Alchemy Skill

Alchemy
Specialisation	Stealth
Perks	9
Perk Points To Fill	15
Governing Stone	The Thief Stone
Effectiveness At 100	+50%

Alchemy is the craft of brewing potions and poisons in Skyrim, done at an alchemy lab by combining ingredients that share an effect. Each skill level adds half a per cent to potency, reaching fifty per cent more effective at level 100.

Discovering Effects

You start knowing nothing about any ingredient. Effects are learned by eating an ingredient, which reveals its first effect, by reading a recipe, or by successfully brewing with it. Perks let you learn more effects per bite.

Two ingredients that share an effect will combine into a potion carrying it. Ingredients with no shared effect produce nothing and are wasted, which is the usual early-game mistake.

One Third Of The Crafting Loop

Alchemy, Enchanting and Smithing feed each other. Fortify Enchanting potions make stronger enchantments, Fortify Alchemy apparel makes stronger potions, and Fortify Smithing from both pushes gear past what the Smithing perks allow. Alchemy is where that loop starts, because a potion needs no gear to brew.

Notes

Ingredients must share an effect to combine.

Method	What it reveals
Eating an ingredient	Its first effect, more with perks
Reading a recipe	A known combination
Brewing successfully	The effects used

Progression

The eighteen skills split three ways. Full list on Skills.

Specialisation	Stone	This skill
Magic	The Mage Stone	-
Combat	The Warrior Stone	-
Stealth	The Thief Stone	Yes