How do I find alchemical properties?

[Grobble]

How do I know what properties a material has and in what order (since it matters)?
The wiki kind of has a list but they're not ordered. If there's no way to find out then alchemy seems impossibly random.

[vatas]

People have had to figure it out through trial and error.

Sevenless shared stuff he has already figured out: viewtopic.php?f=42&t=72037&p=893302#p893302

[Grobble]

This must be above my level then, because even with trial and error it seems like there are too many variable even with just 2 ingredients. You can remove the first or second property with Ablusion or Combustion, but there's no way of knowing what that trait is because there are 3 others on each ingredient mixing around.

[Sevenless]

What properties: Mix and match until you find them all. I suggest using a master list, a set of easy to get ingredients that includes every property you know of. Then you have a mystery list, any ingredients that have unknown properties. Test each new item against the master list, and if any unknowns test against the unknown list. Still unknown, add it to the unknown list. Eventually your unknowns start matching into new properties, and you add the easiest to get material into the master list when this happens.

Order: Only #1 and #2 "matter". Because alchemy as a system doesn't reward complex potions, going deeper into 3 and 4 is just too expensive for effectively the same result. Nearly all the super good traits can be found in the 1-2 slot anyway.

To find #1 > test the item distilled with another item that doesn't share any of the same properties. If that distil contains a property, since both ingredients are unique in their lists you known the #1 slot on one of them. Now you have an ingredient and known that flubroot will always have heal buttbumbles as property #1, and can use that to test anything without heal buttbumbles.

To find #2 > lye + distil your target.

To find #3 > combust + lye + distil your target

To find #4 > process of elimination.


Above all else: Spreadsheet *everything* you do. You will make mistakes at some point, easier to track them down if every experiment is recorded. I also suggest a bot for auto-emptying jars. It's very easy to make lethal potions, and no chance should be taken on accidentally drinking those.

Edit: Mineral calcification and herbal grind make new unique alchemy ingredients, but they are not more or less powerful than natural ones. Don't bother with them, just testing "reasonably available materials" will take you a month and your sanity anyway.

[MagicManICT]

Posted a link to this in the "how to guides" post. Thanks, Sevenless.

[Grobble]

Still kinda confusing but that definitely helps. Thanks Sevenless!

[Sevenless]

Posted a link to this in the "how to guides" post. Thanks, Sevenless.

Hope it helps some people

Still kinda confusing but that definitely helps. Thanks Sevenless!

You're welcome, good luck with it. It is kinda confusing, but that's a jorb system for you.