In The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, crafting powerful potions is a central part of gameplay for players who choose to specialize in alchemy. Whether you’re seeking to create poisons that cripple enemies or brews that grant powerful buffs, increasing your alchemy skill is key. One of the most effective ways to enhance potion strength is through gear enchanted with Fortify Alchemy. Items with this enchantment significantly boost your alchemy results, and understanding how to acquire and utilize them can make a noticeable difference in your character’s overall strength and progression.
Understanding Fortify Alchemy in Skyrim
What Is Fortify Alchemy?
Fortify Alchemy is an enchantment that increases the strength of potions created by the wearer. The effect is a percentage boost applied to potion potency, making it a valuable tool for players focused on crafting. It can be found on specific apparel and can also be applied using enchanting if the player has the necessary skills and knowledge.
Importance for Alchemists
Using Fortify Alchemy gear allows players to create more effective potions. This is especially useful when creating potions that further boost other skills like Smithing or Enchanting, leading to powerful gear upgrades. The effect can be stacked across four equipment slots, multiplying the benefit significantly.
Types of Items with Fortify Alchemy
Enchanted Apparel Categories
There are four specific equipment slots where Fortify Alchemy can be applied or found:
- Headgear (circlets, hoods, helmets)
- Gauntlets or gloves
- Necklaces
- Rings
Wearing one item from each category simultaneously allows for a full set of Fortify Alchemy gear, which stacks to significantly enhance potion crafting effectiveness.
Pre-Enchanted Fortify Alchemy Gear
While it’s possible to craft your own set of Fortify Alchemy gear, there are also a few pre-enchanted items you can find or buy in the game:
- Alchemist’s Circlet Occasionally available from Radiant Raiment in Solitude.
- Enchanted Rings and Necklaces Randomly found in loot or sold by merchants.
- Fine Armguards or Gloves Found occasionally on NPCs or as random loot.
These items can be useful early in the game or when players lack the Enchanting skills to make their own gear.
Creating Your Own Fortify Alchemy Gear
Learning the Enchantment
To create custom Fortify Alchemy items, players must first disenchant a piece of gear with the effect. This teaches the enchantment, allowing it to be used at any Arcane Enchanter. Disenchanting a pre-enchanted item will destroy it, so make sure it’s not something you want to keep or wear.
Choosing the Right Gear
Once the enchantment is learned, you can apply it to compatible items. For maximum effectiveness, choose gear with no existing enchantments and high base value or quality. Items crafted with higher-level smithing materials (such as Elven or Glass) generally have better enchantment capacity.
Using Grand Soul Gems
When enchanting Fortify Alchemy gear, using a Grand Soul Gem filled with a powerful soul (such as a Grand Soul or a Black Soul) will result in the strongest possible effect. Pairing this with a high Enchanting skill and perks like Enchanter or Insightful Enchanter will further increase the bonus.
Improving with Fortify Enchanting Potions
To push your Fortify Alchemy gear even further, drink a Fortify Enchanting potion before applying the enchantment. This increases the power of the enchantment being placed, and it’s possible to loop these effects with careful potion crafting and gear swapping, leading to extremely powerful items.
Advanced Strategy: The Alchemy-Enchanting Loop
How the Loop Works
The loop strategy involves using Fortify Alchemy and Fortify Enchanting potions and gear to boost each other repeatedly. Here’s how it typically works:
- Create a set of Fortify Alchemy gear using Fortify Enchanting potions.
- Equip the Fortify Alchemy gear and craft stronger Fortify Enchanting potions.
- Use those stronger potions to make even better Fortify Alchemy gear.
- Repeat the cycle a few times for exponential growth in potion and gear strength.
This loop is often used by experienced players who want to maximize their potion crafting potential, allowing for the creation of nearly game-breaking potions and armor enhancements.
Best Gear Combinations for Alchemy
Optimized Equipment Loadout
To achieve the best results from Fortify Alchemy, equip one of each item type with the enchantment. A typical max-effect loadout includes:
- Dragonplate Helmet with Fortify Alchemy
- Daedric Gauntlets with Fortify Alchemy
- Gold Diamond Necklace with Fortify Alchemy
- Gold Diamond Ring with Fortify Alchemy
The material type of the armor or jewelry affects the base enchantment capacity, so high-quality items like Daedric or Dragonbone are preferred for best results.
Where to Find Fortify Alchemy Gear
Merchants and Loot
Fortify Alchemy items can occasionally be found at merchants like Radiant Raiment in Solitude or the various court wizards across Skyrim. You can also find them in chests, dungeons, and on the bodies of enemies. However, the best way to ensure you get a strong set is to enchant your own gear.
Treasure Hunting and Enchanting
Clearing dungeons, completing quests, and exploring ruins is a reliable way to stumble across enchanted gear. You may find useful Fortify Alchemy items purely through exploration if you prefer not to craft your own.
Useful Potions Enhanced by Fortify Alchemy
High-Value and Combat Potions
Wearing Fortify Alchemy gear allows for stronger and more valuable potions. Here are a few examples of potions that greatly benefit:
- Fortify Smithing Boosts weapon and armor improvements.
- Fortify Enchanting Improves the power of your enchantments.
- Fortify Carry Weight Increases your capacity for loot runs.
- Fortify Restoration Often used in exploits to boost magic effects.
- Resist Potions Such as Resist Fire, Frost, or Magic, for elemental defense.
These potions can significantly improve performance in both combat and crafting scenarios when enhanced by high-tier Fortify Alchemy gear.
Items with Fortify Alchemy enchantments are essential for any player looking to master potion crafting in Skyrim. By obtaining or crafting gear for the four key equipment slots, using strong soul gems, and leveraging Fortify Enchanting potions, you can drastically increase the potency of your creations. Whether you’re optimizing your build for combat, crafting, or economy, Fortify Alchemy gear provides the foundation for high-level alchemical gameplay. With proper strategy, the alchemy-enchanting loop opens the door to one of the most powerful character builds in the game.