Alchemy is where the big money is. It also lets you brew potions for the Loop of Power.

• Speak to Ogrnar at the Sleeping Giant Inn in Riverwood for a crash course in Alchemy.

• Use an Alchemy Lab for the first time.

• Check Alchemy under Help in the pause menu.

Prerequisites

• An Alchemy Lab.

• Ingredients.

Nice-to-haves

• A full set of of apparel of Fortify Alchemy.

• An Alchemy skill of 100, with the perks Alchemy 1-5 and Benefactor.

• Black Book: The Sallow Regent.

Brewing the potions

1. Equip the apparel of Fortify Alchemy.

2. Read The Sallow Regent and choose Seeker of Shadows.

3. Brew potions.

(Don't forget to switch back to your armor and Seeker of Might.)

Every ingredient is half a potion.

Buy out alchemist shops.

Each ingredient has four effects. You will start out knowing none of them.

Wortcraft

Eating the ingredient will identify the first effect. Eat one of everything.

Experimentation

Mix two ingredients together and see what happens! You will discover many effects by accident.

Foreknowledge

See the Keepers and Powtions below.

These ingredients are needed for the Loop of Power. Save them for later!

Ingredients in bold are hard to find.

Fortify Enchanting

• Blue Butterfly Wing

• Hagraven Claw

• Snowberries

• Spawn Ash

• Spriggan Sap

Fortify Smithing

• Blisterwort

• Glowing Mushroom

• Sabre Cat Tooth

• Spriggan Sap

Some ingredients can produce potions that are worth hundreds or even thousands of gold. Do not waste these ingredients on lesser potions.

Ingredients in bold are hard to find.

• Boar Tusk (on Solstheim)

• Garlic

• Giant's Toe (which makes extra-potent Fortify Carry Weight potions)

• Salmon Roe (for the most expensive potions possible)

• Salt Pile (don't waste it on cooking)

• Nordic Barnacle (try the Dragonreach waterworks)

Try the excellent Powtions calculator (works on phones as well) to maximize your brewing experience.

1. Click the Add All button and mark off the ingredients you don't have. (Mark off Dawnguard and Hearthfire to quickly mark off the stuff found only in their respective areas.)

2. Mark off the Keepers. Those aren't for profit.

3. Brew! And while you brew, mark off the ingredients that run out.

The rate at which you learn Alchemy depends on the value of the resulting potion, which in turn depends on its strength and the combined value of its effects.

1. Set aside your Keeper ingredients so you don't accidentally waste them. Store them in a container or hand them to your follower.

2. Optionally, activate the Thief Stone for 20% faster learning.

3. Optionally, sleep in an owned or rented bed for 10% faster learning.

4. Brew! See Brewing Potions and Powtions for making the most of this. (Don't make the really cheap potions--save those ingredients for next time.)

Sell the potions for tons of gold.

(Don't forget to switch back to whichever Guardian Stone helps with Archery.)