Miteeka's Apothecary Guide ... everything you need to know.
This is a post I made for my guild (Black Dog). Miteeka is my Destruction main on Ulthuan. It thought I'd share it here. I don't claim to know all, and I know there's other guides out there. This is just to help add to the cumulative information.

Zinderin

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Ok, I've reached 174 in Apothecary with Miteeka. I think I'm far enough along now to cut through all the crap and all the nuances that don't matter ... which allows me to make this more concise.

With Apothecary you can make Potions, Dyes, Rooting "bomb", and items for Talisman making.

Potions

At first, there seems to be an endless number of potions. I personally was a little awed and overwhelmed when I decided this was the craft I wanted to master. So I did what I always do, I turned to the computer and created a database, started tracking what was happening, and then used that information to get a handle on it.

Once I did get a handle of the information, it became clear there really are only 16 potion types in this game.

Armor Buff
Ballistic Buff
Corporeal Resist
Damage over Time
Damage Shield
Elemental Resist
Energy Restoration
Fiery Breath
Healing
Intelligence Buff
Restoration
Retaliation (Thorns)
Spirit Resist
Strength Buff
Toughness Buff
Willpower Buff

Once you have the type of potion, Mythic then starts mixing it up with different levels, effect, and duration ... too keep them unique and identifiable they vary the names.

Level 5 Potions of Pith...
Potent Fleeting Potion of Pith - +20 Str for 5m
Potent Brief Potion of Pith - +20 Str for 10m
Potent Potion of Pith - +20 for 15m
Potent Enduring Potion of Pith - +20 Str for 30m

Level 10 Potions of Pith...
Fleeting Potion of Pith - +20 Str for 5m
Brief Potion of Pith - +20 Str for 10m
Potion of Pith - +20 Str for 15m
Enduring Potion of Pith - +20 Str for 30m
Lasting Potion of Pith - +20 Str for 60m

If you look at these, you start to see a pattern that holds true through the entire naming scheme regardless of the potion type/category:

Fleeting = 5m duration
Brief = 10m duration
Enduring = 30m duration
Lasting = 60m duration

The other naming scheme to recognize is, "Potent" means its the lower level. Above, all the "potent" potions are for level 5, while others (without potent) are for level 10. This also holds true all the way through. At level 30, they are potions of "Strength" instead of "Pith", and they are for level 30. However, the "Potent" versions of the Potions of Strength are for level 20.

Brewing a Potion:

As a dozen guides have explained, to brew a potion you need 3 things;

A container
A Main Ingredient
A Stabilizer

Containers:

You get containers from merchants, from scavenging, as drops, and from PQs.

Containers are different levels (you must have a matching or higher Apothecary skill to use them), and there are differing rarities.

My experience is, Containers function as "throttles" to your Apothecary. That is, the better the container the better your chance to have a "critical success" in during your brewing. Its a modifier (think of as a crit buff). Again, I can't stress enough that it doesn't guarantee anything, it just makes it more likely. A critical success simply means you make a better potion that your "normal" skill range dictates. A less successful brew (a parry or block) means you get a less powerful potion than your skill dictates.

Note: In case you're looking or wondering, there is no place that I have found that tells you what your success or failure was, other than the resulting potion. Once you know and understand the nuances between the potion, you just know from the results about how you did.

The Main Ingredient:

The main ingredients for Apothecary come from all the gathering skills. My personal preference is cultivation as the matching gathering skill for Apothecary.

I don't have have detailed tracking data for this, but it should be noted that Cultivation yields a large number of restoration and resistance ingredients, while scavenging yields a lot of health (leeches) and damage shield ingredients, butchering offers its own. While salvaging does offer some now and then, that is mostly a Talisman gathering skill.

When you receive a main ingredient, you can look at it and see what type of potion is will make. It tells you straight up in the tool tip. For example, if it says its for Corporeal Potions ... that main ingredient makes potions that buff your Corporeal Resistance.

Main ingredients also have levels. The higher your Apothecary level to the main ingredient, the less number of stabilizers you will typically need. I say typically because some ingredients are much more unstable than others, even within their level range. For example, even at level 174, there are still some level 125 ingredients I just can't stabilize unless I use three stabilizers that are 125 or 150.

Stabilizers:

Where most people start having problems with Apothecary is right here. They don't understand this aspect of the process.

Every potion needs at least one stabilizer (I've not found a single ingredient yet that did not need at least one). Most potions will require 2 stabilizers, and when you're first starting out, you will find you often need to use 3.

Advancing in your Apothecary skill does not negate the need for three stabilizers with some ingredients. Some ingredients are just highly unstable, and you're going to have to have hellacious stabilizers to get them stable enough to successfully brew the potion. I even have ingredients in my vault right now that I simply can't stabilize at my level (and some of them are 50 levels lower than I am).

The most basic stabilizer is water. The level 1 water you can buy off the merchant is almost always sufficient for standard brewing, and main ingredients.

There are also other stabilizers you will find through gathering skills that have a higher level, and rarity. The level and rarity of stabilizer (from my experience) simply relates to how effective they are as a stabilizer. For example, a common level 50 stabilizer is not as effective as a an uncommon level 75.

Modifiers:

You've all seen the ingredients that say "increases the number of potions made", or "increases the duration of the effect". These are what I call "modifiers".

First of all, you can't even use a modifier unless you can brew the potion with less than three stabilizers, as this is where the modifier goes.

Here's my experience with the modifiers ... don't even bother with the "increase number" modifier until you are at least level 50. Your return on investment is simply not there. In fact at level 50 and below, its almost like the system ignores that possibility.

With the increase duration modifiers, you will see a little more success under level 50, but again, I don't think its worth the cost.

The increase duration modifier:

If you read the top portion of this guide where I laid out how they structure the potions, you've probably already deduced that the "increase duration" modifier simply "upgrades" the end potion, when successful. You can even cross the threshold into the next level of potion groups (e.g. were you normally would produce a level 5, you might produce a level 10).

The level of the modifier to your Apothecary skill level AND the level of the main ingredient has a direct correlation to your relative chance of success. You are not going to add level one modifier to a level 150 main ingredient when you are level 175 and have much success (if any). But add a level 50 modifer to a level 75 main ingredient when you're 125 Apothecary and you're going to see a lot of success.

The increase count modifier:

I believe (from my experience) this modifier is really nothing more than a random roll during the brewing process to see if you get more than one potion from the brew.

Again, as with the "increase duration" modifier, your success is modified by your skill level, your main ingredient level and your modifier's level. The numbers are being published by Mythic (and they shouldn't) so this is purely speculation derived from my experience and observations.

Getting started with Apothecary:

Go grab the Apothecary skill, the trainers are always in the second or third camp you work from withing your realm (if you're level 8 and haven't found em, you missed em). I personally run down immediately after I'm done with the quests in the first camp, and find the skill trainers, then go back.

Once you have the apothecary skill, go to the merchant. Look for the "Used Viles" he/she sells. Buy 20 of em. Then look for the "Musty Elvish Parsley" he sells. Buy 20 of them. Then look for the cloudy water he sells, and buy 30 of those.

Open your Apothecary screen (you will find the ability in your abilities/skills menu, on the last tab). I recommend you move the Apothecary icon to one of the action bar slots so you can open it quickly.

With your Apothecary screen open, drag the icon for the container stack to the top left empty box on the apothecary screen.

Now drag the icon for the musty elvish parsley your bought into the empty box right below it.

If you look at the "stabilizer meter" on the upper right of the Apothecary screen, you will see it is at the bottom. Now we need to add the stabilizers (water) ... and as you do this, you will see that meter move up to the top (meaning its stable).

To do this, if you bought 30 cloudy water, you have two stacks ... one stack with 20, one stack with 10. Drag the icon for the stack of 20 to the bottom left empty box. Now drag the same stack icon to the middle bottom box. What you've just done is tell the system to pull its stabilizers for those two slots, from that one stack. Now drag the icon for the stack of 10 cloudy water to the last empty slot on the bottom.

You should now see that the potion will be stable, and there should be a note on the screen that says, "This brew will definitely succeed."

Click brew ... you will receive a potion. You will also see that you have used one container, one musty elvish parsley, and three of your waters.

You will also see that a new button is available called "Repeat" ... click it. And keep going till you run out of water.

Done? Your apothecary skill should now be 10 ... and you should have at least a stack of restoration potions.

I let you run out of water here for two reasons. A) You probably don't need three stabilizers now (you can get away with two) ... and because I wanted you to see what happens when you run out of an ingredient/stabilizer/modifier.

So to continue, buy another 30 water and repeat the above steps.

One thing to note is, you will probably have had a critical success during your brewing process, most certainly you should have gotten one or two by the time you've used all 20 parsley. How do you know? Well, you'll have one or more restoration potions that restore just a little more health than the rest.

Dyes:

Yeah, I know a lot of you are into Apothecary to be able to make dyes. So let's discuss them.

Just like with potions you need three things to make a dye ...

A mortar and pestles
A pigment
A fixer

The Pigment:

Here we need to talk about the pigment first. Pigments are the result of a "critical success" during the gathering process. Every gathering process, except salvaging, has yielded me a pigment. Still, don't think you're going to find pigments all the time. With a level 25 Witch, and 5 other alts in the level ranges of 10-20, I've received less than a dozen pigments. And most of them from my cultivation (which is my highest gathering skill at 167).

Pigments are what they are. You cannot modify them, you cannot change the color they yield, you just take your reward for your critical success, and make your dye.

Mortar and Pestles:

The mortar and pestles are simply a container. To date, there appear to be only one available in the game, sold at the same merchants where you buy your other Apothecary components.

Oddly, the mortar and pestles are not available in the Inevitable City. I have checked every available merchant, including the crafting merchant in the guild hall, and they are not to be found anywhere. This is annoying, and I believe an over-sight (I mean how can a remote merchant in a camp in the woods have these, but the capitol doesn't?) Still, just be aware of it, and take them with you if you plan on making dyes in the Inevitable City.

The Fixer:

I have actually found fixers of varying levels. I even have one fixer than is level 50 and uncommon. I am sorry to say I can't tell you what the level difference accomplishes, or if the rarity has any impact. I have used them to make several dyes, and didn't not get more than one dye, and did not change the color. If anyone finds the difference, please let me know.

Fixers can be purchased off the merchants, including in the Inevitable City.

To make the dye, place the mortar and pestle where you would put the potion container, and put the pigment where you would put the main ingredient for potions. Then place the fixer (you only need one) in the stabilizer slot. Brew, and BAM! You have your dye.

Gold Essences:

All talisman makers need gold essences to make talismans. Now, they can buy the level 1 gold essences from the same merchants you buy your supplies (you just don't see em because its not your skill).

There are gold essences of varying levels and rarity that drop randomly, or are gathered. However, this is a rare drop/gather ... if they want a steady stream of gold essences, they need to turn to you, the guy with the Apothecary skill.

Making a gold essence require FOUR ingredients (not your normal 3).

A container
A goldweed
A quicksilver
A gold dust

Containers:

The container is not the same container you use for potions ... its an orange bamboo looking thing sold by all the same merchants you buy your other supplies from. Unfortunately, again, these are not sold by the merchants in the Inevitable City.

Goldweed:

I have actually received goldweed as a drop, and have scavenged it. But the key source to goldweed are the various "goldweed seeds" and cultivation (another reason I think cultivating is so important for Apothecary).

The goldweed seeds don't drop like all the other seeds do, you never seem to have enough. This is why you see the seeds and the goldweed itself selling for insane prices on the Auctioneers. Usually, people want more for the seeds and the weed, than they do for the actual gold essences.

Quicksilver:

I have only used the quicksilver you buy off the merchants. As I sit here and write this, I cannot recall seeing Quicksilver drop anywhere, and I've never seen anything other than the level 1 quicksilver off the merchants.

I believe this is just one of those, add it to add it components and servers no purpose other than to make you take up a slot in your backpack, or force you to the merchant to craft.

Gold Dust:

Gold dust comes in varying levels and rarity. I have only ever received it through the scavenging gathering skill. And it is a rather common drop. I have stacks of gold dust in my vault, so many in fact I either auction or vendor what I get beyond 20 (a full stack).

To make the gold essence:

Place the container in the standard container slot (you should be comfortable with all this by now).

Place the goldweed in the main ingredient slot.

Place the quicksilver and the gold dust in the stabilizer/modifier slots.

Brew it, and BAM! One gold essence.

Certainly you are asking, so what's the skinning on what makes what here? I don't know enough to tell you. I do know that the goldweed and the gold powder are the two determining factors for the end product. But unlike potions, where I can make a bazillion and track the data, I just have not received enough goldweed to do the same here.

Issues with the Apothecary Window:

The Apothecary Window is not the most elegant interface you're going to use in the game. To be blunt, its clunky, and not very intelligent. So be aware of the following;

A) You cannot add to a stack in your backpack that is in use in the Apothecary Window. THIS CAN COST YOU!

Example. Let's say you've been brewing potions, and your stack of containers is getting low. If you buy more containers, and don't reload the container to the window ... when you click brew, the Apothecary Window will drop (clear) the containers, and things blow up. I've had it lock up my screen, I've had it crash me to desktop, I've had it destroy my main ingredient, I've had it destroy stabilizers and modifiers.

I know what is happening (I was a Senior GM for 13 years) ... you can't put a main ingredient in the window until you've put in a container ... because this is what the system keys off of, for what you're trying to make.

But, when you buy more containers, instead of incrementing the count of that stack in your backpack, it just creates a whole new stack (with a whole new internal ID number for that stack) and replaces the stack in your backpack .... then, when you press BREW, it the system tries to reference the original stack that no longer exists. BAM! BOOM! CRASH! Ok, not always, but be careful.

Yes, I have reported this and explained what I believe is happening several times (starting back in beta) ... it just doesn't seem to have any priority or legs.

This same problem seems to carrying through on the stabilizers and modifiers, albeit with far less consequences.

Volatile Potions:

Everyone is getting weary at this point (including me) ... so let's just leave it at, if you have a critical failure, or you try to brew an unstable potion, you can end up with a "Volatile" version of the potion.

Now, Volatile means exactly that, its dangerous. I've read where people say, "Oh, I use em all the time and never have had anything bad happen." Well, either Mythic fixed this, or these people are not being very observant.

It is true that you can use a volatile potion and most of the time (60-70%) you will get the desired result, and everything is fine. However, these potions are not harmless. They can explode and do damage, they can lower the stat instead of increasing it, they can debuff you instead of buffing you, and they can do what appears to be arbitrary thing ... like a Willpower potion lowering your strength.

I'm not saying don't use them, I'm simply saying don't think they are totally harmless.

Why would you make an unstable potion? Because it helps you level. If you don't care about the main ingredient, and you have the money to burn on containers and stabilizers ... by all means make them, it helps you level, might help you get over that level hump you just can't seem to get past. Just be careful with the results.

Leveling:

Every time you make a potion, it bumps your Apothecary experience. How much experience you need between levels isn't revealed by Mythic (and again, it shouldn't be). But every potion you make adds to your Apothecary experience.

Certainly, when you get to level (say) 150, you're going to have to be making level 150 potions to get your biggest bang to experience ... but even making a level 1 potion gives you some experience (I know this because I've actually leveled past 150 while making a level 1 potion).

If you simply take the stand that the level of the potion directly translates to the experience you get for making it, you are understanding what I'm saying here. Just understand every level of Apothecary skill requires more experience than the last, just like with your characters.

So again, at level 150 ... you may have to make 20 potions using level 150 main ingredients to hit 151 ... or your could make 600 level 5 potions to get to level 151. Your call. But you are always getting experience for making a potion, making a dye, or making a gold essence.

Hope this helps. If you can add to it, or have information I don't ... please share.