Difference between revisions of "Category:Potion Strength"

Each effect of a player-created potion is determined individually. The formula changes depending on what apparatuses the player uses, whether they're creating a potion or poison, and the effect itself. To make things easier it has been broken down into several pieces. These are all based on formulas found on UESP, and it might be easier to start there and look at the default formulas without game settings.

Effective Skill Level

Start by finding the Effective Skill Level. Note that Alchemy modifications like Fortify Alchemy won't change Effective Skill Level (but Luck modifications will as with every other skill).

Effective Skill Level = BaseAlchemySkill + iActorLuckSkillBase + (fActorLuckSkillMult * Luck)

This is capped to 100 by default, but there are mods that uncap it.

Figure out the effect type

The next step depends on the effect type. There are three types of effects: Type 1 has both magnitude and duration(i.e., Restore Health), Type 2 has only duration (i.e., NightEye, Silence), and Type 3 has only magnitude (i.e., Dispel). If this is your first time with these equations, I suggest starting with Type 2 as it is the easiest to understand.

Generalities

All final Magnitudes/Durations will be rounded. If the final Magnitude/Duration is below 1, it will be set to 1.

Effect Base Cost = 0

If the effect has a Base Cost of 0 (i.e., Script Effect) their magnitude/duration will be 1.

Type 1 Effects

There are 2 steps in each equation for magnitude and duration. The first step depends only on the effect's Base Cost, the strength of the Mortar and Pestle, and a few game settings. If the player uses other apparatuses a second, more complicated step is required.

Base Magnitude

You can find the quality of the Mortar and Pestle in the CS (see Apparatus for more information and a list of default values) or via script with OBSE's GetQuality. Effect Base Costs can be found under Magic Effects, on UESP, or via script with OBSE's GetMagicEffectBaseCost.

Base Magnitude = [(EffectiveSkillLevel + MortQuality * fPotionMortPestleMult) / (EffectBaseCost / fPotionT1MagMult)] ^ [1 / (1 + fMagicCostScale)]

Note that if the player is using a Mortar and Pestle only this is the final Magnitude.

Base Duration

This is derived from Base Magnitude

Base Duration = BaseMag / (fPotionT1MagMult * fMagicDurMagBaseCostMult)

Note that if the player is using a Mortar and Pestle only this is the Final Duration.

Now things get complicated

The formula here depends on the equipment the player uses (OBSE's GetApparatusType), whether it's a potion or poison (OBSE's IsPoison), and whether the effect is beneficial (i.e., Restore Health) or detrimental (OBSE's IsMagicEffectDetrimental).

If the player uses a Calcinator, Retort, or Alembic alone with the Mortar and Pestle the equations are straight forward. Remember that a Retort has no effect on detrimental effects, and an Alembic only affects detrimental effects on potions.

However, if the player uses a Calcinator and Retort for beneficial effects a different equation is used. Also, if the player uses an Calcinator and Alembic together for detrimental effects yet another equation is used. This third equation applies to detrimental effects on poisons as well as potions, even though the Alembic has no other effect.

Using an Alembic alone for Beneficial Effects or Detrimental Effects on a Poison, or a Retort alone for Detrimental Effects

These have no effect on effect strength.

Magnitude = BaseMag
Duration = BaseDur

Using a Calcinator alone for Beneficial Effects (Alembic ignored) or alone for Detrimental Effects (Retort ignored)

You might notice that both magnitude and duration use fPotionT1CalMagMult. That is not a mistake. fPotionT1CalDurMult has no effect on potion strength while fPotionT1CalMagMult does affect the effect's duration.

Magnitude = BaseMag * [1 + (CalcQuality * fPotionT1CalMagMult)]
Duration = BaseDur * [1 + (CalcQuality * fPotionT1CalMagMult)]

Using a Retort alone for Beneficial Effects (Alembic ignored)

Magnitude = BaseMag * [1 + (RetortQuality * fPotionT1RetMagMult)]
Duration = BaseDur * [1 + (RetortQuality * fPotionT1RetDurMult)]

Using an Alembic alone for Detrimental Effects on Potions (Retort ingored)

Magnitude = BaseMag * [1 + (AlembicQuality * fPotionT1AleMagMult)]
Duration = BaseDur * [1 + (AlembicQuality * fPotionT1AleDurMult)]

Using a Calcinator and Retort for Beneficial Effects (Alembic ignored)

In this case, two extra game settings change the strength of the Calcinator effect. They are not simply additions of the Calcinator and Retort effects.

Magnitude = BaseMag * [1 + (CalcQuality * fPotionT1CalMagMult / (fMagicDurMagBaseCostMult * fPotionT1MagMult)) + (RetortQual * fPotionT1RetMagMult)]
Duration = BaseDur * [1 + (CalcQuality * fPotionT1CalMagMult / (fMagicDurMagBaseCostMult * fPotionT1MagMult)) + (RetortQual * fPotionT1RetDurMult)]

Using a Calcinator and Alembic for Detrimental Effects on Poisons (Retort ignored)

An alembic has no direct effect on the strength of the effect, but it does change the formula to

Magnitude = BaseMag * [1 + (CalcQuality * fPotionT1CalMagMult)] * [1 + (CalcQuality * fPotionT1CalMagMult)]
Duration = BaseDur * [1 + (CalcQuality * fPotionT1CalMagMult)] * [1 + (CalcQuality * fPotionT1CalMagMult)]

Using a Calcinator and Alembic for Detrimental Effects on Potions (Retort ignored)

As with poisons, the equation is changed. This time, though, the Alembic has a more direct effect on the effect's strength.

Magnitude = BaseMag * [1 + (CalcQuality * fPotionT1CalMagMult)] * [1 + (CalcQuality * fPotionT1CalMagMult) - (AlembicQuality * fPotionT1AleMagMult)]
Duration = BaseDur * [1 + (CalcQuality * fPotionT1CalMagMult)] * [1 + (CalcQuality * fPotionT1CalMagMult) - (AlembicQuality * fPotionT1AleDurMult)]

Type 2 Effects

Again, there are 2 steps in to determine the effect's duration. The first step depends only on the effect's Base Cost, the strength of the Mortar and Pestle, and a few game settings. If the player uses other apparatuses a second step is required (but it's much easier than Type 1's second step).

Base Duration

You can find the quality of the Mortar and Pestle in the CS (see Apparatus for more information and a list of default values) or via script with OBSE's GetQuality. Effect Base Costs can be found under Magic Effects, on UESP, or via script with OBSE's GetMagicEffectBaseCost.

Base Duration = (EffectiveSkillLevel + MortQuality * fPotionMortPestleMult) / (EffectBaseCost * fMagicDurMagBaseCostMult)

Note that if the player is using a Mortar and Pestle only this is the final Duration.

Applying other Apparatuses

Again, Retorts only work on Beneficial effects and Alembics only work on Detrimental effects on potions. Unlike Type 1 effects, the apparatuses' effects are strictly additive, and the formula doesn't change.

Beneficial Effects (Alembic ignored)

Duration = BaseDur * [1 + (CalcQuality * fPotionT2CalDurMult) + (RetortQuality * fPotionT2RetDurMult)]

Detrimental Effects on Potions (Retort ignored)

Duration = BaseDur * [1 + (CalcQuality * fPotionT2CalDurMult) + (AlembicQuality * fPotionT2AleDurMult)]

Detrimental Effects on Poisons (Alembic and Retort ignored)

Duration = BaseDur * [1 + (CalcQuality * fPotionT2CalDurMult)]

Type 3 Effects

Again, there are 2 steps in to determine the effect's duration. The first step depends only on the effect's Base Cost, the strength of the Mortar and Pestle, and a few game settings. If the player uses other apparatuses a second step, more complicated step is required (but it's much easier than Type 1's second step).

Base Magnitude

This is very similar to the Type 1 formula, but it is not the same. You can find the quality of the Mortar and Pestle in the CS (see Apparatus for more information and a list of default values) or via script with OBSE's GetQuality. Effect Base Costs can be found under Magic Effects, on UESP, or via script with OBSE's GetMagicEffectBaseCost.

Base Magnitude = [(EffectiveSkillLevel + MortQuality * fPotionMortPestleMult) / (EffectBaseCost / fMagicDurMagBaseCostMult)] ^ [1 / (fMagicCostScale)]

Note that if the player is using a Mortar and Pestle only this is the final Duration.

Probably complicated, but since Dispel is the only vanilla effect...

This type has not been as throughly researched. The second step formula again depends on whether you use a Calcinator with a Retort. There might be other complications, but since Dispel is a Beneficial effect there is only information on Beneficial effects.

Using a Calcinator alone (for Beneficial Effects; Alembic ignored) or alone for Detrimental Effects (Retort ignored)

Magnitude = BaseMag * [1 + (CalcQuality * fPotionT3CalMagMult)]

Using a Retort alone (for Beneficial Effects; Alembic ignored)

Magnitude = BaseMag * [1 + (RetortQuality * fPotionT3RetMagMult)]

Using a Calcinator and Retort (for Beneficial Effects; Alembic ignored)

Here the Calcinator and Retort effects are multiplied rather than added to each other. Since this makes the resulting effect weaker, this is probably a mistkae.

Magnitude = BaseMag * [1 + (CalcQuality * fPotionT3CalMagMult) * (RetortQuality * fPotionT3RetMagMult)]

Potion Price

Price = (EffectiveSkillLevel + MortQuality * fPotionMortPestleMult) * [[fPotionGoldValueMult)