Poll: Do you bother with potion making/ingredient gathering?

[Godhead]

I find it really fun, and I feel that's really all it can ever boil down to; you like it or you don't. I enjoyed alchemy immensely in the Elder Scrolls games (even Skyrim because of the Requiem mod making things so much harder and health pots become a lot more sparse you kinda have to learn and utilize alchemy) and found it enjoyable in the Witcher, and loved doing the shit at the campfire in Fallout: New Vegas.

 

[thejackyl]

If I don't have to go out of way to do it, I will. When I played WoW, I would gather ore, herbs, or leather as I leveled. And when I got the mats needed for my crafting professions, I would use/trade them and sell the leftovers. Made quite a bit of money leveling alts once I had my mains maxed (I had JC/BS, Alc/Enchant, and a Mining/Herb as mains), I would pick up a gathering profession and just sell ores I got while leveling. Made a nice chuck of coin. Got a Mechgineer's Chopper out of it. I also sold my extra elixirs. When I raided I would make enough for my 10 man group, and sell off the procs. I also ripped off randoms, I would give them what they gave me items for, and wouldn't give them the procs, unless they asked about them, or if they were friends to the guild.

In Skyrim I would gather anything I ran past between objectives. Can't say I ever USED any of them, but I remembered in Oblivion I chose Alchemy as one of my Primary Skills so I could control my leveling (I chose skills I could control or ones I never planned on using). Though, I never needed money in either game.

I can't say I really like it as a main focus for gameplay, but as a side thing it's not bad. Especially in an MMO where it can make you quite a bit of money.

 

[Baron von Blitztank]

Sometimes. I'll go out of my way to raid dungeons, caves and fortresses to get alchemy reagents but only if I actually know what the reagents do. Otherwise I'm just picking up shit and combining it with other shit to get a result that's useless 90% of the time. I often just find it easier to raid a bandit den on my lonesome, decapitate motherfuckers left and right and then sell their items so I can buy potions or even just spare a few skill points so I can keep using healing spells.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

The only game i've actually taken potion making/ crafting seriously is in the witcher 2. You actually NEED to do that stuff to do well in that game

Yup, exactly what I was going to say. Witcher 2 is the only game where I ever bothered with it because battle preparation is key to success in that game.

 

[SonicKaos]

I collect a lot of things when they're near whatever it is I'm doing anyway, but I never make it a point to go looking for plants really. I always preferred leather working or something else that could be taken directly from an enemy. Most of the time I just sold the raw materials for extra cash though as the actual items you crafted were worse than what you found anyway.

 

[Bug MuIdoon]

In general, no, not really. I'll probably do it a handful of times, just to get an idea of the mechanic and check it out, or if there's some fairly rare but pretty sweet potion that is easier to get via crafting. Usually I play as a thief in those type of games anyway, so I just steal them.... or buy them with stolen money.

I played Miasmata not too long a go, which is basically a game just about the crafting/herbalism and survival mechanic. You're a plague victim trapped on a tropical island and you just have to wander around looking for rare plants so you can concoct a cure for the plague. It's worth checking out as it's quite a unique game (and can be fairly scary/stressful at times)

 

[thiosk]

I do it because I am first and formost a neurotic collector who must find and stockpile everything that can be picked up into neat and organized piles.

If only i could apply the same tendencies to my work.

 

[Beffudled Sheep_v1legacy]

Mostly I don't. I rarely find it interesting and it usually is only useful or profitable in late game when you rarely need it anyway.

However I did have a traveling merchant character in Morrowind that majored in alchemy. I mostly just grinded my sppeechcraft and mercantile using crap potions and then bought most of my levels so I'm not sure if it counts or not.

 

[Zac Jovanovic]

Very rarely, I usually collect all materials but I just can't arsed making potions except for simple health or mana potions.

One of the reasons I loved the Witcher series is they nailed the alchemy system.

 

[Storm Dragon]

Odin Sphere... NEVER AGAIN.

Oh wait, I got Odin Sphere on PSN/PS3... but it won't retain my save from my PS2... dammit!

Your avatar, is that a Thri-Kreen?

 

[DoPo]

I did it all the time in Witcher (haven't played 2 yet) - it was fun, as well as the fact that potions weren't readily available on tap and the fact that the game encouraged me to do it. I dabbled in the ES series but it wasn't a big thing - poisons in Oblivion/Skyrim were fun for a bit, the broken potions in MW, too but that's about it. Later in each game I would just make a batch of healing potions (and some for restore stamina/magicka) every once in a while just because they are better than the store bought and faster than casting spells but that's it. In most other places I don't bother with crafting. At most I'd do some modifications to equipment, if that's allowed but whatever, really.

 

[The Last Nomad]

Mostly no, but it depends on the game and the character im playing.

In survival themed games, like Fallout New Vegas, i get all the ingredients i can (although, granted its not for potions and instead for food, drugs and weapon repair kits but its the same idea). Very rarely would i do it fantasy games like Skyrim or Dragon Age but occasionly I do. In the case of dragon age I do it with Morrigan because she strikes me as a survivalist, not wanting to rely on others, also, shits expensive in that game.

 

[miketehmage]

Fuck no, aint nobody got time for plants n shit. Im too busy killing bandits and fucking bitches for that sissy stuff.

 

[llubtoille]

With the exception of WoW, for which potions were essential for raiding and the alternative was buying from the AH.

No, I rarely make potions in games, especially single player rpgs.
I'll pick up the herbs but they'll just languish in some storage chest and never be used.
The reasons - in most games (on easier settings) potions are simply not needed to play the game, or sufficient amounts drop from mobs or whatever.
Also many games incorporate some kind of 'leveling' system for their crafting, thus unless you invest hardcore into potion making, I'm left with a feeling of wasted resources. - ie skyrim style, where low lev crafted potions are uselessly weak.

If I need it for a quest or a specific situation, and it only comes from early crafting, then sure.

 

[ItsNotRudy]

In most games it's not worth it, or you just need a select few ingredients to make potions that have significant impact (Skyrim Alch/Smith% Potions) Game devs need to find a way to make it worth it. I barely ever use ammo or potion crafting in any game and it doesn't feel like I need to waste hours on it to be any better.

 

[Charli]

I do so love spoiling the mood. So yes, I pick flowers like a god-damn pixie on speed. Usually as a big grizzly man with lots of heavy armor on.

 

[Longstreet]

Never had the need for them, so never bothered to try and make them

Specially not since i can steal / loot / buy them with cash from stolen stuff which doesn't take me away from my day and night job of slaughtering people.

 

[redmoretrout]

"No I'm too busy having fun." is probably the best poll option I have ever seen. It Perfectly captured my opinion at least.

 

[zidine100]

depends on the game, if theres any actuall advatantages or buffs to the potions or not.

if theres buffs sign me up to alchamey 101.

if not, sign me up to buying 101.

 

[Diddy_Mao]

Depends on the game and character. I have more than a few alchemists in WoW because there's always a market from the "why make when I can buy" crowd plus there's always fun stuff in alchemy. It's not just heath and mana potions.