How Alchemy Works in Baldur's Gate 3 - Potions, Elixers, Oils, Bombs? You Can Make it All!

The alchemy system isn't very well explained in Bladur's Gate 3 so here is how to jump in and start finding resources easier and how you can start crafting healing potions and other useful items.

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Baldur’s Gate 3 alchemy system is one of the most obtuse, yet insanely powerful systems in the game.

It’s easy to overlook for a number of reasons. The first being the game doesn’t have a very good tutorial on it, at all. The second being there is currently a slight bug when you learn recipes where the UI tells you to hit H to see the new recipe you learned but if you do hit H when it tells you to the game brings up your inventory instead of the crafting screen. But now that you know that, we can easily work around it.

In order to craft potions with alchemy you’ll need to collect reagents. Fortunately these are readily available throughout the world. Make sure if you are playing with mouse and keyboard, which is going to be most of us since the console port isn’t out yet, hold down the left ALT key and you’ll be able to see items that are interactable light up all over the map. If it’s red you’ll probably get labeled a thief so you might want to avoid those, but everything else is fair game.

Once you start collecting reagents you’ll get notifications of recipes you have learned. You’ll also be able to find recipes in scrolls and books scattered throughout Faerun.

You aren’t required to craft potions in camp or any particular crafting station. You can make them throughout the world on the go.

In order to craft with alchemy you’ll need to bring up the screen. You can do this one of two ways. The easiest is to hit the H key when you don’t have any other windows open. The other way is if you have your character screen open to look at the top and the third symbol, the one of the right that looks like a potion, is the alchemy screen.

Most finished products like a potion or an elixir will require component material to craft. For example the antidote will take a Mugwort salt and any suspension. It takes 3 Bully wug Trumpet to make a suspension and 3 Mugword to make a Mugwort salt. Once we have the salt and the suspension we can craft a single antidote.

In order to make a healing potion you’ll need 3 Rogue’s Morsel and 3 Bullywug Trumpet, or 3 of any other reagent that can make a suspension.

Not every potion is for healing, in fact most provide some other type of benefit like the Antidote which neutralizes all poisons, or Potion of Animal Speaking which allows you to talk to Animals until your next long rest. So while it’s always fun to blow stuff up, remember that special abilities and healing can really swing the balance of power in your favor so don’t sleep on alchemy.

#BG3 #baldursgate3

[_philipp__]

Exactly what was needed and I applaud your brief to tjr the point style. No lengthy introduction, no drawn out jokes, just the information I was looking for. Thank you.

[JamesMadisonsSpiritAnimal]

Heyena ears! These are god tier items! They make speed potions which give you a second turn!

[dukenukem]

guys i am loving this game. i played the early access back in like 2020 but it was far from complete. now i'm playing it in late 2024 and its gotten alot of polish since then and i'm having a blast

[aryko]

That's what i call a good guide ..short and to the point . Well ..and greetings from Germany !

[tomriggs]

Great guide! Short and sweet. Although I wish you could find more reagents, I ‘d really like to be able to craft some potions. Been looking all over too.

[antoniof]

"If the label is red, might wanna avoid this"

Immediately presses C.

[RobUnwraps]

Let me know what you'd like to see covered next!

[BwAaS]

Great lil guide here. I would add that I'm using a Controller and there's a handy "Search Area" Button (Hold A) that makes looting easy as well.

[JP-dpkt]

I love the implementation of crafting. I grieve that you can’t *sell* any of your wares you make. Frustrates me because I wanted to be a Druid/alchemist who sells his potions like Auntie Ethel.

[nickeel]

I was so lost trying to find like a cauldron or alchemy stand or something at camp when all I had to do was press H? Thanks for the info mate cheers!

[JBStudius]

Bro I didnt even realize that there was a crafting menu, that was all I needed to know thanks.

[nationalsocialist]

Cool I can make my Walter White character now!

[Thao-nathos]

Oh i am going to have so much fun now that i know how this works

[xXarcheniXx]

I have 1 BIG question. I want to make potions of bloodlust and other things, but the monster (example worgs) that I need for ingredients don't respawn. Is there a way to get/find/respawn enemies so that I can keep making the potions I want?

[rottn]

Level 6 and had no idea this was even in the game!

[Zaque-TV]

Thank you! I've been feeling really dumb playing this game.

[Pixilatedgirl]

I have all these ingredients in my alchemy bag but the game isn’t showing them when I bring when I bring up my alchemy screen. I have up after that, this is the least thing fun to deal with haha

[M_M_ODonnell]

Is there any way to select *which* suspension/sublimate/salt etc. is being used for one of the "any" slots (e.g. if I'm making a Greater Healing potion but want to use the mugwort ashes instead of the rogue's morsel it defaults to)? I've tried clicking around, but I don't see an option short of sending ingredients to camp if I don't want them used; even items in the inventory of other active characters get used.

[azureandnoir]

this video is perfect thanks could not for the life of me find a way to craft potions and i am about to finish act 2 😅

[xingzhexin]

Even when I set the keybinds, "H" does not bring anything. So alchemy and crafting are basically the same menu..?