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One of the most efficient ways for players to make a ton of gold in Skyrim is to brew and sell high-end potions. Skyrim Anniversary Edition adds dozens and dozens of new ingredients to use in Alchemy through the Rare Curios creation and others, many of which are much more powerful (and therefore much more lucrative) than vanilla Skyrim ingredients.
These potions were created with Lvl 15 Alchemy and no perks were spent in the skill tree. Training Alchemy will significantly raise the quality and value of these potions – for example, at level 100 Alchemy with five perks spent in the Alchemist skill, a Potion of Waterbreathing made from Garlic, Nordic Barnacle, and Salmon Roe is worth more than three times its normal amount.
Updated July 5, 2023 by Erik Petrovich: Some of the best potions to make in Skyrim (and the best poisons) require simple ingredients that don't take long to collect, nor do they ask much of the player. But players new to Skyrim who want to get more Gold at the beginning of the game may be lost as to how to engage with this semi-broken consumables system. Alchemy in Skyrim is useful for just about every playstyle, especially when making expensive potions and poisons that can serve as a reliable source of Gold. But to get started with Alchemy, and take advantage of all the bonuses that come from its specific Skill Tree, players ought to first understand the basics of how it works.
How To Make Potions in Skyrim - Alchemy Basics
Making a potion in Skyrim is much simpler than it was in either Oblivion or Morrowind, and served as the main inspiration for the way Alchemy works in Elder Scrolls Online. To make potions, players just need to find an Alchemy crafting table, also called an Alchemy Lab, and bring along some ingredients they've foraged from around Skyrim.
Making Potions & Revealing Effects
Unlike ESO, Skyrim players only need to have basic materials to make potions and poisons, and no solvents or other ingredients at all. Interact with the Alchemy Lab to pull up the Alchemy menu, and select ingredients that share qualities to produce consumables with those effects. When you use an ingredient for the first time (or eat it directly from the inventory), a new trait for that ingredient will be revealed.
Potions vs. Poisons
Poisons naturally result from ingredients with lots of negative effects, and are used mainly for giving weapons a bit more damage. Use a poison from the inventory to imbue your weapon or arrow with its effect, which will proc on hit (unless resisted). Potions result from ingredients with mostly positive effects, but there can be drawbacks as well. A potion that heals for 50 Health might also reduce Intelligence for a short time, for example.
Luckily, players won't have to actually drink any of the concoctions in this list and suffer their effets, as they're meant to be valuable rather than practical.
Better Alchemy Skill = Higher Sell Value
There is an Alchemy skill tree, and a lot of items, that can passively give players much, much stronger consumables. This also has the effect of turning simple draughts into extravagant concoctions, worth significantly more thanks to the prolonged or heightened effects granted.
It's worth investing in this skill tree, and picking up gear that improves Alchemy, to create the most valuable potions and poisons in Skyrim. The potions and poisons listed below are valued at their base Gold amount, without modifiers – their sell values can be raised higher, and players will often find themselves clearing out merchants of all their gold with a handful of drinks.
Most Expensive Skyrim Potions – Carry Weight, Illusion, Stamina, Health, Waterbreathing
In large part thanks to the Rare Curios creation, these five Potions sell for far more than other Potions that players can brew in Skyrim. Items like the Coda Flower, Lichor, and Heart of Order are only acquirable from Khajiit Merchants, but not all of these valuable Potions are restricted to ingredients from the creation.
For example, most Potions of Waterbreathing that the player creates will sell for more than the other four Potions listed here, even if it is made with different ingredients. The recipes listed here are the highest-ranking versions of these potions. After removing repeats, these are the five most valuable Potions in Skyrim.
Potion of Invisibility - Chaurus Eggs, Garlic, Luna Moth Wing
- Value: 389 Gold
- Effects: Invisibility, Recover Health, Fortify Stamina, and Drain Magicka
Chaurus Eggs can be harvested en masse in Chaurus tunnels, usually connected to Falmer caves. Garlic is found on farms throughout Skyrim and can be purchased as an ingredient from alchemists regularly. Luna Moth Wings are found at night near cliffs and rocks, usually near the more easily seen Torchbugs that also spawn at night.
Potion of Fortify Carry Weight - Burnt Spriggan Wood, River Betty, Coda Flower
- Value: 486 Gold
- Effects: Fortify Carry Weight and Alteration, Damage Health, Slow
Burnt Spriggan Wood is dropped by Burnt Spriggans on Solstheim, River Betties can be found in Skyrim's rivers and lakes, and the Coda Flower can be bought from Khajiit Merchants as part of the Rare Curios creation. Regular Spriggan Wood can be used as a replacement, though the Potion won't be as valuable.
Potion of Fortify Health - Creep Cluster, Giant's Toe, Wheat
- Value: 587 Gold
- Effects: Fortify Health and Carry Weight, Damage Stamina Recovery
Creep Cluster can be found throughout Skyrim, especially in Solstheim and around Windhelm. Giant's Toe is looted off of Giants, and Wheat can be found in just about any Farm in the province.
Potion of Fortify Illusion - Dwarven Oil, Lichor, Watcher's Eye
- Value: 622 Gold
- Effects: Fortify Illusion and Magicka, Restore Magicka, Regenerate Magicka, Spell Absorption.
Dwarven Oil is found on Dwarven Constructs, and both Lichor and Watcher's Eye are bought from Khajiit Merchants as part of the Rare Curios creation.
Potion of Fortify Stamina - Boar Tusk, Giant's Toe, Large Antlers
- Value: 823 Gold
- Effects: Fortify Stamina and Health, Damage Stamina Regen
Boar Tusks are looted from Bristlebacks in Solstheim, Giant's Toe is found on dead Giants, and Large Antlers are looted from Deer, making this a relatively common Potion to make.
Potion of Fortify Health - Bloodgrass, Elytra Ichor, Heart of Order
- Value: 1095 Gold
- Effects: Fortify Health, Invisibility, Slow
Bloodgrass is found in the Deadlands as part of the creation The Cause, and Elytra Ichor and Hearts of Order are bought from Khajiit merchants as part of the Rare Curios creation.
Potion of Waterbreathing - Boar Tusk, Fungus Stalk, Salmon Roe
- Value: 1891
- Effects: Waterbreathing, Fortify Stamina and Health
Boar Tusk can be looted from Bristlebacks, Salmon Roe is harvested by catching Salmon in the wild near waterfalls, and Fungus Stalks can be bought from Khajiit Merchants as part of the Rare Curios creation.
Most Valuable Skyrim Poisons – Stamina, Magicka Regen, Health, Paralysis, Slow
While the title of the most valuable item an Alchemist can brew goes to a Potion, Poisons are more valuable across the board, when brewed with the right ingredients. Just like with Potions, these Poisons largely include ingredients added by Creation Club elements, like the Rare Curios, The Cause, and Saints and Seducers creations.
Many of these Poisons are still worth a lot when made with other ingredients, but the most valuable version each can be made with the listed ingredients. When these repeats are accounted for, though, these are the five most valuable Poisons Skyrim lets players brew.
Poison of Damage Magicka Regen - Butterfly Wing, Blue Mountain Flower, Hanging Moss
- Value: 297 Gold
- Effects: Damage Magicka Recovery, Fortify Health and Conjuration
Butterfly Wings, Blue Mountain Flowers, and Hanging Moss are incredibly common ingredients, making this a reliable source of income for players who pick up everything they see. Butterfly Wings and Blue Mountain Flowers can be found along most roads in mainland Skyrim, and Hanging Moss is found inside and outside caves.
Poison of Slow - Blue Dartwing, Poison Bloom, River Betty
- Value: 483 Gold
- Effects: Slow, Damage Health, Fear, and Fortify Carry Weight
Blue Dartwings can be found near bodies of water in Skyrim, especially lakes like near Falkreath. Poison Bloom is found exclusively in Darkfall Passage, part of the Dawnguard DLC. River Betties can be picked up in most major water sources and even can be fished up from some locations, too. Alternative to Poison Bloom that lower the value of the Poison include Large Antlers and Salt Pile.
Poison of Damage Stamina Regen - Creep Cluster, Marshmerrow, Saltrice
- Value: 499 Gold
- Effects: Damage Stamina Regen, Weakness to Magic, Restore Health, Fortify Carry Weight
Creep Clusters can be found throughout Skyrim (but especially around Windhelm and Solstheim), and both Marshmerrow and Saltrice can be bought from Khajiit Merchants as part of the Rare Curios creation.
Poison of Damage Magicka Regen - Harrada, Minotaur Horn, Purple Butterfly Wing
- Value: 878 Gold
- Effects: Damage Magicka Regen, Paralysis, Regenerate Health and Magicka
Harrada can be found in the Deadlands as part of the creation The Cause, Purple Butterfly Wings can be harvested from Purple Butterflies in Solitude as part of the Saints and Seducers creation, and Minotaur Horns can be bought from Khajiit Merchants as part of the Rare Curios creation.
Poison of Damage Health - Jarrin Root, Poison Bloom, Worm's Head Cap
- Value: 958 Gold
- Effects: Damage Health, Slow, Fortify Carry Weight
Jarrin Root can be found only once in the game during the Dark Brotherhood questline, Poison Bloom can be found in Darkfall Passage, and Worm's Head Cap can be bought from Khajiit Merchants as part of the Rare Curios creation. An alternative to Jarrin Root is the Scalon Fin, but both of these items are about as rare as eachother.
Poison of Paralysis - Daedra Silk, Elytra Ichor, Rot Scale
- Value: 1285 Gold
- Effects: Paralysis, Slow, Fear, Invisibility
Rot Scales can be found in the Solitude Sewers as part of the Saints and Seducers creation, while Elytra Ichor and Daedra Silk must be bought from Khajiit Merchants as part of the Rare Curios creation.
Poison of Slow - Green Butterfly Wing, Rot Scale
- Value: 1307 Gold
- Effects: Slow, Fear
Green Butterfly Wings can be harvested from Green Butterflies throughout the province, and Rot Scale is bought from Khajiit Merchants as part of the Rare Curios creation.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition is available for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S
