King Burgundy
12-03-2004, 12:49 AM
The Druids Grove Alchemy FAQ
I am going to follow in the tradition of some other recent tradeskill FAQ's that have been posted on the WoW forums. I am outright stealing the basic ideas for questions and formatting from Draznar. Props to him. Please feel free to reply with any questions or comments.
Where can I read the official details about Alchemy?
Professions: http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/professions/
Alchemy: http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/professions/alchemy.html
Are there any good unofficial sources of information I should look at?
I highly recommend that you bookmark the following two sites for recipe and drop information: http://www.thottbot.com/ and http://wow.allakhazam.com/.
It is highly recommended that any Alchemist also take Herbalism to gather the necessary materials. As such, here is a link to an Herbalism FAQ:
http://wow.toshimo.com/viewtopic.php?t=279
In addition, Draznar has a wonderful overall profession FAQ located here:
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.aspx?ForumName=wow-professions&ThreadID=40
Why would I want to be an Alchemist?
You will be able to make potions with a variety of interesting affects that you would not otherwise have easy access to.
Assuming you have also taken Herbalism, the cost to yourself is relatively low for the benefits that you will reap.
Nothing says "I love you" like a healing potion. But seriously, your friends will love you and look forward to their next "fix".
You can make some decent money by selling any extra product that you and your friends don't use at the auction house. Also, transmutes are a source of "free" money every time your timer is up. *It should be noted however, that those looking to make lots of money can probably make a lot more by simply taking two gathering skills and selling the fruits of their labor. Alchemy is NOT the get rich quick profession.
What type of profession is Alchemy?
Alchemy is a Primary(Production) profession. You can only have two Primary professions, so if you have taken Alchemy and Herbalism, you will be unable to take any others.
You mean I can't also take up cooking?
Cooking, First Aid, & Fishing are considered Secondary professions and as such, you can take all three of them as well.
Who can train me to become an Alchemist?
This will vary depending on your location in the world, but most cities and major towns have an Alchemist on hand to train you. If you have just started the game, you will likely encounter your first Alchemy trainer before level 10. When in doubt, ask a guard. They are always able to tell you where the nearest trainer can be found.
*You need to be at least level 5 to be trained as an Apprentice Alchemist.
How do I make potions?
First you must have been trained to become an Alchemist.
Next, click on the Alchemy button(potion icon). You will find this in the ability page of your spellbook. You should probably drag this icon to your hotbar for easier access.
Highlight one of the listed recipes and it will tell you the ingredients necessary to make that potion. Typically it might consist of one or two different herbs that you have gathered with your Herbalism skill as well as an empty potion vial that you can buy off of any trade or alchemy vendor.
Assuming you have the necessary ingredients on hand, you will see a number in brackets listed next to the recipe. This is how many you could currently make with the ingredients on your person. Simply click the "create" button to make the item or if you would like to use up all your ingredients you could click on "create all".
How long does it take to make a potion?
Typically a few seconds.
Can I do anything while creating potions?
Nothing that involves movement, spell use or combat. You could chat with your friends.
Can I be interrupted while making a potion?
Yes, if you take any of the above listed actions, even if they are forced upon you by an aggressive monster, the process will be interrupted. You will not lose any materials as a result of this.
Do potions stack?
Yes, they stack in groups of five.
What can I do with the potions I make?
Use them yourself, give them to friends, or sell them at your discretion.
How do I advance my Alchemy skill?
Create potions that are "green" or higher. Every time you make a potion there is a chance for skill gain. The chance is related to the difficulty level of the potion to make versus your current skill.
Recipes are color coded to help you recognize the things that will help you improve your skill:
Orange potions will always increase your skill when made.
Yellow potions will sometimes increase your skill when made.
Green potions will rarely increase your skill when made.
Gray potions will never increase your skill when made.
What are the different levels/ranks for Alchemy?
Rank (Min-Max skill level), Min Level
Apprentice (1-75) Level 5
Journeyman (50-150) Level 10
Expert (125-225) Level 20
Artisan (200-300) Level 35
I am ready to train Alchemy to Expert, who can train me?
Any Artisan or Master Alchemist trainer. You need 125 points in Alchemy and level 20 in order to be trained to Expert.
Here are a couple of trainers you could visit:
Ainethil in Darnassus for Alliance
Doctor Herbert Halsey in The Undercity for Horde
I am ready to train Alchemy to Artisan, who can train me?
Only a Master Alchemist can teach you the skills you need. You need 200 points of Alchemy and level 35 in order to be trained to Artisan.
aster Alchemists:
Kylanna Windwhisper in Feralas, at the Feathermoon Stronghold, for members of the Alliance
Rogvar in Swamp of Sorrows, at Stonard, for members of the Horde
Is there any rank of alchemy higher than Artisan?
No, currently 300 skill is the highest possible in Alchemy.
Where can I get new Alchemy recipes?
ost recipes are available from the same in game trainers that teach you Alchemy. Other recipes are found through various vendors scattered around the world, or on the bodies of your fallen foes. Vendor bought recipes are sometimes only available in limited quantities at a time, so be sure to check the vendors that you visit thoroughly every time to make sure that they don't have a new recipe to provide you. Monster dropped recipes can oftentimes be found at the Auction House. Be sure to browse the Auction House from time to time to see if there are any recipes available that you do not yet have.
Some of the available high end elemental transmutes are only available through faction based vendors. For example you need honored Argent Dawn faction for one, and Friendly Timbermaw for another.
I need to make some extra cash, do you have any recommendations for what potions sell reasonably well?
Healing potions and Mana potions will always sell to players as long as they are reasonably priced. Some specialty potions will typically sell in small amounts, this includes Swiftness, Lesser Invisibility, Rage, and Water Breathing. In addition to these, certain potions are required for other professions and as such there is a constant need for them in small amounts. This would include Elixir of Wisdom for tailoring and Elixir of Defense for leatherworking. As always, it pays to know your market. As an example, Toughened Leather Gloves for leatherworkers requires two Elixirs of Defense, so best to sell it in stacks of two.
Also, always set a buyout price. Many players are impatient and would rather not buy something than wait to the conclusion of an auction. As such, they will pay an extra premium to have the potions they want now.
Can Alchemists do anything besides make potions?
Yes, they can. At high levels of skill, Alchemists can transmute one metal into another in small amounts. For example Iron into Gold or Mithril into Truesilver. Alchemists are also the ONLY source of the metal Arcanite which is used in some of the highest level blacksmithing recipes. They can also transmute the high end elemental drops from one into another with various recipes such as Fire to Earth. Once you get the recipe, transmuting water to air is a valuable skill.
What is the Philospher's Stone?
The Philospher's Stone is the necessary requirement for transmuting metals and elements. The recipe can be found on the alchemy vendor in Tanaris, along with some of the transmutes.
How long is the cooldown on the various transmutes?
Iron to Gold - 24 hours
ithril to Truesilver - 48 hours
Arcanite - 48 hours
Fire to Earth - 24 hours
All other elemental transmutes - 24 hours
While waiting for the cooldown on one transmute can I do a different transmute?
No, the cooldown is global. If you transmute Arcanite, you can not do any other transmutes of any kind for 48 hours.
What is the Alchemist's Stone?
The Alchemist's Stone is a 300 skill recipe with a large amount of requirements that functions as a trinket that adds an increased effect to the health and mana potions you consume. It is also still listed as a requirement for making the Petrification Flask. Currently it is not confirmed whether or not the recipe for the Alchemist Stone is in the live game.
What are Flasks?
Flasks are extremely high end potion recipes with extremely large requirements and can only be used one at a time. There are currently five different flasks that can be made:
Flask of Titans - +1200hp for 2 hours
Flask of Distilled Wisdom - +2000 mana for 2 hours
Flask of Chromatic Resistance - +25 all resistances for 2 hours
Flask of Petrification - Invulnerability for 60 seconds, but no actions can be taken during this time
Flask of Supreme Power - Increase Spell Damage by 100 for 2 hours
The recipes for flasks are rare drops off of the high end dungeon/raid bosses. For example I have seen Flask of the Titans and Flask of Distilled Wisdom recipes drop off of the bosses in Stratholme.
What is an Alchemy Lab?
You need to be at an Alchemy Lab in order to make any of the Flasks, currently the only Alchemy Lab is located inside the Scholomance instance.
Ok then, what can you tell me about Scholomance?
Its a level 60 instance designed for 5 players and located in Western Plaguelands on the island of Caer Darrow. Currently it is actually possible to raid this zone with up to 10 players if you do not intend to do any of the quests. However, since completion of the Scholomance quests is necessary to get one of your elemental transmutes you may as well do it with 5. This was incredibly time consuming near release, but with recent patches Scholo has become much easier and quicker to do with 5.
To obtain the quest series (I believe), you need to obtain your key. The Horde quest series for this starts at the Bulwark, and should be available at / before level 55 once you have completed the Scarlet Diversions quest. The final step in the Key chain (after obtaining skeleton drops, traveling to Gadgetzan and paying the gold, going to Ungoro and forging the key) involves killing Araj the Summoner in the Ruins of Anderhol. While Araj is much easier to kill than previously (and is now on a 15 min spawn timer, as opposed to being summoned by destroying the crystals), it is best to kill Araj in conjunction with another quest you receive after disrupting the 4 cauldrons in Western Plaguelands.
Once you have your key, one of the human ghosts outside the Scholomance instance entrance (on the island of Caer Darrow in WPL) will talk to you and give you the first quest. While it is possible to complete all parts of the chain in 1 Scholo run, due to dungeon layout and repops most individuals will take more to complete the quest line. Upon completion of the quest to kill the Gargoyle (using Blood of Innocents to spawn), you will be able to interact with the vendor.
In addition to a transmute, you can purchase the recipe for Major Mana potions (2 icecap, 3 dreamfoil, crystal vial).
***Author's Note*** This FAQ is a work in progress and will continue to be updated on a regular basis, based on your questions and comments.
I am going to follow in the tradition of some other recent tradeskill FAQ's that have been posted on the WoW forums. I am outright stealing the basic ideas for questions and formatting from Draznar. Props to him. Please feel free to reply with any questions or comments.
Where can I read the official details about Alchemy?
Professions: http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/professions/
Alchemy: http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/professions/alchemy.html
Are there any good unofficial sources of information I should look at?
I highly recommend that you bookmark the following two sites for recipe and drop information: http://www.thottbot.com/ and http://wow.allakhazam.com/.
It is highly recommended that any Alchemist also take Herbalism to gather the necessary materials. As such, here is a link to an Herbalism FAQ:
http://wow.toshimo.com/viewtopic.php?t=279
In addition, Draznar has a wonderful overall profession FAQ located here:
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.aspx?ForumName=wow-professions&ThreadID=40
Why would I want to be an Alchemist?
You will be able to make potions with a variety of interesting affects that you would not otherwise have easy access to.
Assuming you have also taken Herbalism, the cost to yourself is relatively low for the benefits that you will reap.
Nothing says "I love you" like a healing potion. But seriously, your friends will love you and look forward to their next "fix".
You can make some decent money by selling any extra product that you and your friends don't use at the auction house. Also, transmutes are a source of "free" money every time your timer is up. *It should be noted however, that those looking to make lots of money can probably make a lot more by simply taking two gathering skills and selling the fruits of their labor. Alchemy is NOT the get rich quick profession.
What type of profession is Alchemy?
Alchemy is a Primary(Production) profession. You can only have two Primary professions, so if you have taken Alchemy and Herbalism, you will be unable to take any others.
You mean I can't also take up cooking?
Cooking, First Aid, & Fishing are considered Secondary professions and as such, you can take all three of them as well.
Who can train me to become an Alchemist?
This will vary depending on your location in the world, but most cities and major towns have an Alchemist on hand to train you. If you have just started the game, you will likely encounter your first Alchemy trainer before level 10. When in doubt, ask a guard. They are always able to tell you where the nearest trainer can be found.
*You need to be at least level 5 to be trained as an Apprentice Alchemist.
How do I make potions?
First you must have been trained to become an Alchemist.
Next, click on the Alchemy button(potion icon). You will find this in the ability page of your spellbook. You should probably drag this icon to your hotbar for easier access.
Highlight one of the listed recipes and it will tell you the ingredients necessary to make that potion. Typically it might consist of one or two different herbs that you have gathered with your Herbalism skill as well as an empty potion vial that you can buy off of any trade or alchemy vendor.
Assuming you have the necessary ingredients on hand, you will see a number in brackets listed next to the recipe. This is how many you could currently make with the ingredients on your person. Simply click the "create" button to make the item or if you would like to use up all your ingredients you could click on "create all".
How long does it take to make a potion?
Typically a few seconds.
Can I do anything while creating potions?
Nothing that involves movement, spell use or combat. You could chat with your friends.
Can I be interrupted while making a potion?
Yes, if you take any of the above listed actions, even if they are forced upon you by an aggressive monster, the process will be interrupted. You will not lose any materials as a result of this.
Do potions stack?
Yes, they stack in groups of five.
What can I do with the potions I make?
Use them yourself, give them to friends, or sell them at your discretion.
How do I advance my Alchemy skill?
Create potions that are "green" or higher. Every time you make a potion there is a chance for skill gain. The chance is related to the difficulty level of the potion to make versus your current skill.
Recipes are color coded to help you recognize the things that will help you improve your skill:
Orange potions will always increase your skill when made.
Yellow potions will sometimes increase your skill when made.
Green potions will rarely increase your skill when made.
Gray potions will never increase your skill when made.
What are the different levels/ranks for Alchemy?
Rank (Min-Max skill level), Min Level
Apprentice (1-75) Level 5
Journeyman (50-150) Level 10
Expert (125-225) Level 20
Artisan (200-300) Level 35
I am ready to train Alchemy to Expert, who can train me?
Any Artisan or Master Alchemist trainer. You need 125 points in Alchemy and level 20 in order to be trained to Expert.
Here are a couple of trainers you could visit:
Ainethil in Darnassus for Alliance
Doctor Herbert Halsey in The Undercity for Horde
I am ready to train Alchemy to Artisan, who can train me?
Only a Master Alchemist can teach you the skills you need. You need 200 points of Alchemy and level 35 in order to be trained to Artisan.
aster Alchemists:
Kylanna Windwhisper in Feralas, at the Feathermoon Stronghold, for members of the Alliance
Rogvar in Swamp of Sorrows, at Stonard, for members of the Horde
Is there any rank of alchemy higher than Artisan?
No, currently 300 skill is the highest possible in Alchemy.
Where can I get new Alchemy recipes?
ost recipes are available from the same in game trainers that teach you Alchemy. Other recipes are found through various vendors scattered around the world, or on the bodies of your fallen foes. Vendor bought recipes are sometimes only available in limited quantities at a time, so be sure to check the vendors that you visit thoroughly every time to make sure that they don't have a new recipe to provide you. Monster dropped recipes can oftentimes be found at the Auction House. Be sure to browse the Auction House from time to time to see if there are any recipes available that you do not yet have.
Some of the available high end elemental transmutes are only available through faction based vendors. For example you need honored Argent Dawn faction for one, and Friendly Timbermaw for another.
I need to make some extra cash, do you have any recommendations for what potions sell reasonably well?
Healing potions and Mana potions will always sell to players as long as they are reasonably priced. Some specialty potions will typically sell in small amounts, this includes Swiftness, Lesser Invisibility, Rage, and Water Breathing. In addition to these, certain potions are required for other professions and as such there is a constant need for them in small amounts. This would include Elixir of Wisdom for tailoring and Elixir of Defense for leatherworking. As always, it pays to know your market. As an example, Toughened Leather Gloves for leatherworkers requires two Elixirs of Defense, so best to sell it in stacks of two.
Also, always set a buyout price. Many players are impatient and would rather not buy something than wait to the conclusion of an auction. As such, they will pay an extra premium to have the potions they want now.
Can Alchemists do anything besides make potions?
Yes, they can. At high levels of skill, Alchemists can transmute one metal into another in small amounts. For example Iron into Gold or Mithril into Truesilver. Alchemists are also the ONLY source of the metal Arcanite which is used in some of the highest level blacksmithing recipes. They can also transmute the high end elemental drops from one into another with various recipes such as Fire to Earth. Once you get the recipe, transmuting water to air is a valuable skill.
What is the Philospher's Stone?
The Philospher's Stone is the necessary requirement for transmuting metals and elements. The recipe can be found on the alchemy vendor in Tanaris, along with some of the transmutes.
How long is the cooldown on the various transmutes?
Iron to Gold - 24 hours
ithril to Truesilver - 48 hours
Arcanite - 48 hours
Fire to Earth - 24 hours
All other elemental transmutes - 24 hours
While waiting for the cooldown on one transmute can I do a different transmute?
No, the cooldown is global. If you transmute Arcanite, you can not do any other transmutes of any kind for 48 hours.
What is the Alchemist's Stone?
The Alchemist's Stone is a 300 skill recipe with a large amount of requirements that functions as a trinket that adds an increased effect to the health and mana potions you consume. It is also still listed as a requirement for making the Petrification Flask. Currently it is not confirmed whether or not the recipe for the Alchemist Stone is in the live game.
What are Flasks?
Flasks are extremely high end potion recipes with extremely large requirements and can only be used one at a time. There are currently five different flasks that can be made:
Flask of Titans - +1200hp for 2 hours
Flask of Distilled Wisdom - +2000 mana for 2 hours
Flask of Chromatic Resistance - +25 all resistances for 2 hours
Flask of Petrification - Invulnerability for 60 seconds, but no actions can be taken during this time
Flask of Supreme Power - Increase Spell Damage by 100 for 2 hours
The recipes for flasks are rare drops off of the high end dungeon/raid bosses. For example I have seen Flask of the Titans and Flask of Distilled Wisdom recipes drop off of the bosses in Stratholme.
What is an Alchemy Lab?
You need to be at an Alchemy Lab in order to make any of the Flasks, currently the only Alchemy Lab is located inside the Scholomance instance.
Ok then, what can you tell me about Scholomance?
Its a level 60 instance designed for 5 players and located in Western Plaguelands on the island of Caer Darrow. Currently it is actually possible to raid this zone with up to 10 players if you do not intend to do any of the quests. However, since completion of the Scholomance quests is necessary to get one of your elemental transmutes you may as well do it with 5. This was incredibly time consuming near release, but with recent patches Scholo has become much easier and quicker to do with 5.
To obtain the quest series (I believe), you need to obtain your key. The Horde quest series for this starts at the Bulwark, and should be available at / before level 55 once you have completed the Scarlet Diversions quest. The final step in the Key chain (after obtaining skeleton drops, traveling to Gadgetzan and paying the gold, going to Ungoro and forging the key) involves killing Araj the Summoner in the Ruins of Anderhol. While Araj is much easier to kill than previously (and is now on a 15 min spawn timer, as opposed to being summoned by destroying the crystals), it is best to kill Araj in conjunction with another quest you receive after disrupting the 4 cauldrons in Western Plaguelands.
Once you have your key, one of the human ghosts outside the Scholomance instance entrance (on the island of Caer Darrow in WPL) will talk to you and give you the first quest. While it is possible to complete all parts of the chain in 1 Scholo run, due to dungeon layout and repops most individuals will take more to complete the quest line. Upon completion of the quest to kill the Gargoyle (using Blood of Innocents to spawn), you will be able to interact with the vendor.
In addition to a transmute, you can purchase the recipe for Major Mana potions (2 icecap, 3 dreamfoil, crystal vial).
***Author's Note*** This FAQ is a work in progress and will continue to be updated on a regular basis, based on your questions and comments.