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The Reason Oblivion's Alchemy is better than Skyrim's One

    • 113 posts
    March 24, 2016 8:08 AM EDT

    Hey people! I'd like to discuss a thing that has been bugging me ever since I started playing Skyrim. So, when I played Oblivion, I absolutely loved Alchemy. In Skyrim? Not so much... The reason - Alchemy Stations. We have to go back and forth between adventures and settlements continiously to get potions/poisons. And these without fast travel? No comment. Wherein oblivion we had an Alembic, Retort, Calcinator, Mortar & Pestle. We had 3 factors to focus when attempting to get better in alchemy - The skill, Intelligence, Getting new versions of the 4 things according to our skill level - novice/apprentice/journeyman/expert/master to upgrade the portable laboratory when necessary. Also, in oblivion, we didn't always have a 100% chance of getting a ingredient from the wilds. The message "You find nothing of use" was common. I find it fairly balanced. Alchemy's cons in Skyrim are greater than the pros. 

    However, these are all my opinions. So, what are yours'?

    • 649 posts
    March 24, 2016 8:20 AM EDT
    Beside the reasons you just listed Oblivion had much cooler effects you could achieve with Alchemy. As I said in my Alchemy guide for OB, this skill can basicaly replace every school of magic except Conjuration.

    So yes, Oblivion Alchemy was badass.

    While it isn't really immersive to carry the Alemmbic, Retort and Calcinator everywhere and make potions with it, it was certainly easier.

    What I was doing was running around only with Mortar and Pestle, using other tools only at my house or guild. Very immersive that way.
    • 321 posts
    March 24, 2016 8:48 AM EDT

    I was surprised at how many equipment there were to increase the potency of potions in Oblivion. So far I keep hoarding restore health/stamina/magicka and poison ingredients but I do like to know if there's an alchemist's guide for Oblivion.

    Roleplay-wise, Oblivion's Alchemy can turn you into a portable poison-spewing machine.

    • 649 posts
    March 24, 2016 8:55 AM EDT
    Alchemist's guide? What precisely you mean? Where you can find certain ingredients?
    • 321 posts
    March 24, 2016 9:07 AM EDT
    1. Where to find them.
    2. Their effects
    3. Useful potions for early-mid-late game
  • March 24, 2016 1:21 PM EDT
    I personally find the alchemy equipment really tedious and also kinda unrealistic. How and why are you mixing poisons stealthily behind the big bad boss? I like portable alchemy and removing a lot of magical effects on general was a poor decision (although some were dumb and redundant, like Drain Personality), but using food for alchemy was just stupid and I'm glad at the ingredients are a little more mystical in Skyrim. You also couldn't uncover effets by experimenting and I've never noticed an issue with alchemy stations in Skyrim. But being able to mis-harvest? God, that's annoying. And the Fortify Intelligence loop was so tempting to exploit, but the attributes in general were never well implemented in the games so I'm glad they're gone.
    • 113 posts
    March 24, 2016 1:23 PM EDT
    • 113 posts
    March 24, 2016 1:24 PM EDT
    By the way, have you got to master level alchemy yet? If you haven't, I won't spoil the amazing surprises.
    • 113 posts
    March 26, 2016 4:46 AM EDT

    Well, there are ways to get around that. Like carver said, you can always only carry the Mortar & Pestle. And make the potions only at a suitable place(like in front of a table). For the drain personality effect, guess what would happen if you ate something that made you look way much older or made your voice unpleasant to hear. I agree that using food for alchemy was stupid. Mis-harvest? It made us unable to carry the number of ingredients 20x the size of wherever out inventory items are stored.

    • 585 posts
    March 26, 2016 1:11 PM EDT

    I didn't play Oblivion for long enough to try out Alchemy in detail, but it was daunting to even think about it. While Skyrim is definitely dumbed down, Alchemy is arguably the most useful crafting skill, and the stations I thought were a better fit. Where would you carry big glass jars on you?, and wouldn't they break immediately in combat?

    In conclusion, Skyrim Alchemy > Oblivion Alchemy

  • March 26, 2016 3:39 PM EDT