Your average witcher also understands the basic principles of alchemy. His knowledge of these principles lets him blend herbs and other alchemical substances into potions and oils that can have profound effects on his body and equipment. In The Witcher 2 , this means that you can use alchemy to create temporary boosts to your stats. Each boost works in a slightly different way.
Potions
In most games, but particularly games, potions are items you can quaff to instantly restore lost HP, mana, or other resources. In The Witcher 2 , you drink potions to fundamentally alter Geralt’s body chemistry for a short period of time. Potions can increase Geralt’s vitality and vigor regeneration, increase his resistances to critical effects, make his signs more powerful, and cause other effects.
Most potions have a standard duration of about 10 minutes. You must meditate to drink a potion, so you need to apply potion buffs before getting into combat. Once monsters are within striking range, it’s too late. Potions are at their most effective in battles where you can pause at the threshold, apply your potions, and then enter battle with a significant edge.
The number of potions you can consume is limited by your total potion slots and also by Geralt’s total toxicity. At the game’s beginning, Geralt can drink only up to three potions at once. Each potion has a toxicity rating that indicates how much it poisons you after you drink it. You cannot drink a potion or combination of potions if doing so would boost Geralt’s total toxicity over 100. You can purchase skills from the alchemy tree that let Geralt drink up to four potions (provided their toxicity combined is not greater than 100) and that also grant Geralt additional stat bonuses while his toxicity level is high.
It is difficult to use potions effectively in battles that are preceded by long story sequences or cutscenes, since potion timers count down in real time. You can invest in certain skills from the alchemy tree to make potions last longer, to increase the strength of potion buffs, and to decrease the drawbacks associated with using certain potions. In general, any player interested in using potions extensively should invest in the related skills from the alchemy tree.
Oils
Oils are alchemical substances used to coat a blade. They’re prepared the same way potions are but can be applied to a blade at any time. It’s a good idea to keep a store of oils on hand, in case you stumble into an unexpected battle and need to give yourself a quick edge. Oil effects generally grant you bonuses to damage or to inflicting critical effects.
When applying an oil to a blade, you must choose whether to apply it to your steel or silver sword. Many types of oils grant damage bonuses to specific types of foes, like humans or insectoids, so keep that in mind. Oil effects are dictated by real-time timers, just like potions. Oil timers usually last about five minutes but can be extended by investing in certain alchemy tree skills.
While it’s easier to use oils on the fly than potions, it’s worth noting that combining oils with potions can have extremely powerful effects. For instance, if you oiled your blade to make it have a 30 percent chance of causing the bleeding or poison critical effect, you could also drink potions to further increase your chances of landing these particular critical effects.
Circles
Circles aren’t exactly alchemical boosts, but they work so similarly that they’re worth discussing here. Basically, there are certain small areas scattered throughout the game world that grant stat boosts if you scan them with your medallion. These stat boosts typically last for about five minutes and have no cost. The only limitation on using circles is that you can only take advantage of any individual circle once per day.
Circles of life and vigor grant +2 vitality regeneration and +1 vitality regeneration in combat. Circles of endurance grant an additional 20 percent to armor. Circles of strength grant an additional 20 percent to damage. Circles of power grant an additional 20 percent to sign intensity. You know you’re near a circle when you hear a distinct sound as you pass through an area. You also see a shimmering effect nearby, as if the air were superheated.
Circle effects stack with each other and with other potions and oils you’ve applied. Certain situations and builds can create very powerful synergies this way. You can check the guide’s maps to see where circles are located. If you know you’re going into a battle near a circle, it’s worth your time to take advantage of it.