Alchemy Recipes
Complete list of every alchemy recipe in Crimson Desert, including Palmar Pills, Refined Palmar Pills, all seven elixirs, beverages, Platinum transmutation, and dye recipes. Covers ingredients, effects, durations, crafting stations, and where to find each recipe formula.
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Overview
Alchemy Recipes in Crimson Desert are formulas that guide players in brewing elixirs, potions, beverages, dyes, and other consumables at a Cauldron. These products grant temporary combat buffs, restore Stamina or Spirit, provide revival capability, or allow cosmetic customization of armor. A smaller number of recipes produce crafting materials such as Platinum, which is processed at a Witch station rather than a Cauldron.
The alchemy system unlocks once Kliff completes Chapter 5 and defeats Kearush. After that point, Cauldrons throughout Pywel become usable. The earliest accessible Cauldrons are in Shadow's Whisper Cave (a narrow crack in the cliff north of Hernand, just west of Three Saints Falls) and in a vacant building on the east side of Hernand marked by a mortar-and-pestle sign. Additional Cauldrons are found inside the Witch's house in the Witchwoods and in other settlements later in the story.
New recipes are obtained by purchasing scrolls from vendors (inns are the richest source), discovering formula parchments while exploring, receiving them as quest rewards, or completing Research Institute projects at Pororin. When you pick up a recipe scroll, equip it from your inventory and shine your Lantern on its pages. The formula is then permanently registered in the Knowledge menu and the physical scroll can be sold. See Crafting Manuals for a full index of recipe locations.
Palmar Pills
Palmar Pills are among the most important consumables in the game. They allow Kliff to automatically revive with a portion of his health after falling in combat, effectively acting as an extra life during boss fights and dangerous encounters. Two tiers of Palmar Pill exist: the standard version (30% HP revive) and the Refined version (100% HP revive).
Recipe | Ingredients | Effect | How to Obtain |
|---|---|---|---|
Water x2, any single Medicinal Herb x15 | Revive on death with 30% HP | Formula in Shadow's Whisper Cave, north of Hernand | |
Quality Medicinal Herb x1, Palmar Leaf x1, Palmar Beetle x1, Water x1 | Revive on death with 100% HP | Formula at Ascetic's Rest (Chapter 9) |
Standard Palmar Pill Details
Crafting manual location: Head to Shadow's Whisper Cave, north of Hernand City, just west of Three Saints Falls. Enter through a narrow crack in the cliff face. Inside the witch's alchemy chamber the manual sits on the right side of the room. A Cauldron on the left side of the cave can be used to craft your first batch immediately.
The recipe accepts any single type of herb, mushroom, or plant as the main ingredient; over 20 varieties work, including Rosemary, Peony, Lavender, Begonia, Red Croton, Pine Mushroom, Oakwood Mushroom, Cotton, Ginseng, and many more. The critical rule is that all 15 must be the same type; you cannot mix different herbs in a single craft. Peonies, Lavender, Rosemary, and Begonias are extremely common across Pywel. For bulk farming, visit the Witch's house in the Witchwoods where a massive field of Red Croton grows nearby.
Refined Palmar Pill Details
The Refined Palmar Pill is a superior version that restores Kliff to 100% HP upon revival. The formula becomes available during Chapter 9: The Sage of the Desert. On the Abyss island called Ascetic's Rest, three pre-made Refined Palmar Pills and the crafting formula sit together on a stone ledge.
Crafting the Refined version requires rarer ingredients. Palmar Leaves and Palmar Beetles are found exclusively at Crescent Lake in the Demeniss region, in a grove just north of Pororin Village. Quality Medicinal Herbs can be gathered from high-altitude meadows and select Abyss zones.
Elixirs
Elixirs provide powerful temporary combat buffs when consumed. They are brewed at Cauldrons using Reagents (which determine the elixir's effect), Catalysts (which trigger the alchemical reaction), and an Empty Bottle (purchased from Provisioner NPCs). Elixirs come in two tiers: Lesser Elixirs (shorter duration, cheaper ingredients) and standard Elixirs (longer duration, stronger effects, unlocked through the Pororin Research Institute).
Lesser Elixirs
Lesser Elixirs are the first tier of elixir recipes. Their formulas are found as scrolls throughout Pywel or purchased from vendors. Each requires 2 Lesser Reagents, 1 Lesser Catalyst (Iron Ore, Spider Web, or Cloth Piece), and 1 Empty Bottle.
Elixir | Ingredients | Effect | Duration | How to Obtain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Lesser Spirit Reagent x2, Lesser Catalyst x1, Empty Bottle x1 | No Spirit consumption | 4 seconds | Formula in a house in Hernand | |
Lesser Health Reagent x2, Lesser Catalyst x1, Empty Bottle x1 | Max HP +75, Attack Speed Lv. 1 | 5 minutes | Formula in Glenbright Manor basement (puzzle) | |
Lesser Stamina Reagent x2, Lesser Catalyst x1, Empty Bottle x1 | No Stamina consumption | 4 seconds | Purchased from Back Alley shop in Pailune | |
Lesser Defense Reagent x2, Lesser Catalyst x2, Empty Bottle x1 | Defense +10 | 5 minutes | Reward from The Crimson Nightmare quest |
Haiden's Lesser Elixir is a strong early-game pick because it lets you use Spirit-costing abilities for free during the 4-second window, making it ideal for burst damage phases against bosses. The elixir sells for 38 Copper. Meliara's Lesser Elixir, by contrast, offers a longer-lasting HP and attack speed buff that is more useful for extended encounters. Astrid's Lesser Elixir mirrors Haiden's but affects Stamina instead, letting you dodge and sprint freely for a brief window.
Standard Elixirs (Research Institute)
Standard Elixirs are the upgraded tier. All three are unlocked by completing the Plant Combination Research project at the Pororin Research Institute. This project costs 120 Silver and takes 18 hours of in-game time. It becomes available after finishing the prerequisite Pharmacological Research project (7 Silver, 9 hours), which itself requires you to bring 5 Lavender to the lead researcher. You must also have progressed far enough in the main story to gain access to Pororin by helping the Shai children.
Elixir | Ingredients | Effect | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
Common Attack Reagent x5, Lesser Catalyst x1, Empty Bottle x1 | Attack +7 | 10 minutes | |
Common Health Reagent x3, Lesser Catalyst x2, Empty Bottle x1 | Max HP +150, Attack Speed Lv. 2 | 10 minutes | |
Common Spirit Reagent x3, Lesser Catalyst x2, Empty Bottle x1 | No Spirit consumption | 8 seconds |
These upgraded Elixirs are significantly more powerful than their Lesser counterparts. Freya's Elixir is the only recipe in the game that provides a flat Attack bonus, making it valuable before any major fight. Haiden's Elixir doubles the Spirit-free window from 4 to 8 seconds, and Meliara's Elixir doubles the HP bonus while also increasing the attack speed tier. All three share the 10-minute (or 8-second for Haiden's) duration range, so you can stack them with a Palmar Pill for maximum safety during difficult boss encounters.
Beverages
Beverages are a category of alchemy recipes brewed at Cauldrons that primarily restore Stamina and grant Ice Resistance buffs. Unlike elixirs, beverages do not require Reagents, Catalysts, or Empty Bottles. Their ingredients are simple food items and water, making them cheap to mass-produce.
Beverage | Ingredients | Effect | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Vegetable x1, Water x2 | Stamina +32 | Instant | Simplest beverage; vegetables are cheap from merchants | |
Stamina +64, Ice Res Lv. 2 | 30 seconds | Recipe found in a house in Hernand | ||
Stamina +96, Ice Res Lv. 2 | 30 seconds | Good mid-tier option; herbs are everywhere | ||
Stamina +128, Ice Res Lv. 2 | 30 seconds | Recipe in the Witch's house; required to unlock Scholastone Research Institute | ||
Oakwood Mushroom x2, Water x2 | Stamina +160, Ice Res Lv. 5 | 10 minutes | Best stamina beverage; mushrooms found near tree bases in forests |
Oakwood Mushroom Tea is by far the strongest beverage thanks to its 10-minute duration and Lv. 5 Ice Resistance. It is particularly useful during cold-weather exploration and fights against ice-type enemies. Honey Tea is notable because brewing it is a prerequisite to unlocking the Scholastone Research Institute, so it is worth crafting at least once as soon as you have the recipe.
Platinum Transmutation
Platinum is a high-tier crafting material produced through alchemy, but unlike other recipes it is not brewed at a Cauldron. Instead, Platinum is crafted at a Witch station. The recipe formula is found in Scholastone; go through the large central door, past the reputation vendor on your left, up the stairs, and loop back to find the scroll on a shelf.
Recipe | Ingredients | Effect | |
|---|---|---|---|
Gold Bar x1, Brimstone x4, Mercury x3, Holy Water x2 | High-tier crafting/profit material | Witch |
Platinum is used in several advanced crafting recipes for weapons and armor, and it can also be sold for a significant profit. Gold Bars can be found through mining or purchased from vendors; Brimstone and Mercury are gathered from volcanic and mountainous regions; Holy Water is obtained from certain quest rewards and specialty merchants.
Dye Recipes
Dye recipes allow you to change the color of armor and equipment cosmetically. Dyes are crafted at Cauldrons using combinations of flowers and insects. Once a dye is crafted, use it from your inventory to permanently learn that color. Dye recipes are found as scrolls throughout Pywel, and you can also select the Improvise option at any Cauldron to experiment with ingredient combinations and discover new dyes without a recipe.
Red Dye Family
Dye | Ingredients | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Peony x10, Rhinoceros Beetle x3, Longhorn Beetle x1, Stag Beetle x1 | Base red shade | |
Peony x10, Rhinoceros Beetle x3, Longhorn Beetle x2, Stag Beetle x1 | Warmer red with added Longhorn Beetle | |
Peony x10, Rhinoceros Beetle x3, Longhorn Beetle x3 | Vivid red; no Stag Beetle needed | |
Pink Medicinal Herb x10, Rhinoceros Beetle x3, Longhorn Beetle x1, Stag Beetle x2 | Can also be recreated by Oliver the Dyer | |
Peony x10, Rhinoceros Beetle x3, Stag Beetle x3 | Darkest red shade; no Longhorn Beetle needed |
Yellow Dye Family
Dye | Ingredients | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Yellow Medicinal Herb x10, Longhorn Beetle x1, Stag Beetle x1 | Base yellow shade | |
Dunbaria x10, Beetle x3, Longhorn Beetle x3 | Vivid yellow | |
Dunbaria x10, Beetle x3, Longhorn Beetle x1, Stag Beetle x2 | Muted gold tone |
Green Dye Family
Dye | Ingredients | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Yellow Medicinal Herb x5, Beetle x5, Longhorn Beetle x3 | Vibrant green |
Purple Dye Family
Dye | Ingredients | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Lavender x15, Blue Lavender x5, Longhorn Beetle x2, Stag Beetle x1 | Requires both Lavender varieties |
The ratio and type of beetles used (Beetle, Longhorn Beetle, Stag Beetle, Rhinoceros Beetle) determine the shade within each colour family. Red dyes use Peonies or Pink Medicinal Herbs as their base flower, yellow dyes use Dunbaria or Yellow Medicinal Herbs, and purple dyes combine regular and Blue Lavender. Experimenting with the Improvise option at a Cauldron can reveal additional undiscovered combinations.
Reagents, Catalysts, and Containers
Every elixir recipe follows the same structure: Reagents (which determine the elixir's effect), Catalysts (which trigger the alchemical reaction), and a Container (Empty Bottle). Alchemy materials come in two tiers: Lesser and Common. Lesser reagents produce weaker brews, while Common reagents open up the stronger, longer-lasting elixir recipes from the Pororin Research Institute.
Reagent Categories
Reagents are plants, fungi, and insects gathered throughout Pywel. Each reagent has an inherent type (Spirit, Health, Stamina, Defense, or Attack) that determines which elixir it can be used in:
Reagent Type | Effect Category | Example Sources |
|---|---|---|
Spirit-cost-related elixirs | Certain butterflies, fireflies, and small insects near water | |
HP and healing elixirs | Medicinal herbs, mushrooms, and healing-property plants | |
Stamina-cost-related elixirs | Energizing plants, specific moth and beetle species | |
Defensive buff elixirs | Hardened fungi, armored insects like centipedes | |
Common Attack Reagent | Offensive buff elixirs | Aggressive creature extracts, Crimson Root, and predatory insects |
Enhanced HP elixirs | Rare herbs from high-altitude meadows and Abyss zones | |
Enhanced Spirit elixirs | Abyss-touched plants and luminescent insects |
Catalysts
Catalysts are ores and animal-derived materials that bind the reagent's effect. Like reagents, they come in two tiers:
Tier | Examples | Used In |
|---|---|---|
Lesser Catalyst | Iron Ore, Spider Web, Cloth Piece | All Lesser Elixirs and most standard Elixirs |
Common Catalyst | Reserved for future advanced elixir tiers |
Containers
Every elixir requires one Empty Bottle, which can be purchased in bulk from Provisioner NPCs in most settlements. They are cheap and stackable, so keep a stock of at least 20 in your inventory before any gathering run.
Key Material Locations
Alchemy ingredients are gathered from across Pywel using gathering and hunting skills. Below are the most important materials and where to find them.
Material | Location | Used In |
|---|---|---|
Common across Pywel | Palmar Pills (any herb works) | |
Common across Pywel | Palmar Pills, Rich Purple Dye, Pororin research prerequisite | |
Massive field near Witch's house in the Witchwoods | Palmar Pills (best bulk farming spot) | |
Crescent Lake, Demeniss region | ||
Crescent Lake, Demeniss region | ||
Quality Medicinal Herb | High-altitude meadows, select Abyss zones | |
Near tree bases in forested areas | ||
Common across Pywel | Red dye family recipes | |
Grasslands and meadows | Yellow dye family recipes | |
Forests and grasslands | Red dye family recipes | |
Trees and wooded areas across Pywel | Dye recipes (multiple families) | |
Mined from ore veins in caves and mountains | Lesser Catalyst for all Lesser Elixirs | |
Adrenaline Gland | Dropped by Pailune Wolves, Stoneback Crabs, bears | Attack Speed Potion |
Abyss Dewdrop | Gathered during Abyss exploration | Spirit Gauge Restore Potion |
Mined, purchased, or found in treasure chests | Platinum transmutation | |
Mountainous and volcanic regions | Platinum transmutation | |
Bee hives in forested areas |
Heavy rainstorms increase the likelihood of obtaining rare secondary drops when harvesting alchemy herbs. Take advantage of wet weather for gathering runs. For a comprehensive inventory of every material and its exact spawn points, see the Alchemy Materials article.
Tips
Prioritize Palmar Pills first. Craft them as soon as you find the recipe in Shadow's Whisper Cave. Having revival items trivializes many otherwise-lethal encounters, especially early boss fights.
Stock Empty Bottles. Buy at least 20 from any Provisioner before heading out on a gathering run. Running out of bottles mid-session wastes time.
Push for Plant Combination Research. The three standard Elixirs (Freya's, Meliara's, Haiden's) from the Pororin Research Institute are a significant power boost. Save 120 Silver and 5 Lavender to start the chain as early as possible.
Brew Honey Tea early. Even if you do not need the Stamina buff, crafting Honey Tea is a prerequisite to unlocking the Scholastone Research Institute, which offers additional progression benefits.
Oakwood Mushroom Tea for cold areas. The Lv. 5 Ice Resistance buff from Oakwood Mushroom Tea lasts 10 minutes and can make snowy or high-altitude exploration far more survivable.
Stack elixirs before boss fights. You can have a Palmar Pill, an elixir (such as Freya's for Attack +7), and a beverage active simultaneously. Layer them before engaging any major boss.
Farm Red Croton near the Witch's house. The massive field in the Witchwoods is the best spot for gathering Palmar Pill ingredients in bulk.
Use Improvise at the Cauldron to discover dyes. If you have flowers and beetles but no recipe scroll, the Improvise option lets you experiment and potentially unlock new dye colours without needing the formula.
Alcohol for the Attack Speed Potion can be purchased from merchants or distilled at camp. Do not overlook merchant shops in Hernand and other towns.
Sell spare elixirs for Copper. Haiden's Lesser Elixir sells for 38 Copper each, and excess Palmar Pills can be sold once you have a healthy stockpile. Alchemy is a reliable source of passive income.