Khadgar42: Short question:
How does it work?
Additionally:
Are the Alchemy skill levels worth it or waste?
What about ingredients?
What kind of Potions can you mix?
Is there any personal use for devilroot or should I just give it to nasty old hag in Hillbrandt?
Alchemy works by combining basic potions(Health, mana, stamina, strength, dexterity, intelligence, constitution and speed) to form more complex potions (Increased power, elemental resistance or permanent increase in attribute). You can learn about them by checking the description when you shop at herbalist, alchemist or general goods vendors or obtained from loot. To form the complex potions, left-click to select and move the potion and right-click the selected potion on the desired potion to combine into.
I raised Alchemy skill up to Disciple level as I felt the skill points needed for Magister level in 3 or 4 of your schools of magic and Master level in Wisdom are more important for the Priest. For just drinking potions looted or purchased from vendors, that level is sufficient to complete the game. Whether it is worth it depends on whether you are willing to raise it to Master level (Required to create miraculous elixirs that permanently increase an attribute) and whether you have the memory to remember the useful potion combinations, the inventory space to store the potions before difficult battles and the quicksave slot or spot in your inventory to use them quickly when needed.
The type of potions you can mix are the potions of health, mana, stamina, strength, dexterity, intelligence, constitution and speed (Any quality). You can mix two potions at Disciple level and mix three or more at higher skill ranks in Alchemy(ie. Mix a basic potion on a complex potion to create a more powerful potion)
For devilroot, there is no personal use for them. You cannot brew it into a potion or use it to craft anything. Only the herbalists in Hillbrandt and other towns can convert it to a miraculous elixir to permanently increase an attribute for a fee. Since to make a miraculous elixir requires Master level in Alchemy for a Priest and the other classes do not have the Alchemy skill, the devilroot is often located on most maps and boss treasure locations to reward the player for thorough exploration of the game world. It is highly recommended to pay the herbalist to make the elixir.
