Skyrim Potion Calculator
Welcome to the ultimate Skyrim Potion Calculator! Determine the strength and value of your alchemical creations in Skyrim based on your skill, perks, and gear.
Potion & Poison Calculator
Physician (+25% to Restoration)
Benefactor (+25% to Beneficial)
Poisoner (+25% to Poisons)
Seeker of Shadows (+10% Alchemy – Dragonborn DLC)
Magnitude vs. Skill Level
Common Ingredients & Base Effects
| Ingredient | Effect 1 (Mag/Dur/Val) | Effect 2 (Mag/Dur/Val) | Effect 3 (Mag/Dur/Val) | Effect 4 (Mag/Dur/Val) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Mountain Flower | Restore Health (5/0/15) | Fortify Conjuration (4/60/69) | Fortify Health (4/60/59) | Damage Magicka Regen (100/5/83) |
| Wheat | Restore Health (5/0/15) | Fortify Health (4/60/59) | Damage Stamina Regen (100/5/68) | Lingering Damage Magicka (1/10/26) |
| Imp Stool | Damage Health (3/0/12) | Lingering Damage Health (1/10/21) | Paralysis (1/1/227) | Restore Health (5/0/15) |
| Deathbell | Damage Health (3/0/12) | Ravage Stamina (3/10/36) | Slow (50/5/121) | Weakness to Poison (2/30/43) |
What is a Skyrim Potion Calculator?
A Skyrim Potion Calculator is a tool used by players of the game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim to determine the strength (magnitude and duration) and monetary value of potions and poisons they can create through the Alchemy skill. Alchemy in Skyrim involves combining two or three ingredients with matching effects at an Alchemy Lab. The resulting concoction’s power depends on the player’s Alchemy skill, invested perks, and any Fortify Alchemy enchantments on their gear. This Skyrim Potion Calculator helps players optimize their creations for maximum effect or profit.
Anyone playing Skyrim who wants to delve into Alchemy should use a Skyrim Potion Calculator. It’s especially useful for players looking to create powerful potions for combat or poisons for offense, or for those aiming to make a lot of gold by selling valuable potions. Common misconceptions are that all ingredients are equal or that skill alone determines potion strength; in reality, perks and gear play huge roles, which our Skyrim Potion Calculator accurately models.
Skyrim Potion Calculator Formula and Mathematical Explanation
The strength and value of potions and poisons in Skyrim are determined by a formula that incorporates several factors:
- Base Magnitude/Duration/Value: Each alchemical effect from an ingredient has base values.
- Skill Factor: Higher Alchemy skill increases the effectiveness. The formula component is
4 * (1 + Skill/200)for magnitude/duration and5.6 * (1 + Skill/200)for value (at skill 100, this is4 * 1.5 = 6and5.6 * 1.5 = 8.4). - Alchemist Perk Factor: The Alchemist perk increases strength by 20% per rank (
1 + AlchemistRank * 0.2). - Fortify Alchemy Gear: Enchantments on gear add a percentage bonus (
1 + FortifyAlchemy / 100). - Other Perks: Physician, Benefactor, and Poisoner add 25% to specific effect types (
1.25multiplier). - Seeker of Shadows: A Dragonborn DLC ability adds 10% (
1.1multiplier).
The final magnitude is calculated as:
Final Mag = BaseMag * 4 * (1 + Skill/200) * (1 + AlchPerk*0.2) * (1+Fortify/100) * (1+Seeker*0.1) * PerkBonus
Duration is similar, and Value uses 5.6 instead of 4 and isn’t affected by Physician, Benefactor, or Poisoner perks.
Variables Table
| Variable | Meaning | Unit | Typical Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Magnitude | The starting strength of the effect | Points/Percent | 1 – 100+ |
| Base Duration | The starting duration of the effect | Seconds | 0 – 300+ |
| Base Value | The starting gold value contribution | Gold | 5 – 200+ |
| Alchemy Skill | Player’s Alchemy skill level | Level | 15 – 100 |
| Alchemist Perk | Ranks in the Alchemist perk | Rank | 0 – 5 |
| Fortify Alchemy | Bonus from enchanted gear | Percent | 0 – 150+ |
| Perk Bonuses | Multipliers from Physician, Benefactor, Poisoner | Multiplier | 1 or 1.25 |
Practical Examples (Real-World Use Cases)
Example 1: Crafting a Fortify Health Potion
Let’s say a player has an Alchemy skill of 50, Alchemist perk rank 2, Benefactor perk, 40% Fortify Alchemy from gear, and is using Blue Mountain Flower and Wheat (Fortify Health base mag 4, base dur 60, base val 59).
- Base Mag: 4, Base Dur: 60, Base Val: 59
- Skill: 50
- Alchemist: 2 (40%)
- Benefactor: Yes (25%)
- Fortify Gear: 40%
- Seeker: No
- Effect Type: Beneficial
The Skyrim Potion Calculator would show a significantly boosted magnitude and duration for Fortify Health compared to the base, and a higher value.
Example 2: Crafting a Damage Health Poison
A player with Alchemy 80, Alchemist 4, Poisoner perk, 60% Fortify Alchemy gear, and using Imp Stool and Deathbell (Damage Health base mag 3, base val 12).
- Base Mag: 3, Base Dur: 0, Base Val: 12
- Skill: 80
- Alchemist: 4 (80%)
- Poisoner: Yes (25%)
- Fortify Gear: 60%
- Seeker: Yes (10%)
- Effect Type: Harmful (Poison)
The Skyrim Potion Calculator would calculate a potent Damage Health poison with a high magnitude and value.
How to Use This Skyrim Potion Calculator
- Enter Base Values: Find the base magnitude, duration (if any), and value for the primary effect you are interested in from the ingredients you plan to use. You can find these on wikis or the table above.
- Input Skill Level: Enter your character’s current Alchemy skill.
- Select Perks: Choose your Alchemist perk rank and check any other relevant perks like Physician, Benefactor, Poisoner, or Seeker of Shadows if you have them.
- Add Gear Bonus: Enter the total percentage bonus from your Fortify Alchemy enchanted gear.
- Choose Effect Type: Select the type of effect to apply the correct perk bonuses.
- View Results: The calculator instantly shows the final magnitude, duration, and value. The primary result highlights the most relevant aspect (magnitude or duration if present, otherwise value).
- Analyze Chart: The chart visualizes how magnitude changes with skill level, helping you see the impact of leveling up.
Use the results from the Skyrim Potion Calculator to decide which potions are worth making for use or for sale.
Key Factors That Affect Skyrim Potion Calculator Results
- Alchemy Skill Level: The higher your skill, the stronger and more valuable your potions. It’s a fundamental multiplier.
- Alchemist Perk: Each rank significantly boosts potion strength, up to 100% at rank 5. Essential for powerful potions.
- Physician, Benefactor, Poisoner Perks: These provide a 25% boost to specific categories of effects, making specialized potions much better.
- Fortify Alchemy Enchantments: Gear with this enchantment directly increases potion strength. Combining multiple pieces offers a substantial bonus.
- Ingredient Choice: The base magnitude, duration, and value of the effects from the chosen ingredients are the starting point for all calculations. Using ingredients with higher base values results in better potions.
- Seeker of Shadows (Dragonborn DLC): This ability provides a flat 10% boost to Alchemy, making all potions slightly better.
- Number of Effects: While this calculator focuses on one effect, potions with multiple effects (from ingredients sharing more than one effect) are generally more valuable.
Understanding these factors allows you to maximize your alchemy output using the Skyrim Potion Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- What’s the maximum Alchemy skill I can enter?
- The base skill cap is 100, but it can be temporarily boosted. However, the calculator is designed for the base 15-100 range.
- Does the order of ingredients matter?
- No, the order in which you combine ingredients does not affect the resulting potion’s strength or value.
- How do I find the base values for ingredients?
- Websites like the Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP) or the Elder Scrolls Wiki list ingredients and their effects with base values.
- Can I make potions with more than two ingredients?
- Yes, you can use up to three ingredients if you have the Experimenter perk, but only two are needed to make a potion if they share an effect. Adding a third can add more effects and increase value if it shares effects with the first two.
- Does the Purity perk affect this calculator?
- Purity removes negative side effects from beneficial potions and positive ones from poisons. It doesn’t directly increase the magnitude/duration/value of the primary effect, so it’s not directly factored into these core calculations by the Skyrim Potion Calculator, but it improves the potion’s utility.
- Why is my calculated value different from the in-game sale price?
- The calculator shows the base value. The actual sale price depends on your Speech skill and perks, as well as the merchant’s disposition.
- Is there a limit to Fortify Alchemy gear bonus?
- With standard enchanting and alchemy loops, you can reach very high numbers, but practically, getting around +29% per piece (total +116% with four pieces, or +145% with head exploit) is achievable without extreme exploits. The Skyrim Potion Calculator accepts any value you input.
- What about rare ingredients like Jarrin Root?
- Jarrin Root has an exceptionally high base magnitude for Damage Health (100). The calculator will work with it, but be aware of its unique nature.
Related Tools and Internal Resources
- Skyrim Enchanting Calculator – Calculate the strength of enchantments you can create.
- Skyrim Smithing Calculator – Determine how much you can improve your gear.
- Skyrim Skill Leveling Guide – Tips for leveling up your skills efficiently.
- Skyrim Character Build Planner – Plan your character’s perks and skills.
- Guide to Skyrim Alchemy – A deep dive into the alchemy skill and ingredients.
- Best Potions to Make in Skyrim – Learn which potions are most useful or valuable.