Alchemy (Oblivion)

Alchemy is a skill used by alchemists to create potions and poisons from ingredients. It is governed by the Intelligence attribute and falls under the magic class specialization.
==Summary==
Alchemy is a process of mixing ingredients, which can be found practically everywhere, to make potions and poisons. The effects of products produced by alchemy are varied in nature and potency, and depend on the ingredients used as well as the skill of the alchemist and the quality of the apparatus used.
==Skill levels==
*Novice (0- 25): recognizes one of four potential alchemical properties of an ingredient.
*Apprentice (25- 49): recognizes two of four potential alchemical properties of an ingredient.
*Journeyman (50- 74): recognizes three of four potential alchemical properties of an ingredient.
*Expert (75- 99): recognizes all four potential alchemical properties of an ingredient.
*Master (100): can make potions from a single ingredient. Only the first effect of the chosen ingredient gets added into the potion.
==Advancing the skill==
There are several ways to level up in alchemy, primarily by creating potions or poisons. Like and unlike , the increase in skill is not dependent on the the value or strength of the potions created. This mechanic lends itself to a strategy of creating many cheap potions. It takes twenty potion creations to raise alchemy one skill level. Since Mercantile also only depends on the count of items sold and not their value, the Hero can efficiently level both by creating large numbers of cheap potions, selling them and repeating. Sampling raw ingredients and successfully combining ingredients raise the alchemy skill. Skill Books can raise the Alchemy skill one time only, when read.
As with any other skill, alchemy training may be purchased.
==Alchemy menu==
The menu for creating potions or poisons in Oblivion is fairly simple. There are four boxes along the top of the menu. These display the Alchemy Apparatuses currently held in the inventory. From right to left: Mortar and Pestle, Retort, Alembic and Calcinator. These tools level from Novice to Master, coherent with the Hero's Alchemy Mastery Level.
There are four slots for adding ingredients from the inventory along the lower left side. Once one has been filled, ingredients with the same effects can only be added to the remaining slots. The Hero needs to be able to see an effect to make a potion with that effect. Potions cannot be made just by looking up effects on the ingredients page.
Finally, the large box on the lower right shows the effects and level of the potion or poison to be created. Potion strength augments with each piece of apparatus used.
==Classes and races==
===Classes===
Classes utilizing the Alchemy skill include:
*Assassin
*Bard
*Battlemage
*Healer
*Mage
*Rogue
*Scout
*Sorcerer
*Witchhunter
===Races===
Races given bonuses in Alchemy:
*Altmer: + 5
*Argonian: + 5
*Bosmer: + 10
*Breton: + 5
==Relevance to other skills==
*Alchemy functions well with Marksman, as strong poisons can be crafted and arrows laced with them.
*Crafted potions and poisons usually sell for less than pre-made potions. Selling them can help generate , and can also help boost the Mercantile skill. With a higher Mercantile, crafted potions can be sold for more.
*Although unaffected by Alteration, potions brewed with Feather can have longer durations and higher magnitudes than the school of magic can provide, even with custom Feather spells.
==Sources==
*Fundamentals of Alchemy
*De Rerum Dirennis
==Bugs==
* Stolen items, which are marked differently to non-stolen items in the inventory, are also viewed as different by the alchemy window. This allows the Hero to make potions using the same ingredient twice, which normally should not be possible. The same is also true of components such as Bonemeal which have multiple form IDs but identical attributes.
==Appearances==
*
*
*
*
* 
de:Alchemie (Oblivion)
es:Alquimia (Oblivion)
fr:Alchimie (Oblivion)
nl:Alchemie/Oblivion
pl:Alchemia (Oblivion)
ru:Алхимия (Oblivion)
Category:Oblivion: Skills
Category:Oblivion: Alchemy