With potions, the possibilities are endless.
Potions are beverages imbued with both magic and the virtues of natural substances. Potions differ from draughts as magic is required to brew these concoctions, while draughts can be mixed using mundane means. When consumed, they are intended to provide some benefit to the imbiber. Because many potion ingredients are inherently unstable, though, and because the arts of preservation in the Old World are rather medieval, potions frequently go bad, sometimes with disastrous results. And because the natural state of most potions is to smell dubious, it's impossible to tell whether a given potion has gone bad before you drink it.[4a]
Many wizards experiment with making new potions. Some of their experiments are kept secret, whilst others are offered for publication for the use of other wizards. This publication of recipes for potions is a way for junior wizards to gain respect amongst their colleagues. It can also be a way for them to achieve public ridicule if they have made a mistake - for example, if their potion does not work or if it has some effect other than the intended one.
Types of Potions[]
A[]
- Potion of Answering: Anyone drinking this potion must tell the truth in reply to all questions asked of them until the potion wears off.[2a]
- Potion of Attention: This potion increases the imbiber's intelligence for the purpose of observation, reaction, and searching while the potion lasts. It makes the imbiber alert and attentive to every detail of what is going on.[2a][4a]
- Potion of Agility: This potion blessed by the Elven God Loec allows the drinker to boost their agility while under it's effects.[7]
B[]
- Potion of Battle: The melee fighting of the imbiber of this potion briefly increases.[6]
- Potion of Beauty: The imbiber of this potion becomes noticeably more attractive while its effects last. This is an effective disguise, as they cannot be recognised while beautiful.[2a]
- Potion of Bravery: The imbiber's bravery is increased for the duration of the potion's effects.[2a]
C[]
- Potion of Chaos: This potion causes the imbiber to become covered in temporary Chaos mutations. These are real, not illusory, but will vanish once the potion wears off. (The psychological effects, however, are permanent - the imbiber goes somewhat insane from this harrowing ordeal.) Witch-hunters consider possession of this potion to be proof of Chaos-worship.[2b]
- Potion of Charm: Anyone drinking this potion will temporarily be much more charming, eliciting a more positive reaction from others.[2b]
- Potion of Charisma: This potion works much like the Potion of Charm, except that it causes the imbiber to become charismatic and attractive to people. Anyone seeing the imbiber will be fascinated by them. The victim will do their best to monopolize the attention of the imbiber.[2b]
- Potion of Cleverness: This potion temporarily increases the imbiber's intelligence.[2b]
- Potion of Concealment: This potion enables the imbiber to remain hidden from sight, though not invisible.[2b]
- Potion of Cowardice: This potion makes the imbiber frightened of anything and everything as long as the potion's effects last.[2b]
D[]
- Potion of Dancing: The imbiber of this portion begins to dance as soon as it is drunk and continues to dance until the effects wear off or they collapse with exhaustion. During this time they can do nothing except dance - they may not fight, cast spells, or conduct a conversation other than with a dancing partner. It does not matter whether or not the imbiber knows how to dance. If they know how, they will dance an appropriate dance. If not, the potion will not make them graceful or teach them the steps; they will merely jig vigorously from foot to foot.[2b]
- Potion of Disguise: The imbiber will appear to turn into the first thing the imbiber concentrates on. Drinkers who are unaware of the true nature of the potion will assume the illusionary shape of the first thing they mention.[1a]
- Potion of Dissent: Anyone drinking this potion will become subject to animosity towards whoever or whatever they first see after they drink it. They are also other recipes which cause animosity against a specific race or species.[2b]
- Potion of Drunkenness: Whoever drinks this potion will immediately become astoundingly drunk for 10-60 minutes, then falls into an insensible stupor and not wake up for three to eighteen hours. When they do, they will have a fierce hangover and be nauseous for one to six hours.[2b]
- Potion of Dullness: This potion make the drinker stupider until its effects have worn off.[2c]
E[]
- Potion of Eagle-Eyes: Drinking this potion allows the imbiber to see with great clarity. The imbiber can see fine details up to three miles away, assuming they have clear visibility and a line of sight.[2c]
- Potion of Empathy: The imbiber of this potion will be able to accurately sense the emotions of anyone of their own species with whom they can make and hold eye-contact.[2c]
- Potion of Endless Bombs: Made by the Chaos Dwarf through the power of their patron Hashut, this potion somehow temporaly provides the drinker with a limitless amount of explosives.[7]
F[]
- Potion of Fire-Breathing: The imbiber of this potion is able to breathe fire like a dragon, once only. The breath is cone-shaped, 24 yards long, and 8 yards wide at its widest point.[2c]
- Potion of Fire-Walking: This potion causes the imbiber to become immune to the effects of normal fires. They may walk through the fire, pick up burning objects, and even stand still in the heart of a blaze without being harmed at all. Their clothes and possessions, however, will take damage or be destroyed as usual. The potion does not protect against magical fire.[2c]
- Potion of Flight: The imbiber is able to fly. However, if they do not have the Flight spell themselves, they may have no control over where they go.[1a]
- Potion of Floating: The imbiber is able to float. The individual rises from the ground and floats gently about ten feet above ground level. It is possible for the imbiber to move along at half normal speed (or a third if moving against a strong wind). It is not possible to move up or down. When the potion wears off, the individual will drift gently to the ground.[2c]
- Potion of Friendliness: The imbiber's friendliness is doubled for the duration of the potion.[2c]
- Potion of Fortitude: Drinking this potion gives the imbiber increases in willpower.[2c]
- Potion of Frustration: This potion has the opposite effect of the Potion of Attention. It causes the imbiber to become easily frustrated and lowers their attention span.[2c]
G[]
- Potion of Glowing: The imbiber of this potion will begin to glow gently, giving as much light as that cast by a lantern. The effects of this potion last for an hour. During this time, the light the individual's body emits cannot be extinguished, although it can be covered by a cloak, blanket, or similar.[2c][2d]
- Potion of Growth: This potion causes the imbiber to grow to twice their normal size. The increase takes one to three minutes and is extremely painful although not actually damage-causing. Strength is increased. Any clothes, weapons, and anything inanimate that is being carried will not grow with the bearer. When the potion wears off, the individual returns to their normal size over one to six minutes.[2d]
H[]
- Potion of Happiness: The imbiber will become immediately cheerful and co-operative. The imbiber might end up agreeing with anything suggested to him. This potion is good for rendering kidnap victims docile or getting people to agree to stupid ideas.[2d]
- Potion of Healing: This potion restores some health to the drinker instantly. In addition, this portion nullifies the effects of all other potions, poisons, and magically-induced injuries or states, including characteristic reductions from magical weapons. Unlike other potions, this one has no duration; the imbiber retains the benefits of the potion until injured again.[1a][6]
- Potion of Hearing: This potion gives the imbiber acute hearing until it wears off.[2d]
I[]
- Potion of Immunity: This potion gives the drinker immunity to disease and poison for three to eighteen hours.[2d]
- Potion of Invisibility: This potion turns the drinker invisible. Such people cannot be detected by normal means and, if they remain silent and stationary, opponents have difficulty hitting them. A person who is invisible may not cast spells or use magical items with spell-like effects; doing so ends the potion effect immediately.[1a]
- Potion of Invulnerability: The imbiber of this potion becomes invulnerable to all non-magical weapons while the potion's effects last. Any damage rolled is ignored - weapons just bounce off, bones fail to break, the skin is not scratched, and so on.[2d]
K[]
- Draught of Keensight: The sight of this potion's imbiber is temporarily improved, making it much easier to hit an enemy with a ranged weapon.[6]
L[]
- Potion of Leadership: While the effects last, the imbiber of this potion becomes a great strategic and charismatic leader, gaining all the skills of a Mercenary Captain. This potion makes the imbiber appear to be a legendary hero like Sigmar or Magnus the Pious. Unfortunately, it wears off rapidly - the effects last only three to eighteen minutes.[2d]
- Potion of Lesser Healing: Anyone drinking this potion will immediately regain some of their lost health, up to their current maximum. If someone who is healthy drinks it, it will have no effect.[2d]
- Potion of Life: This potion makes the imbiber immune to all physical and special damage from Undead creatures. However, spells cast by Undead will take effect as normal.[2d]
- Potion of Lifeshare: Drinking this gristley potion invokes the powers of the Ogres' shamanic butchers, allowing ones’ companions to feast on the bloodshed caused by ones’ blows, mending their wounds.[7]
- Potion of Lifesteal: This potion, brewed from unspeakable ingredients, bestows a dark enchantment on the drinker, restoring health for every foe they kill.[7]
- Draught of Lightning Blades: This potion has a threefold effect on the imbiber. First, it increases their skill at wielding close combat weapons. Second, it increases their strength. Third, it allows them to fight with greater speed and agility.[6]
- Potion of Loathsomeness: The imbiber of this potion becomes hideously ugly and repellent. This can be used as a disguise, making the drinker unrecognisable.[2d][2e]
- Potion of Luck: Anyone drinking this potion gains luck until sunset or sunrise, whichever comes next.[2e]
- Potion of Loyalty: Anyone drinking this potion will become loyal to any person talking to them as they drink it.[2e]
M[]
- Potion of Melting: This potion causes the imbiber to melt and become a shapless blob of protoplasm, which oozes from the pile of clothes that the person was wearing upon drinking the potion. When in melted form, the imbiber can move along the floor slowly and may go underneath doors and reform on the other side. While in this form, the imbiber can take no more than the smallest damage from any single hit, but may not cast spells, strike any blows, or do any damage until reforming after the potion's effects wear off. The bizarreness of this experience causes the imbiber to lose some sanity; while anyone who sees the transformation also go somewhat insane.[2e]
N[]
- Potion of Noise: This potion makes the imbiber extremely noisy - footsteps crash, all words sound as if they have been shouted, and any noises made are amplified.[2e]
O[]
- Potion of Owl-Eyes: Whoever drinks this potion can see in the dark while the effects last.[2e]
P[]
- Potion of Poison Aegis:This draught maked the imbiber immune to all poisons for a time.[7]
- Potency Draught: A weak user of magic has their power increased by a small amount for a short time when drinking this draught.
- Draught of Power: A weak user of magic has their power increased by a small amount for a short time when drinking this draught.
- Potion of Prophetic Strike: This potion is prepared using dew collected from the headstones of saints and mistakes, and grants the drinker a split-second of foresight - enough to land a single, dolorous blow.[7]
Q[]
- Potion of Quickness: This potion is fairly self-explanatory: it temporarily increases the imbiber's speed. [6]
S[]
- Potion of Shape-Changing: This potion allows the imbiber to change into the shape of any one non-fantastic, non-giant creature. The shape is determined by the person making the potion at the time when it is made. While the potion lasts, the imbiber gains all the characteristics scores of the animal (except intelligence, which is unchanged), together with any non-magical special abilities the creature may have (a venomous bite or the ability to fly, for example). While in animal form, the imbiber cannot cast spells or perform any other actions of which the animal is not capable.[2e]
- Potion of Shrinking: Anyone drinking this potion shrinks to a quarter of their normal size, which takes one to three minutes and is very painful. Strength is reduced until the imbiber grows again.[2e]
- Potion of Skill: The imbiber has temporarily increased construction ability and dexterity.[2e]
- Potion of Spell-Casting: This potion allows the imbiber to cast one specific spell, which must have been known to the person who made the potion and was cast into it as it was prepared. The spell can be cast once only before the potion wears off. The imbiber does not need to be able to use magic normally or to have studied the spell.[2e][2f]
- Potion of Spider Arms: The imbiber's arms grow to three times their normal length, become hairy, and develop extra joints like a spider. This increases the person's reach to three times as far as normal. Enemies may be attacked at a distance and over the heads of other party members.[2f]
- Potion of Spider-Walking: While the potion lasts, the imbiber can walk up walls and across ceilings like a spider. The imbiber must use all four hands and feet to walk and my not carry anything in either hand. If the potion has been badly brewed, the drinker may find that they have to remove their boots as well.[2f]
- Potion of Spite: Imbiber becomes subject to hatred, either of the first thing seen after drinking the potion or of whatever is represented by the extra ingredient, depending on the version of the potion.[2f]
- Potion of Stealth: This potion is used by the followers of Drakira, the Queen of Vengeace. It makes the drinker entirely invisible, allowing them to attack a tender spots of their foe.[7]
- Potion of Stone: This potion turns its imbiber to stone - they may not move or do anything while the effects last. Their toughness increases for the potion's duration and they become immune to most spells.[2f]
- Potion of Stone-Walking: Upon drinking this potion, the imbiber turns into moving stone, becoming as solid as a rock but able to continue to move, fight, and cast spells as appropriate. Strength, weight, and toughness are all increased.[2f]
- Potion of Strength: This potion increases the drinker's strength.[1a][5a][6]
T[]
- Potion of Terror: The imbiber becomes subject to terror of the first thing seen.[2f]
- Potion of Tongues: This potion enables the drinker to understand and use any language or other form of sound-based communication during its period of effect.[1a]
- Potion of Toughness: This potion increases the drinker's toughness until the potion wears off.[2f][6]
W[]
- Potion of Water-Breath: For the duration of the potion's effects, the imbiber becomes capable of breathing water, is able to swim at their normal movement rate, and may speak, fight, and cast spells while underwater. The imbiber may also breathe air, if desired. The effects last for twelve hours.[2f]
- Potion Of Water Walking: Anyone drinking this potion may walk on water as if it were solid ground during the potion's period of effect.[1a]
- Draught of Weapon Mastery: The imbiber of this draught experiences greatly increased strength and preternatural skill at wielding a melee weapon.[6]
- Potion of Wrath: A stiff drink of this Verenan potion fills the imbiber with a thirst for justice, empowering their blows until the effect fades away[7]
Unique Potions[]
- Boar's Musk
- Channelpath Potion
- Debauch's Friend
- Draught of Lizard Limbs
- Draught of Power
- Esmerelda's Calming Nectar
- Essence of Chaos
- Feyeyes
- Greta's Boon
- Kiss of the Courtier
- Liquid Courage
- Mamma Melchin's Cure for What Ails Ya
- Moot Milk
- Nectar of Beauty
- Potency Draught
- Potion of Comeliness
- Potion of Pain Denied
- Potion of Teeth
- Potion Sacre
Source[]
- 1: Warhammer Fantasy RPG 1st ED -- Core Rulebook
- 1a: pg. 186
- 2: Warhammer Fantasy RPG 1st ED -- Realms of Sorcery
- 3: Warhammer Fantasy RPG 2nd ED -- Old World Armoury
- 4: Warhammer Fantasy RPG 2nd ED -- Realms of Sorcery
- 4a: pg. 200
- 5: Warhammer Armies: Dark Elves (8th Edition)
- 5a: pg. 100
- 6: Warhammer Quest (Video Game)
- 7 Pilgrim's Guide - Part Six: Potions Galore (Archive)