The ever-enjoyable open-world adventure that is Skyrim is filled with tons of different skill trees, like any RPG. What really sets it apart, though, is the way it changes the gameplay. In Morrowind, the game could be completely broken by manipulating the alchemy system, but Skyrim doesn't quite work like that. Some potions are conditional, while others are so important that a good adventurer would never be caught without them.
RELATED: Skyrim: Skill Memes That Are Too Hilarious For Words
What's the point of putting all that time into leveling Alchemy, though, without knowing which potions are best? It's not all about just having "Restore Magicka", "Restore Health", and "Restore Fatigue" any more. Alchemy has incredible and sometimes unexpected potential. Leave that Skooma alone, and get brewing!
10 Bear Claws, Eye Of Sabre Cat, Hanging Moss: Damage Magicka Regen And Magicka, Fortify One-Handed And Health, Restore Magicka
This is one of the most valuable potions in the game, as it has five effects (most have four effects at best). Here's a really interesting caveat about how potions work in Skyrim: the more expensive a potion is, the more experience it yields for the mighty Dragonborn.
There are four other recipes that can create potions with five effects, but it doesn't really matter once your Alchemy skill is at 100 anyway. This one has some curious effects since it damages and restores Magicka, but the One-Handed and Health aren't too bad. Bear Claws and Eye of Sabre Cat can obviously be found out in the wilderness, while Hanging Moss is found on rocks and stone buildings.
9 Mudcrab Chitin, Blisterwert, Charred Skeever Hide: Cure Disease, Resist Poison, Restore Health And Stamina
If only a potion like this existed in the dreaded Blightown area of Dark Souls, the Ashen One would be able to navigate it easily. This potion only has three effects, which isn't the flashiest, but it also renders most non-magical status effects completely ineffective.
This potion cures Disease, increases resistance to Poison, and restores Health and Stamina. It's going to fix the root cause of pretty much any poison or illness, in addition to addressing the symptoms. Fortunately for Argonians, they won't need this potion, as their passive abilities naturally provide most of these effects. Mudcrabs hang out near water, while Skeevers can be found in caves with Blisterwert.
8 Giant's Toe, Wheat, Creep Cluster Or River Betty: Damage Stamina Regen, Fortify Health And Carry Weight
Before the release of the intriguing Hearthfire DLC, this was the most expensive potion in the game. It gives some of the the highest XP boosts in the game as a result, and can also make you some serious gold.
RELATED: Skyrim: Best Perks, Ranked
If you find it difficult to get the ingredients ready for some of the other expensive potions, this one should be an absolute breeze to brew. There are potions that are more important from a money and experience perspective, but the availability of ingredients more than makes up for it. It can, at the very least, replace a Feather spell and provide some extra Health. Wheat grows in crops, there are some Giants near Whiterun, and the other two ingredients are found near rivers.
7 Beehive Husk, Hawk Feathers, Rock Warbler Egg: Fortify Sneak, One-Handed, And Light Armor
Since bows are technically under the Archery skill in Skyrim, not included as either one-handed or two-handed, they don't benefit from this potion. That's very unfortunate for everyone who is, yet again, playing a stealth archer.
It's great, however, for assassins of any other kind. This potion fortifies Sneak, One-Handed, and Light Armor. This is perfect for getting that beautiful crit for sneak attacking, and if the first hit doesn't do it, the reduced damage thanks to the fortified Light Armor makes the rest of the fight easy. Beehives often hang from trees, Hawk feathers can be found by shooting birds, and Rock Warbler Eggs can be found in the mountains.
6 Salmon Roe, Histcarp, And Jazbay Grapes: Water-Breathing, Fortify Magicka And Magicka Regen, Restore Stamina
This potion is pretty much a double-whammy. Not only does it actually have some really solid effects, but it's also the best potion in the game for leveling quickly and making some coin. The potion effect itself provides Water-Breathing, fortifies Magicka and Magicka regeneration, and if that weren't enough, it also restores Stamina.
While Stamina isn't as important as it has been in previous Elder Scrolls games, it's a boon nonetheless. If you find that you're frequently running out of Magicka when playing a spellsword or a mage, this one's for you! Both of the fish can be found in rivers. The Grapes are found near hot springs.
5 Dragon's Tongue, Fly Amanita, And Scaly Pholiota: Resist Fire, Fortify Illusion And Two-Handed, Regenerate Stamina
While the whole Fortify Illusion effect of the potion doesn't really fit with the rest of the effects of this one, it doesn't really matter. This potion also regenerates Stamina, fortifies Two-handed, and helps with fire resistance.
RELATED: Skyrim: Best Armor Sets And How To Find Them
The effects are pretty good for an Orc who's only worried about smashing up anything and everything in their immediate vicinity, but the reason this potion really shines is a little more meta. In Hearthfire, any greenhouse or garden includes all of these ingredients, meaning it's easy to crank out tons of potions fast. Dragons are constant pests, while the mushrooms are commonly sold by merchants.
4 Spriggan Sap, Saber Cat Tooth, Snowberries: Fortify Smithing And Enchanting
This one is about as close as any of the potions in the game get to being too good. The potion is perfect for sitting around and grinding, and when combined with the act of making the potion itself, takes care of all your manufacturing needs.
It's a potion with two brilliant effects: it fortifies both Enchanting and Smithing, which is an incredibly useful combination. No longer will you need to toil over a hot forge, making 500 Iron Daggers at a time. Spriggans are found in wooded areas, Snowberries and Saber Cats in the tundra.
3 Falmer Ear, Hanging Moss, Human Heart: Damage Magicka Regen, Magicka, Health, Frenzy
This one is the perfect co*cktail for taking care of pesky mages, provided they aren't too far away for a poisoned weapon to hit. It damages Magicka regen, Magicka, Health, and causes Frenzy, meaning it's likely that the mage you're dealing with will close the gap on their own.
RELATED: Skyrim: Unique Mage Builds That You Need To Try
While it's a bit more niche than a lot of other potions, it pretty much takes care of any magic-user as quickly as possible. No longer are mages untouchable (a particular issue on higher difficulties). Instead, they're almost completely ineffective. All three ingredients can be found in Falmer ruins.
When looking for a potion that's just absolutely rude, look no further than this absolutely redundant poison. It damages Health, which is already great to augment the devastation the player is presumably causing by swinging away.
As if the actual weapon damage mixed with the damage Health weren't enough, this potion also applies lingering damage Health, which means if they start to run in fear once they realize just how debilitating this poison is, they'll slowly be whittled away from afar. Just when they think they're safe, they fall, defeated. A very fun one to experiment with for those who enjoy sneaky poison builds in other titles.
1 Deathbell, Giant Lichen, River Betty: Weakness to Poison, Damage Health, Slow
While this one probably isn't going to do much against any Argonians you encounter while wandering across the tundras of Skyrim, it basically encapsulates the experience of poison. It increases weakness to poison, damages the health of the target and also slows your enemy down.
In combination with yet another poison, this makes for exponential destruction of anyone in your path. The weakness to poison can be stacked with any other poison for essentially limitless detriment to your enemies. That slow can also be extremely helpful when taking a moment to create some space from the opponent. All of these ingredients are found near water.
NEXT: Skyrim: The Best Alchemy Perks, Ranked
