Alchemy and Intelligence

[BlightRaptor]

I was wondering if there were any mods that changed the formula for potion and poison creation so that Alchemy would actually factor in intelligence. My understanding is the game's formula only uses skill and luck. I've perused the many fine alchemy mods on here, but didn't see anything in the ReadMes about such relations.

[Striker879]

The UESP Wiki doesn't agree with your assessment, and neither does my own experience.

 

Oblivion:Alchemy

 

Oblivion"Intelligence

 

Oblivion:Increasing Attributes - Intelligence

 

My own characters always use Alchemy as their primary tool for increasing Intelligence (and achieving the plus 5 increase).

 

First it provides a good source of those "lifesaver" potions needed early in the game. Second it provides a good source for those "equaliser" poisons (which conserve the need for the lifesavers ... let's you eat the red ones last ... oh wait, that's Smarties). Delivery of those poisons advances Marksman (Agility is useful early as well ... I keep it out of my major skills so I can use it as needed) and when up close and personal is the order of battle Blade (Strength is always an early game priority ... Blade is also not one of my majors).

 

Short on gold early in the game ... make some potions to sell.

 

Ya, I guess you could say I'm an alchemist.

 

- Edit - Almost forgot Feather!! Where would my guy be without plenty of feather potions early in the game, before he has the strength to drag that loot out of the dungeons to his Packdonkeys (well once he has enough gold to buy a packdonkey ... looks like Undena is going to be missing some more tomatos so I can make a bunch more Restore Fatigue potions ... you need some??).

Edited April 17, 2020 by Striker879

[BlightRaptor]

Yes but the same wiki article explicitly says that the attribute Intelligence does NOT affect potion creation potency:

 

"Alchemy's governing attribute is Intelligence, but Intelligence has no effect on the potency of the potions that you make (this is very different from earlier Elder Scrolls games such as Morrowind). Furthermore, boosts in Alchemy caused by enchantments (potions, spells, or equipped constant effect items) have no impact on the potions that you make; the Altar of Alchemy in Frostcrag Spire is the one exception, which will improve your potions."

[Striker879]

Ahh ... so now I see where you were headed. Guess because I use Mysticism and Conjuration as major skills (which are only used infrequently when I'm ready for a level up) my alchemy skill (and the equipment I use for it) are more "in step" so I've never noticed.

 

My latest character is the first with a custom class, so I've fine tuned it to my play style. Willpower is also an early priority for me and Destruction is a useful tool to level that. Rather than just using conventional burn 'em up tactics I've explored the subtle stuff you can do with the vanilla system. Weakness to Magic is the number one under utilised tool in the tool box. A couple of hits with magic weakness followed by a single Weakness to Poison and the wimpiest poison is uber powerful.

 

I primarily use custom spells these days. My new characters need to wait until they can afford Emma's Leyawiin Lake House for a Spell Altar (I can't stomach the Mages Guild questline again, and Frostcrag is too far off my beaten path and on a quest delayer anyway).

 

I find that early game is when I'm most likely to use a balanced combat approach, both from a skill and leveling consideration and required survival tactic aspect. Late game is mainly magic, with potion use limited to restore/shield and the occasional "for fun" custom poison "games" (damage strength and damage endurance down to zero, easily done when combined with the magic "softening up" leaves any NPC completely helpless, but I do use a couple of mods that may affect the mechanics of how that works).

[rycka]

doublepost..sorry

Edited April 17, 2020 by rycka

[rycka]

Formulas in Oblivion are more complicated then it looks. Look here:

https://cs.elderscrolls.com/index.php?title=Category:Potion_Strength

 

I'm however working on a mod right now, that might at least partially satisfy you. I'm creating "Legendary Perks" mod, well it's just a part of my mod. Idea is simple I connect several skills and attributes, let's say Intelligence and Alchemy and give certain perks as soon as you reach certain level in said Skills/Attributes. Let's say Intelligence 80 and Alchemy 100, and then I add perk which doubles effects of your potions... just simple example. In my opinion it makes gameplay more fun since it motivates to level up some skills that you normally don't level up. On the other hand, I try to stay true to classic builds and connect those attributes/skills that makes most sense. So just playing normally, you level up those skills/attributes naturally and get perks that will benefit your build and gameplay. One good example - "Battlemage" perk removes penalty to magic efficiency while wearing heavy armor, but only once you have reached 100 Int and 100 Heavy Armor. You normally get that combination only if you are constantly wearing heavy armor and usually rely on magic in combats, which pretty much makes you - Battlemage...

Edited April 17, 2020 by rycka

[BlightRaptor]

The more I play around with mods and dabble in making some for myself, the more I realize there's weirdness happening under the hood for vanilla Oblivion. Intelligence in practice doesn't really have much to do with how "smart" your character is; it's just "use me for a longer blue bar." It indirectly makes your character better at casting spells by giving you a deeper Magicka reserve, but all that Magicka doesn't do much for a character who uses Alchemy and no other Magic skills. A total dunce makes just as potent potions as a genius as long as their Alchemy skill and Luck are the same.

 

Those are some interesting perk ideas, Rycka. As a little bandaid for myself I made a tiny mod for attributes to give "natural resistances" so they can all be useful in some tiny way across classes. They're a bit of a reach though. INT makes you more knowledgeable about diseases in the world.. hence grants you a smidgen of Resist Disease.