This is a complete catalog of all available Potions in The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt’s next-gen update. Here you will also find detailed instructions on where to find and how to craft all of them!
This guide is up-to-date for The Witcher 3 Next-Gen version (Update 4.04)
Table of Contents:
- What are Potions for in The Witcher 3
- How to get the ingredients and craft potions
- Full List of all Potions in the game
- What are the Best Potions to craft early
What are Potions for in The Witcher 3
Potions are consumable items that grant you different types of buffs. There are different types of effects: offensive, defensive, and utility. Like the Oils, some Potions have enhanced and Superior versions. Potions share a tab with Decoctions in your inventory.
Potions can give a significant advantage over powerful enemies if you use them correctly but be careful to keep your toxicity levels under 50% (80% with maxed Heightened Tolerance Alchemy Skill) or you will start losing health over time. This is to prevent the player from abusing the usage of potions.
Potions have no level requirements. However, to craft the higher tiers of potions, you will need to defeat powerful monsters to get the required ingredients.
Potion formulas can be obtained by finding them randomly when looting chests or other objects, buying them from merchants or herbalists, or during/after a quest of The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt.
Potions don’t last forever, the effect will be gone after a certain period of time. Said period of time varies depending on which Potion you use. Meditating will automatically replenish your Potions.
If you are new to the game, I recommend you take a good look at The Witcher 3 DOs and DONTs guide for a great collection of beginner-friendly tips and recommendations to give you a good start.
How to get the ingredients and craft potions
To craft a potion, you first need to acquire its recipe (formula). Then you can open the Alchemy menu to determine what ingredients you need to gather to craft the potion.
Some potion formulas can be found randomly while others have a 100% guaranteed spot to get them from. In the next segment of the guide, I will show you the exact location of all confirmed spawns and/or purchasable potion formulas in the game.
Herbs, and Alchemy items you can obtain by exploring the world, looting chests or animals, and finding hidden treasures. You can also purchase many of the ingredients from herbalists and merchants.
Dwarven Spirit, 
Alcohest, and 
White Gull are the base ingredients for the basic, enhanced, and superior oils respectively. You’ll have enough of these if you just play the game. You can purchase them from multiple merchants as well.
To craft the Enhanced Potion, you need the Basic version of the same potion. To craft the Superior tier, you need the Enhanced version.
Most Superior Potions require rare items that can be acquired by defeating specific monsters, as well as one of the following special alchemy ingredients listed below:
Aether
Quebrith
Rebis
Rubedo
Vermillion
Vitriol
Each one of these requires a few herbs and White Gull alcohol. White Gull is used in a lot of Alchemy formulas. You can learn where and how to get the ingredients to craft it from the guide to the Top Merchants in The Witcher 3. Visiting them as early as possible will allow you to stock up on all kinds of crafting ingredients.
Full list of all Potions in The Witcher 3
In this segment of the guide, I have listed every single one of the Potions, where and how to obtain the recipes (formulas) to craft them, and all of the required ingredients.
Black Blood
Effect:
Witcher’s blood injures vampires and necrophages when they wound him.
Ingredients: Dwarven Spirit 1x
Sewant Mushrooms 2x
Ghoul’s Blood 4x
You can purchase the Black Blood formula from the Herbalist located Northeast of Oxenfurt.
Enhanced Black Blood
Effect:
Witcher’s blood injures and knocks back vampires and necrophages when they wound him.
Ingredients: Alcohest 1x
Black Blood 1x
Hellebore Petals 1x Sewant Mushrooms 5x Ghoul’s Blood 5x
The Enhanced Black Blood formula is sold by the Herbalist located south of Hierarch Square in Novigrad.
Superior Black Blood
Effect:
Vampires and necrophages start Bleeding when near the witcher. In addition, the witcher’s blood injures and knocks them back when they wound him.
Ingredients: White Gull 1x
Enhanced Black Blood 1x Hellebore Petals 5x Sewant Mushrooms 5x
Han Fiber 1x
Nostrix 1x Rebis 1x
The Superior Black Blood formula can be bought from Gremist the Druid, he’s located North of Gedyneith in Ard Skellig. Before being able to purchase items from him you must complete the quest “Practicum in advanced alchemy”.
You can craft Rebis by opening the Alchemy screen and navigating to the Alchemy Ingredients on the left side. It requires White Gull.
Blizzard
Effect:
Whenever you slay an enemy, time slows for a short period.
Ingredients: Dwarven Spirit 1x
White Myrtle Petals 5x
Golem’s Heart 1x
The Blizzard formula is sold by the Herbalist near the Roadside Shrine in White Orchard.
You can get a Golem Heart during the story quest “Wandering in the Dark”.
Enhanced Blizzard
Effect:
Whenever you slay an enemy, time slows for a short period.
Ingredients: Alcohest 1x
Blizzard 1x
Celandine 1x White Myrtle Petals 5x Golem’s Heart 1x
You can purchase the Enhanced Blizzard formula from the Herbalist located Northeast of Oxenfurt.
You can get a Golem Heart during the story quest “Wandering in the Dark”.
Superior Blizzard
Effect:
Whenever you slay an enemy, time slows for a short period. If 3 Adrenaline Points are available, during this period actions don’t deplete Stamina.
Ingredients: White Gull 1x
Enhanced Blizzard 1x Celandine 4x White Myrtle Petals 4x Sewant Mushrooms 1x
Buckthorn 1x Rebis 1x
The Superior Blizzard formula can be bought from Gremist the Druid, he’s located North of Gedyneith in Ard Skellig. Before being able to purchase items from him you must complete the quest “Practicum in advanced alchemy”.
You can craft Rebis by opening the Alchemy screen and navigating to the Alchemy Ingredients on the left side. It requires White Gull.
Cat
Effect:
Grants sight in total darkness.
Ingredients: Dwarven Spirit 1x
Berbercane Fruit 4x
Water Essence 2x
You begin the game with the Cat potion already in your inventory.
Enhanced Cat
Effect:
Grants sight in total darkness and immunity to hypnosis. Extended duration.
Ingredients: Alcohest 1x
Cat 1x Berbercane Fruit 5x
Cortinarius 1x Water Essence 3x
The Enhanced Cat formula can be purchased from the Herbalist located in Kaer Trolde Harbor.
Superior Cat
Effect:
Grants sight in total darkness and immunity to hypnosis. Extended duration.
Ingredients: White Gull 1x
Enhanced Cat 1x Berbercane Fruit 4x Cortinarius 4x
Moleyarrow 1x
Allspice 1x Aether 1x
You can purchase the Superior Cat Formula from the Herbalist located Northeast of Oxenfurt.
You can craft Aether by opening the Alchemy screen and navigating to the Alchemy Ingredients on the left side. It requires White Gull.
Drowner Pheromones
Effect:
Drowners will not attack the witcher.
Ingredients: Dwarven Spirit 1x
Drowner Brain 1x Sewant Mushrooms 1x
Puffball 1x
Drowner Pheromones can be purchased from the Herbalist located in Kaer Trolde Harbor.
Full Moon
Effect:
Increases maximum Vitality.
Ingredients: Dwarven Spirit 1x
Wolfsbane 2x
Dark Essence 1x
You can purchase the Full Moon formula from the Herbalist located Northeast of Oxenfurt.
Noonwraiths drop Dark Essence. You can find a Noonwraith very close to Cunny of the Goose.
Enhanced Full Moon
Effect:
Increases maximum Vitality. Extended duration.
Ingredients: Alcohest 1x
Full Moon 1x
Crow’s Eye 2x Wolfsbane 5x Dark Essence 2x
You can purchase the Enhanced Full Moon formula from the Herbalist located Northeast of Oxenfurt.
Noonwraiths drop Dark Essence. You can find a Noonwraith very close to Cunny of the Goose.
Superior Full Moon
Effect:
Increases maximum Vitality. Extended duration. Heals Vitality by an amount equal to current Toxicity.
Ingredients: White Gull 1x
Enhanced Full Moon 1x
Mistletoe 1x
Verbena 1x Crow’s Eye 1x Wolfsbane 4x Quebrith 1x
The Superior Full Moon formula can be bought from Gremist the Druid, he’s located North of Gedyneith in Ard Skellig. Before being able to purchase items from him you must complete the quest “Practicum in advanced alchemy”.
You can craft Quebrith by opening the Alchemy screen and navigating to the Alchemy Ingredients on the left side. It requires White Gull.
Golden Oriole
Effect:
Grants immunity to poisons, neutralizes the effects of poisons already in bloodstream.
Ingredients: Dwarven Spirit 1x
Blowball 4x
Light Essence 1x
You can purchase the Golden Oriole formula from the Herbalist located Northeast of Oxenfurt.
You can obtain Light Essence after defeating the Noonwraith of the Contract Quest “Devil by the Dwell”. You can pick this quest from White Orchard’s notice board.
Enhanced Golden Oriole
Effect:
Grants immunity to poisons, neutralizes the effects of poisons already in bloodstream. Extended duration.
Ingredients: Alcohest 1x
Golden Oriole 1x Blowball 6x Celandine 1x Light Essence 2x
The Enhanced Golden Oriole formula is sold by the Herbalist located south of Hierarch Square in Novigrad.
You can obtain Light Essence after defeating the Noonwraith of the Contract Quest “Devil by the Dwell”. You can pick this quest from White Orchard’s notice board.
Superior Golden Oriole
Effect:
Extended duration. Poisons now heal instead of doing damage.
Ingredients: White Gull 1x
Enhanced Golden Oriole 1x Blowball 4x Celandine 4x Han Fiber 1x
Ranogrin 1x Quebirth 1x
The Superior Golden Oriole formula can be bought from Gremist the Druid, he’s located North of Gedyneith in Ard Skellig. Before being able to purchase items from him you must complete the quest “Practicum in advanced alchemy”.
You can craft Quebirth by opening the Alchemy screen and navigating to the Alchemy Ingredients on the left side. It requires White Gull.
Killer Whale
Effect:
Increases breath supply while underwater by 50% and improves vision while diving.
Ingredients: Dwarven Spirit 2x
Balisse Fruit 5x Buckthorn 6x
Drowner Tongue 5x
You can purchase the Killer Whale formula from the Herbalist located Northeast of Oxenfurt.
Maribor Forest
Effect:
Accelerates the generation of Adrenaline Points.
Ingredients: Dwarven Spirit 1x Berbercane Fruit 3x
Alghoul Bone Marrow 1x Drowner Tongue 4x
The Maribor Forest formula is a random drop.
Enhanced Maribor Forest
Effect:
Accelerates the generation of Adrenaline Points. Extended duration.
Ingredients: Alcohest 1x
Maribor Forest 1x Berbercane Fruit 5x Crow’s Eye 1x Drowner Tongue 2x
The Enhanced Maribor Forest is sold by the Herbalist located south of Hierarch Square in Novigrad.
Superior Maribor Forest
Effect:
Accelerates the generation of Adrenaline Points. Extended duration. Grants 1 Adrenaline Point upon consumption.
Ingredients: White Gull 1x
Enhanced Maribor Forest 1x Berbercane Fruit 4x Crow’s Eye 4x Hellebore Petals 1x
Ribleaf 1x Vermillion 1x
The Superior Maribor Forest formula can be bought from Gremist the Druid, he’s located North of Gedyneith in Ard Skellig. Before being able to purchase items from him you must complete the quest “Practicum in advanced alchemy”.
You can craft Vermillion by opening the Alchemy screen and navigating to the Alchemy Ingredients on the left side. It requires White Gull.
Petri’s Philter
Effect:
Increases Sign intensity.
Ingredients: Dwarven Spirit 1x
Arenaria 5x
Specter Dust 1x
Petri’s Philter formula is a random drop.
Ruins and cemeteries are the best places to find Wraiths that drop Specter Dust. The ruins close to Byways in the far Southwest of Velen are roamed by two level 7 Wraiths
Enhanced Petri’s Philter
Effect:
Increases Sign intensity. Extended duration.
Ingredients: Alcohest 1x
Petri’s Philter 1x Arenaria 6x Buckthorn 1x Specter Dust 2x
The Enhanced Petri’s Philter formula is sold by the Herbalist located south of Hierarch Square in Novigrad.
Ruins and cemeteries are the best places to find Wraiths that drop Specter Dust. The ruins close to Byways in the far Southwest of Velen are roamed by two level 7 Wraiths.
Superior Petri’s Philter
Effect:
Increases Sign intensity. Extended duration. Signs always apply their special effects.
Ingredients: White Gull 1x
Enhanced Petri’s Philter 1x Arenaria 4x Buckthorn 1x
Longrube 1x Ranogrin 1x Rubedo 1x
The Superior Petri’s Philter formula can be bought from Gremist the Druid, he’s located North of Gedyneith in Ard Skellig. Before being able to purchase items from him you must complete the quest “Practicum in advanced alchemy”.
You can craft Rubedo by opening the Alchemy screen and navigating to the Alchemy Ingredients on the left side. It requires White Gull.
Pop’s Mold Antidote
Effect:
Grants temporary immunity to pops’ mold.
Ingredients: White Myrtle Petals 4x Celandine 1x Hellebore Petals 1x
Pop’s Mold Antidote’s formula is obtained during Count Reuven’s Treasure Quest.
Potion of Clearance
Effect:
Returns all Ability Points spent to develop Abilities to the available pool so you can redistribute them.
This Potion can’t be crafted.
The Potion of Clearance can only be bought from merchants for 1,000 coins. Two easily accessible locations are Keira Metz (image below) and the shop just southeast of St. Gregory’s Bridge signpost in Novigrad.
Potion of Restoration
Effect:
Returns all Ability Points spent developing mutations to the pool so you can reallocate them. Mutagens spent developing mutations will not be returned.
This Potion can’t be crafted.
The Potion of Restoration can only be bought from merchants for 1,000 coins. It was introduced with Blood and Wine and is available in Toussaint. One convenient location is the Herbalist shop near the Grandmaster gear crafter Lafargue’s workshop in the south part of Toussaint.
Swallow
Effect:
Accelerates Vitality regeneration. Vitality regeneration pauses for 2 seconds upon receiving damage.
Ingredients: Dwarven Spirit 1x Celandine 5x Drowner Brain 1x
You begin the game with the Swallow potion already in your inventory.
Enhanced Swallow
Effect:
Accelerates Vitality regeneration. Vitality regeneration pauses for 2 seconds upon receiving damage.
Ingredients: Alcohest 1x
Swallow 1x Celandine 6x White Myrtle Petals 4x Drowner Brain 5x
You can purchase the Enhanced Swallow formula from the Herbalist located Northeast of Oxenfurt.
Superior Swallow
Effect:
Accelerates Vitality regeneration. Taking damage does not interrupt regeneration.
Ingredients: White Gull 1x
Enhanced Swallow 1x Berbercane Fruit 6x White Myrtle Petals 6x Celandine 4x Crow’s Eye 4x Vitriol 2x
The Superior Swallow formula can be bought from Gremist the Druid, he’s located North of Gedyneith in Ard Skellig. Before being able to purchase items from him you must complete the quest “Practicum in advanced alchemy”.
You can craft Vitriol by opening the Alchemy screen and navigating to the Alchemy Ingredients on the left side. It requires White Gull.
Tawny Owl
Effect:
Accelerates Stamina regneration.
Ingredients: Dwarven Spirit 1x Verbena 2x 
Arachas Venom 1x
You begin the game with access to the Tawny Owl potion. However, you won’t have the formula in your inventory. You can find Arachas North of the Druids Camp on Ard Skellig. There are other places, of course, usually in thick forests.
Enhanced Tawny Owl
Effect:
Accelerates Stamina regeneration. Extended duration.
Ingredients: Alcohest 1x
Tawny Owl 1x Verbena 4x Wolfsbane 2x Arachas Venom 1x
You can purchase the Enhanced Tawny Owl formula from the Herbalist located Northeast of Oxenfurt.
You can find Arachas North of the Druids Camp.
Superior Tawny Owl
Effect:
Accelerates Stamina regeneration. Extended duration. Never expires at night.
Ingredients: White Gull 1x
Enhanced Tawny Owl 1x Verbena 4x Wolfsbane 4x
Fool’s Parsley Leaves 1x
Mandrake Root 1x Sewant Mushrooms 1x
The Superior Tawny Owl formula can be bought from Gremist the Druid, he’s located North of Gedyneith in Ard Skellig. Before being able to purchase items from him you must complete the quest “Practicum in advanced alchemy”.
Thunderbolt
Effect:
Increases Attack Power.
Ingredients: Dwarven Spirit 1x Cortinarius 2x
Endrega Embryo 1x
You can purchase the Thunderbolt formula from the Herbalist located Northeast of Oxenfurt.
There are two Endrega nests south of Novigrad. Do not destroy them until you get the Endrega Embryos.
Enhanced Thunderbolt
Effect:
Increases Attack Power. Extended duration.
Ingredients: Alcohest 1x
Thunderbolt 1x Cortinarius 2x Fool’s Parsley Leaves 1x Endrega Embryo 2x
The Enhanced Thunderbolt formula is sold by the Herbalist located south of Hierarch Square in Novigrad.
There are two Endrega nests south of Novigrad. Do not destroy them until you get the Endrega Embryos.
Superior Thunderbolt
Effect:
Extended duration. Grants 100% critical hit chance during storms.
Ingredients: White Gull
Enhanced Thunderbolt 1x Cortinarius 4x Fool’s Parsley Leaves 4x Verbena 1x
Bryonia 1x Quebrith 1x
The Superior Thunderbolt formula can be bought from Gremist the Druid, he’s located North of Gedyneith in Ard Skellig. Before being able to purchase items from him you must complete the quest “Practicum in advanced alchemy”.
You can craft Quebrith by opening the Alchemy screen and navigating to the Alchemy Ingredients on the left side. It requires White Gull.
Reinald’s Philter
Effect:
Increases Sign intensity and accelerates Stamina regeneration.
Ingredients: Dwarven Spirit 1x Celandine 4x
Reinald’s Secret Ingredient 1x
Reinald’s Philter formula is given automatically during the secondary quest “In the Eternal Fire’s Shadow” when you find Reinald’s second letter. You can check out the complete walkthrough guide to In The Eternal Fire’s Shadow for instructions on how to start and complete this quest.
White Honey
Effect:
Clears Toxicity and cancels all active potion effects.
Ingredients: Dwarven Spirit 1x
Honeysuckle 1x
You begin the game with the White Honey potion already in your inventory.
Enhanced White Honey
Effect:
Clears Toxicity and cancels all active potion effects.
Ingredients: Alcohest 1x
White Honey 1x Honeysuckle 2x White Myrtle Petals 1x
You can purchase the Enhanced White Honey formula from the Herbalist located Northeast of Oxenfurt.
Superior White Honey
Effect:
Clears Toxicity and cancels all active potion effects.
Ingredients: White Gull 1x
Enhanced White Honey 1x Honeysuckle 4x White Myrtle Petals 4x Balisse Fruit 1x Hellebore Petals 1x Vitriol 1x
The Superior White Honey formula is located in the Distillery on the East side of Ard Skellig. You will discover this place when completing the quest “Practicum in advanced alchemy”.
You can craft Vitriol by opening the Alchemy screen and navigating to the Alchemy Ingredients on the left side. It requires White Gull.
White Raffard’s Decoction
Effect:
Immediately restores a portion of Vitality.
Ingredients: Dwarven Spirit 1x Ribleaf 2x
Nekker Heart 4x
You can purchase the White Raffard’s Decoction formula from the Herbalist located Northeast of Oxenfurt.
There are four Nekker’s nests in the East of Velen. This is where you can find the Nekker Heart.
Enhanced White Raffard’s Decoction
Effect:
Immediately restores a portion of Vitality.
Ingredients: Alcohest 1x
White Raffard’s Decoction 1x Ribleaf 4x Bryonia 1x Nekker Heart 5x
You can purchase the Enhanced White Raffard’s Decoction formula from the Herbalist located Northeast of Oxenfurt.
There are four Nekker’s nests in the East of Velen. This is where you can find the Nekker Heart.
Superior White Raffard’s Decoction
Superior White Raffard’s DecoctionEffect:
Restores Vitality immediately and fully. Grants immunity to damage for a short duration.
Ingredients: White Gull 1x
Enhanced White Raffard’s 1x Ribleaf 4x Bryonia 4x
Pringrape 1x
Bison Grass 1x Vermillion 1x
The Superior White Raffard’s Decoction is sold by Yolar, the merchant located in Gedyneith.
You can craft Vermillion by opening the Alchemy screen and navigating to the Alchemy Ingredients on the left side. It requires White Gull.
Wolven Hour
Effect:
Temporarily lowers the required level of all items by 2.
This Potion can’t be crafted.
You begin the game with the Wolven Hour potion already in your inventory. This potion can only be used once and does not replenish when meditating.
What are the Best Potions to craft early
During your adventures, you will likely find a place and situation for nearly every single one of the potions in this gigantic list. Ultimately, as a pro witcher, you will eventually end up collecting all of them.
There are a few key potions that will be used most frequently and the sooner you upgrade them, the better. This is especially true for the Blood and Broken Bones and Death March difficulty levels.
In the next-gen update CD Projekt Red lowered the effect food and drinks heal you, this nerfing the entire purpose of stacking up on food and drinks like mad. Now, but also before as well, by far the most useful and helpful potion in the entire game is the 
Swallow. You should upgrade it to Enhanced and Superior as soon as you can.
Another great healing solution is the 
White Raffard’s Decoction. Although it bears the name decoction, it has no prolonged effect. It instead heals instantly a portion of your vitality.
Two of my favorite combat potions are Tawny Owl and 
Thunderbolt. I often have them on a shortcut keybind and use them together in tougher fights. The Superior version of Tawny Owl never expires at night. This means you get a permanent 10% Stamina regeneration boost all night long.
One of the most frequent enemy types you will fight against in the game are necrophages. The Black Blood is fantastic against all members of that group. Even better, it makes vampires bleed. You will encounter only a handful of Ekimmaras in the original game, but in Blood and Wine Toussaint is full of these creatures.
I am going to stop here, because the variety of monsters and other creatures you will encounter in the game, could easily make me list all potions as useful.
I hope you have enjoyed this complete list of the Potions in The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt. If you want to share a popular location for the formulas or crafting ingredients that was not mentioned in the catalog, leave a comment.
The Witcher 3 Collectible and Consumable Items Catalogs and Locations Guides
This list contains Catalogs and Locations Guides to valuable items from The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt. Each guide focuses on different types of items like Potions, Decoctions, Oils, Bombs, Places of Power and other valuable items.
In these dedicated Catalogs, you will find everything you need to know to learn how to find, craft and use these items, where and when they are most helpful, and why.
The Witcher 3 Decoctions Catalog and Locations Guide
Complete catalog of all decoctions in The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt next-gen with detailed instructions where to find and how to craft each recipe!
The Witcher 3 Oils Catalog and Locations Guide
Complete catalog of all Oils in The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt next-gen with detailed instructions where to find and how to craft each recipe!
The Witcher 3 Bombs Catalog and Locations Guide
Catalog of all Bombs in The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt next-gen. Includes detailed instructions on where to find and how to craft all of them!
WITCHER 3 All White Orchard Places of Power Locations Guide
Complete Guide showing you how to find and use all Places of Power in White Orchard, the starting region of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt!
Witcher 3 All Velen and Novigrad Places of Power Locations Guide
Complete Guide showing you how to find and use all Velen Places of Power (No Man’s Land and Novigrad) in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt!
Witcher 3 All Skellige Places of Power Locations Guide
Guide to all Skellige Places of Power locations in The Witcher 3. Prepare for the Mutations System in Blood and Wine, and get your Free Skill Points!
Witcher 3 All Toussaint Places of Power Locations Guide
Quick guide to all the locations of the Toussaint Places of Power in The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt’s second expansion – Blood and Wine!
Merchants in The Witcher 3 you should visit Early
This guide will show you a few merchants in The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt that you absolutely should visit. As early as possible. Don’t skip their offerings!
