of Alchemy, as well as subjecting themselves to various toxins and chemical compounds to better understand their properties. Potions can be crafted using various Alchemy Ingredients found throughout the environment, obtained from opponents or purchased from Alchemists and Herbalists in cities, villages and other settlements.
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In order to craft a Potion, you must first learn its Formula by finding and reading its Manuscript Page — these are crafting instructions similar to Weapon and Armor Diagrams and each one is specific to every single Potion. Many manuscript pages can be found randomly in chests and guarded treasure throughout the world, while some can be purchased from Alchemists and Herbalists. Few even have fixed locations or specific points in the game where they can be obtained.
All Potions also have upgraded versions with the Enhanced and Superior prefix. Upgraded versions of potions typically have improved effects, durations and number of charges. Each upgraded version also has its own Manuscript Page that you will need to find and the forumlas for these will require that you have at least 1 unit of the previous tier Potion in your inventory. For example, while you may be able to find the Manuscript for Superior Tawny Owl early on, you will not be able to upgrade to it directly from the basic Tawny Owl as the Enhanced Tawny Owl is required as one of the crafting components.
Potion Usage & Replenishment
Once crafted, Potions can be used from the Inventory even while in the middle of combat. Additionally, up to four Potions can be assigned to your Consumables Quickslots for easy usage without going into the inventory.
Each Potion has a set number of Charges, with each dose imbibed using up one charge. Most Potion effects persist for a short duration. Each skill in the Alchemy Skill line also provides a percentage boost to all Potion duration with every point invested. Enhanced and Superior versions of Potions typically have more charges and longer durations, but this is not always the case. Once all charges are used up, you will not be able to use the Potion again. However, you do not need to craft potions over and over. Instead, charges can be replenished by Meditating for at least One Hour while you have some Strong Alcohol in your inventory. Strong Alcohol refers to high concentration alcoholic spirits that can be used for alchemical purposes. The following items qualify for this purpose:
Note that you only need 1 unit of any of the above to refill all of your Potion charges via Meditation. This will also refill all of your Decoctions and Bombs. These alcoholic beverages can commonly be found throughout the world and they can also be purchased from Merchants. Some can even be crafted through Alchemy using other components. Dwarven Spirit in particular is quite abundant so you should rarely be found wanting for these.
Potions, Decoctions & Toxicity Level
One of the many mutations that Witchers develop is a superhuman resistance to poisons. This does not make them immune to harmful substances, but they have a massive advantage in this regard, allowing them to imbibe alchemical substances such as Potions, made of the harshest ingredients that would otherwise kill a regular human. Geralt has a Maximum Toxicity stat — A measure of his ability to resist the toxic effects of Potions and other substances.
This stat is represented by a green bar under your Stamina bar and can also be seen in the Character Menu. Each Potion has a set amount of Toxicity which fills this bar every time you take a dose. This can be referred to as Potion Toxicity. Potion Toxicity depletes overtime at a rate of about 1 point every 2 seconds. The Toxicity mechanic essentially prevents you from abusing potions as you cannot imbibe another potion if it would cause you to go over your max limit. However, there is also an Overdose Effect that comes into play. By default, going over 75% of your Max Toxicity will cause you to start losing health at a significant rate per second, persisting until you dip below the threshold. This threshold can be raised by investing in the Heightened Tolerance skill of the Alchemy skill line. Each point in the skill raises your Overdose threshold by 5%, up to a max of 25%, which effectively eliminates the health loss issue.
Aside from the health loss over time, the Overdose status also has adverse effects on Geralt's appearance, causing dark circles to form around his eyes, with dark veins appearing all across his face and his scars taking on a more reddish appearance, as if they had opened back up. This is accompanied by a misty green effect around the borders of the screen, beginning once you hit 50% of your Overdose Threshold and becoming more pronounced as your Toxicity rises. These effects also appear even with max levels in Heightened Tolerance, but it is purely cosmetic.
By default, you have 100 points of max Toxicity but there are several ways to raise this maximum. Metabolic Control in the General Skill line gives a straightforward bonus of +30 Max Toxicity. The Acquired Tolerance skill in the Alchemy Skill line raises your Max Toxicity by 1 for every Alchemy Formula you have learned. This skill has 3 ranks, with each rank taking into account each respective tier of formulas learned. At Rank 1, it only considers all Level 1 (Base) alchemy formulas while at Rank 2, it extends the consideration to Level 2 (Enhanced) formulas and so on. This skill works retroactively, meaning you do not need to acquire it before starting to collect formulas as it will add to the bonus any formulas you've already learned prior to obtaining any level of the skill. The Armor pieces of the Manticore School of Witcher Gear added with the Blood and Wine DLC each also grant a small bonus to your maximum Toxicity when worn, with the Legendary New Game+ version adding even more.
Decoctions, another type of alchemical substance that Geralt has access to, also affect his Toxicity level, albeit in a different way. Each Decoction has a Toxicity rating of 70 points, the sole exception being the Basilisk Decoction with 40 points. It also appears as a darker green on the Toxicity bar. However, Decoctions have a much longer duration and Decoction Toxicity (an important distinction from Potion Toxicity) does not dissipate over time, only being cleared once the Decoction's effects wear off or when the effects are manually removed via Meditation or by imbibing the White Honey potion and its variants. Decoction usage essentially "holds" a sizeable chunk of your Toxicity bar, severely limiting the amount of Potions you can imbibe. Raising your max Toxicity can alleviate this limitation and it is entirely possible to have a high enough max Toxicity to imbibe 2 or even 3 Decoctions at once while still being able to use Potions. Do note that Decoction Toxicity moves the baseline for your Potion Toxicity with regards to the Overdose Threshold because Decoction Toxicity is not considered in the calculation for the threshold. Maxing out Heightened Tolerance makes this quirk irrelevant. Further still, for players who invest in the Delayed Recovery skill, keep in mind that its effects rely on Potion Toxicity, not Decoction Toxicity
All Potions in The Witcher 3
Quick Search of All Potions in The Witcher 3
Note: Due to the randomness of acquiring Manuscript Pages, the locations listed here may not be accurate. However, purchase locations and quest rewards are generally consistent.
Potion & Info | Crafting Materials | Manuscript Location |
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Black BloodWitcher's blood injures Vampires and Necrophages when they wound him.Duration: 30s Toxicity: 15 Doses: 3 |
1x Dwarven Spirit 2x Sewant Mushrooms 4x Ghoul's Blood |
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Enhanced Black BloodWitcher's blood injures and knocks back Vampires and Necrophages when they wound him.Duration: 45s Toxicity: 15 Doses: 4 |
1x Alcohest 1x Black Blood 1x Hellebore Petals 5x Sewant Mushrooms 5x Ghoul's Blood |
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Superior Black BloodVampires and Necrophages start Bleeding when near the witcher. In addition, the witcher's blood injures and knocks them back when they wound him. Damage Returned +30%Duration: 60s Toxicity: 15 Doses: 5 |
1x White Gull 1x Enhanced Black Blood 5x Hellebore Petals 5x Sewant Mushrooms 1x Han Fiber 1x Nostrix 1x Rebis |
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BlizzardImproves reflexes and prolongs reaction time. Time slows down after killing an enemy by 50%Duration: 15s Toxicity: 25 Doses: 2 |
1x Dwarven Spirit 5x White Myrtle Petals 1x Golem's Heart |
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Enhanced BlizzardAfter you kill an enemy slowdown by 55% for a short period. Improves reflexes and prolongs reaction time.Duration: 20s Toxicity: 25 Doses: 3 |
1x Alcohest 1x Blizzard 1x Celandine 5x White Myrtle Petals 1x Golem's Heart |
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Superior BlizzardAfter you kill an enemy, Slowdown 60%During this time Signs cost no stamina when Adrenaline is full. |
1x White Gull 1x Enhanced Blizzard 4x Celandine 4x White Myrtle Petals 1x Sewant Mushrooms 1x Buckthorn 1x Rebis |
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CatGrants sight in total darkness within 25 range..Duration: 600s Toxicity: 15 Doses: 3 |
1x Dwarven Spirit 4x Berbercane Fruit 2x Water Essence |
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Enhanced CatGrants sight in total darkness. Increased resistance to hypnosis. Extended duration.Duration: 120s Toxicity: 15 Doses: 4 |
1x Alcohest 1x Cat 5x Berbercane Fruit 1x Cortinarius 3x Water Essence |
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Superior CatGrants sight in total darkness. Makes immune to hypnosis.Duration: 180s Toxicity: 15 Doses: 3 |
1x White Gull 1x Enhanced Cat 4x Berbercane Fruit 4x Cortinarius 1x Moleyarrow 1x Allspice 1x Aether |
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Full MoonIncreases maximum Vitality.Duration: 60s Toxicity: 25 |
1x Dwarven Spirit 2x Wolfsbane 1x Dark Essence |
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Enhanced Full MoonIncreases maximum Vitality.Duration: 90s Toxicity: 25 |
1x Alcohest 1x Full Moon 2x Crow’s Eye 5x Wolfsbane 2x Dark Essence |
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Superior Full MoonIncreases maximum Vitality. Vitality is healed based on Toxicity. Max Vitality is increased by 1000. Vitality is restored by 10 x % Toxicity |
1x White Gull 1x Enhanced Full Moon 1x Mistletoe 1x Verbena 4x Crow’s Eye 4x Wolfsbane 1x Quebrith |
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Golden OrioleGrants immunity to poisons, neutralizes the effects of poisons already in bloodstream.Duration: 60s Toxicity: 20 |
1x Dwarven Spirit 4x Blowball 1x Light Essence |
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Enhanced Golden OrioleGrants immunity to poisons, neutralizes the effects of poisons already in bloodstream.Duration: 120s Toxicity: 20 |
1x Alcohest 1x Golden Oriole 6x Blowball 1x Celandine 2x Light Essence |
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Superior Golden OrioleGrants immunity to poisons, neutralizes the effects of poisons already in bloodstream. Poison now heals. This counts for DoT and direct Poison damage.Duration: 180s Toxicity: 20 |
1x White Gull 1x Enhanced Golden Oriole 4x Blowball 4x Celandine 1x Han Fiber 1x Ranogrin 1x Quebrith |
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Maribor ForestAccelerates the generation of Adrenaline Points.Duration: 30s Toxicity: 20 |
1x Dwarven Spirit 3x Berbercane Fruit 1x Alghoul Bone Marrow 4x Drowner Tongue |
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Enhanced Maribor ForestAccelerates the generation of Adrenaline Points.Duration: 60s Toxicity: 20 |
1x Alcohest 1x Maribor Forest 5x Berbercane Fruit 1x Crow’s Eye 2x Drowner Tongue |
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Superior Maribor ForestAccelerates the generation of Adrenaline Points. Grants 1 point of adrenaline. Adrenaline Point gain 0.15Duration: 90s Toxicity: 20 |
1x White Gull 1x Enhanced Maribor Forest 4x Berbercane Fruit 4x Crow’s Eye 1x Hellebore Petals 1x Ribleaf 1x Vermilion |
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Petri’s PhilterIncreases Sign intensity +25%Duration: 30s Toxicity: 25 |
1x Dwarven Spirit 5x Arenaria 1x Specter Dust |
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Enhanced Petri’s PhilterIncreases Sign intensity.Duration: 60s Toxicity: 25 |
1x Alcohest 1x Petri’s Philter 6x Arenaria 1x Buckthorn 2x Specter Dust |
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Superior Petri’s PhilterIncreases Sign intensity +25%. Signs always apply their effects.Duration: 90s Toxicity: 25 |
1x White Gull 1x Enhanced Petri’s Philter 4x Arenaria 4x Buckthorn 1x Longrube 1x Ranogrin 1x Rubedo |
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SwallowAccelerates Vitality regeneration. Vitality regeneration pauses for 2 seconds upon receiving damage.Duration: 20s Toxicity: 20 |
1x Dwarven Spirit 5x Celandine 1x Drowner Brain |
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Enhanced SwallowAccelerates Vitality regeneration. Vitality regeneration pauses for 2 seconds upon receiving damage.Duration: 20s Toxicity: 20 |
1x Alcohest 1x Swallow 6x Celandine 4x White Myrtle Petals 5x Drowner Brain |
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Superior SwallowAccelerates Vitality regeneration. No longer pauses upon receiving damage. Vitality Regeneration +80/s , Vitality Regeneration in Combat +80/sDuration: 20s Toxicity: 20 |
1x White Gull 1x Enhanced Swallow 6x Berbercane Fruit 6x White Myrtle Petals 4x Celandine 4x Crow’s Eye 2x Vitriol |
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Tawny OwlAccelerates Stamina regeneration. Stamina generation +10/sDuration: 30s Toxicity: 20 |
1x Dwarven Spirit 2x Verbena 1x Arachas Venom |
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Enhanced Tawny OwlAccelerates Stamina regeneration.Duration: 45s Toxicity: 20 |
1x Alcohest 1x Tawny Owl 4x Verbena 2x Wolfsbane 1x Arachas Venom |
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Superior Tawny OwlAccelerates Stamina regeneration. Stamina generation +10/s Duration never runs out between 6pm and 6am. |
1x White Gull 1x Enhanced Tawny Owl 4x Verbena 4x Wolfsbane 1x Fool’s Parsley Leaves 1x Mandrake Root 1x Sewant Mushrooms |
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ThunderboltIncreases Attack Power +30%Duration: 30s Toxicity: 25 |
1x Dwarven Spirit 2x Cortinarius 1x Endrega Embryo |
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Enhanced ThunderboltIncreases Attack Power.Duration: 60s Toxicity: 25 |
1x Alcohest 1x Thunderbolt 2x Cortinarius 1x Fool’s Parsley Leaves 2x Endrega Embryo |
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Superior ThunderboltIncreases Attack Power +30%. All attacks are critical hits during cloudy weather.Duration: 90s Toxicity: 25 |
1x White Gull 1x Enhanced Thunderbolt 4x Cortinarius 4x Fool’s Parsley Leaves 1x Verbena 1x Bryonia 1x Quebrith |
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White HoneyClears Toxicity and cancels all active potion effects.Duration: Instant Toxicity: None |
1x Dwarven Spirit 1x Honeysuckle |
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Enhanced White HoneyClears Toxicity and cancels all active potion effects.Duration: Instant Toxicity: None |
1x Alcohest 1x White Honey 2x Honeysuckle 1x White Myrtle Petals |
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Superior White HoneyClears Toxicity and cancels all active potion effects.Duration: Instant Toxicity: None |
1x White Gull 1x Enhanced White Honey 4x Honeysuckle 4x White Myrtle Petals 1x Balisse Fruit 1x Hellebore Petals 1x Vitriol |
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White Raffard’s DecoctionImmediately restores a portion of Vitality.Duration: Instant Toxicity: 30 |
1x Dwarven Spirit 2x Ribleaf 4x Nekker Heart |
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Enhanced White Raffard’s DecoctionImmediately restores a large portion of Vitality.Duration: Instant Toxicity: 30 |
1x Alcohest 1x White Raffard’s Decoction 4x Ribleaf 1x Bryonia 5x Nekker Heart |
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Superior White Raffard’s DecoctionRestores vitality immediately and fully. Grants immunity to damage for 3 seconds.Duration: 3s Toxicity: 30 |
1x White Gull 1x Enhanced White Raffard’s Decoction 4x Ribleaf 4x Bryonia 1x Pringrape 1x Bison Grass 1x Vermilion |
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Killer WhaleAmount of breath time is increased by 50%. Grants better visibility underwater.Duration: 180s Toxicity: 15 |
2x Dwarven Spirit 5x Balisse Fruit 6x Buckthorn 5x Drowner Tongue |
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Drowner PheromonesDrowners will not attack the witcher.Duration: 90s Toxicity: 15 |
1x Dwarven Spirit 1x Drowner Brain 1x Sewant Mushrooms 1x Puffball |
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Nekker Pheromones (Cut Content; NOT IN GAME)Nekkers will not attack the witcher.Duration: 90s Toxicity: 15 |
1x Dwarven Spirit 1x Green Mold 1x Drowner Brain 1x Moleyarrow |
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Ursine Pheromones (Cut Content; NOT IN GAME)Ursines will not attack the witcher.Duration: 90s Toxicity: 15 |
1x Dwarven Spirit 1x Berbercane Fruit 1x Ergot Seeds 1x Hellebore Petals |
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Potion of ClearanceResets all Skill PointsDuration: n/a Toxicity: n/a |
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Food and drink are described as boosting vitality regeneration for a few seconds, varying by food. I suspect that each piece of food heals the same amount of vitality, so faster food (lower number of seconds) is superior to food that boosts regeneration for longer times. Needs verification.
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