Editing Alchemist/Guide

This guide provides an outlook on different training methods to fit with various playstyles.

This guide covers multiple methods. 

See the [[Alchemist]] page for a full reference on how the profession functions. 

''<small>note: Strategies are still being theory-crafted/tested by contributors to the Wiki and Brighter Shores players. Everything is subject to change.</small>'' 

==Gameplay loop==
Training Alchemist involves obtaining reagents, preparing them, and brewing them. The brewed potions can be kept for future use, or sold to either lower cost of experience or, in some cases, to profit.

# Making potions requires [[Reagents]], which may be obtained through training other [[professions]] or purchased from the [[Potion Reagents|Reagents shop]].
# It is always much faster to purchase reagents from the shop, with a higher cost than gathering them.
# A reasonable estimate is that it takes 30 seconds to travel from the Apothecary to the Reagents shop, buy an inventory of 24 reagents, and then return to the Apothecary. Reagents can either be immediately used to brew potions, or deposited into the [[Potion Reagents Bank]] to stockpiling reagents for making larger batchs of potions at once. ''Note that the reagent shop does not sell each reagents until the player has the Alchemist level to use it.''
# Reagents are turned into [[preparations]] at the [[Reagent Preparation Station]], requiring 2 specific reagents for each type of potion (except 10% Potion Healing, which only has 1). Each preparation takes 5 seconds to make, or 60 seconds for a full inventory of reagents.
# Preparations are brewed into [[potions]] at the [[Standard Potion Station]], requiring one preparation and one [[bottle]] per potion. Preparations cannot be banked, so brewing should happen immediately after preparing. Each standard potion takes 7.5 seconds to make, or 87 seconds for a full inventory of reagents.
# Finally, the brewed potions can either be kept by storing them in the [[Potion Bank]], or sold to [[The Apothecary Shop]] to recover some of the cost put into buying the reagents. 

===Potions Per Hour===
For 2 [[Reagents|Reagent]] potions, it is faster to buy from the [[Potion Reagents]] shop every trip than it is to buy from the reagents and bank them before use. 

* Making use of [[Ebsworth]] ([[Apothecary]] shop) for selling potions and the [[Potion Reagents]] shop for buying [[Reagents]], 224 potions per hour can be brewed.
* When banking the potions, 228 can be brewed per hour, but this can be expensive.

==Levels 0 - 20==
After being introduced to the profession during the tutorial quest, players will have 355 XP and be level 0.

Level 20 requires 36,562 XP, which unlocks [[Knowledge]] for the profession and the first [[Passive activities|passive activity]], [[Grind Slugs]].

Knowledge points can only be spent on a profession if it is Level 20, and so they have not been included in this level range.

Training to level 20 takes approximately 1 hour, regardless of the potions created.

===Points to consider===
* There is a balance between saving time by banking less frequently and purchasing the required reagents for each potion from the [[Potion Reagents|Potion Reagents shop]] on the [[Town Square]] in [[Hopeport]]. For example, if making a potion would take one full inventory and 2 extra potions to reach the next level, then it is more optimal to craft a few extra by doing a second full inventory, rather than running to the shop for only 2 potions.
* The first time a potion is crafted, it will grant an experience bonus as the potion gets added to the [[album]].
* Time taken takes into account: Running to Potion Reagents, buying the reagents, running to make all the potions, selling them at Ebsworth and repeating if necessary.
* Time cost is based on; Running from [[Ebsworth]] to the [[Potion Reagents|Potion Reagents shop]], buying, running back to make potions, selling to [[Ebsworth]], which is slightly different for some potions (follow strategy below).

===Fast strategy===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Cost based on selling potions
!Time
!Profit
!XP Needed
|-
|57 mins <small>approx</small>
| {{Currency|-85597}}
|35,642
|}
The fastest experience in Alchemist is always earned by making the highest level potion available to the player, however this often comes with a steep cost. 

For each trip, the reagents are bought from the reagents shop, made into potions, and then either kept by depositing them in the Potions Bank or sold to [[Ebsworth]] (Apothecary Shop). For the first trip, a full inventory of 10% Potions is chosen instead of switching to 20% potions, as the increase in XP is not worth the additional time for buying additional reagents.

It takes 19 trips for this reach level 20.
{| class="wikitable"
!Trip#
![[Potion]] and Amount
![[Reagents]] and Amount/trip
![[Coins|Cost (Keeping Pots)]]
![[Coins|Cost]] (Selling Pots)
!Time
|-
|0
|
|{{plink|Bottle}} x 223
| {{Currency|4460}}
| {{Currency|4460}}
|
|-
|1
|{{plink|10% Potion Healing}} x 24
|{{plink|Brown Kelp}} x 24
| {{Currency|12000}}
| {{Currency|01200}}
|6 mins
|-
|2
|{{plink|5% Potion XP Hopeport}} x 12
|{{plink|White Periwinkle}} x 12<br>{{plink|Horn Shell}} x 12
| {{Currency|13200}}
| {{Currency|04320}}
|3 mins
|-
|3
|{{plink|+40 Potion Strength Arborae}} x 12
|{{plink|Tangled Pond Weed}} x 12<br>{{plink|Mauve Bellplant}} x 12
| {{Currency|17004}}
| {{Currency|06564}}
|3 mins
|-
|4-5 (2)
|{{plink|+40 Potion Strength Cryonae}} x 16
|{{plink|White Water Lily}} x 16
{{plink|Wrinkled Starfish}} x 16
| {{Currency|30784}}
| {{Currency|13344}}
|4 mins
|-
|6-7 (2)
|{{plink|+40 Potion Strength Tempestae}} x 18
|{{plink|Green Hogberries}} x 18<br>{{plink|Common Limpet}} x 18
| {{Currency|55440}}
| {{Currency|07564}}
|5 mins
|-
|8-10 (3)
|{{plink|3 Minute Potion Fear}} x 36
|{{plink|Veined Globeplant}} x 36<br>{{plink|Faded Dandelion}} x 36
| {{Currency|28332}}
| {{Currency|07564}}
|9 mins
|-
|11-13 (3)
|{{plink|5% Potion XP Hopeforest}}  x 36
|{{plink|Tad Apple}} x 36
{{plink|Bulged Haleberries}} x 36
| {{Currency|44460}}
| {{Currency|11700}}
|9 mins
|-
|14-16 (3)
|{{plink|5% Potion XP Mine}}  x 36
|{{plink|Dull Metallic Tooth}} x 36
{{plink|Crumbly Rock Scale}} x 36
| {{Currency|45224}}
| {{Currency|11240}}
|9 mins
|-
|17-19 (4)
|{{plink|5% Potion XP Crenopolis}}  x 33
|{{plink|Plain White Pearl}} x 33<br>{{plink|Summerview Grapes}} x 33
| {{Currency|62073}}
| {{Currency|23133}}
|8 mins
|-
| colspan="3" |totals
| {{Currency|257973}}
| {{Currency|85597}}
|57 mins
|}

===Cheap Strategy===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Least cost to reach level 20
!Time
!Profit
!XP Needed
|-
|66 mins <small>approx</small>
| {{Currency|-30733}}
|35,642
|}
Potions in levels 0-20 all give very similar XP, so choosing a more cost effective potion does not always result in a large experience loss. 

For each trip, the reagents are bought from the reagents shop, made into potions, and then sold to the apothecary shop. For the final trip, a range of different potions is made to take advantage of the bonus [[album]] XP that is awarded the first time each potion is made. It is advised to have at least {{Currency|35000}} before starting this section, to have enough coins on hand to buy the potion reagents, before the cost is recovered by selling the potions.

{{Checklist|
* Buy 252 {{plink|Bottle}}s from the Alchemist shop.
* Make 5 inventories of {{plink|10% Potion Healing}} to reach level 12, and sell them back to the apothecary shop.
** Each inventory uses 24 {{plink|Brown Kelp}} to make 24 potions.
* Make 11 inventories of {{plink|3 Minute Potion Fear}} to reach level 19, and sell them back to the apothecary shop.
** Each inventory uses 12 {{plink|Veined Globeplant}} and 12 {{plink|Faded Dandelion}} to make 12 potions.
* Buy one of each of these ingredients, to make one of each undiscovered potion up to level 18.
** {{plink|Brown Kelp}}
** {{plink|Creamy Wallplant}}
** {{plink|White Periwinkle}}
** {{plink|Horn Shell}}
** {{plink|Tangled Pond Weed}}
** {{plink|Mauve Bellplant}}
** {{plink|White Water Lily}}
** {{plink|Wrinkled Starfish}}
** {{plink|Green Hogberries}}
** {{plink|Common Limpet}}
** {{plink|Tad Apple}}
** {{plink|Bulged Haleberries}}
** {{plink|Dull Metallic Tooth}}
** {{plink|Crumbly Rock Scale}}
** {{plink|Plain White Pearl}}
** {{plink|Summerview Grapes}}
* Make one of each of these potions for the album XP bonus, to reach level 20, and sell them back to the apothecary shop.
** {{plink|20% Potion Healing}}
** {{plink|5% Potion XP Hopeport}}
** {{plink|+40 Potion Strength Arborae}}
** {{plink|+40 Potion Strength Cryonae}}
** {{plink|+40 Potion Strength Tempestae}}
** {{plink|5% Potion XP Hopeforest}}
** {{plink|5% Potion XP Mine}}
** {{plink|5% Potion XP Crenopolis}}}}

==Level 20+: Knowledge and Passive training==
Upon reaching level 20, [[Knowledge]] and [[Passive training]] methods are unlocked. 

Knowledge is a game mechanic that accumulates while performing activities that award XP, and can be spent on a profession to gain experience that scales with the level of the profession. Knowledge can be gained by any skill and spent in any skill, however knowledge is not able to gained until at least one profession is level 20, and it cannot be spent on a profession until that profession is level 20. 

The amount of XP gained by spending knowledge is 25% of the amount needed to level up that profession, or 6.25% for professions above level 200. Making potions awards 1 knowledge point for every 72 potions made (6 inventories, or 3 inventories of 10% healing), so making 288 potions will give 4 points of knowledge for 1 level up of any profession under level 200. It can be spent on Alchemist to speed up training, or on another profession which is more annoying or slow to train. At the above stated rate of 227 standard potions per hour, Alchemist training is able to earn 3.18 knowledge points per hour.

Knowledge can also be spent to unlock passive training activities for Alchemist. These are significantly slower XP than actively making potions, but if a passive training method is started before logging out then the method will continue for up to 24 hours, or until the raw materials run out. It is recommended to always start a passive activity before logging out. 

Passive Alchemist activites are of two types:
* [[Ebsworth Work]] that is performed at the [[Reagent Preparation Station]], which uses no materials and awards XP and coins, and is therefore always profitable.
* Passive [[Potion]] making that is performed at the [[Passive Potion Station]], which does require reagents but awards both XP and passive potions in return. Passive potions do not have preaparations, instead they use both reagents and a bottle directly.

The highest level Alchemist passive acitivity that a player has the Alchchemist level to access will give full experience, however any lower levelled passive activities will only award half experience, rounded down. This is true even for passive activites that have not yet been unlocked by spending knowledge. Therefore it is recommended to always unlock the highest level of passive activity for each profession that the player wishes to train passively.

==Level 20+: Active training and cost==
The fastest experience in Alchemist is always earned by making the highest level potion available to the player. 

{{MessageBox
|img = [[File:Alchemist icon.png|center|35x35px|link=Alchemist#Active Potions]]
|A full list of active potions, with their approximate XP rates and costs, can be found [[Alchemist#Active Potions|here]].
}}

However, the potion that gives the fastest experience will sometimes be very expensive to make, and so the cost of each potion should also be taken into account. Few potions are actually profitable to make, but it may be preferable to train with a lower levelled potion to save coins.

For example, the level 29 [[20% Potion Healing]] is approximately 52,294 XP per hour, but costs {{currency|8.09}} per XP. However, the level 23 [[5% Potion XP Stonemaw Hill]] is approximately 46,610 XP per hour, which is only 11% less, but only costs {{currency|0.24}} per XP, which is 97% less. It is up to the player to decide if the highest level potion that they have access to is too much of a cost, and if they wish to choose a lower levelled but cheaper alternative.

For levels 20 - 200, assuming that the highest level potion is made, it takes approximately 2.3 to 3.5 hours of making one type of potion, before the next potion is unlocked. Reaching level 200 requires 28.4 million XP. With this method it takes ~80 hours of making potions this way and costs ~{{currency|70000000}}.

==Level 35+: Potent Potions==
Starting at level 35, some potions have "Potent" in their name and are brewed differently, serving as a more intensive (but more rewarding) alternative to standard potion making. Potent potions are usually unlocked a few levels after a comparable standard potion, but use different reagents, have stronger effects, and are often lower cost. The other three steps of the gameplay loop are the same, however the brewing step makes use of the [[Potent Potion Station]] instead of the standard potion station. 

The Potent potion station is a minigame where 4 components of the station must be managed to produce each potion, which takes a minimum of 25 seconds. Consequently, potent potions award more XP per potion than standard potions. With the same assumptions as for the basic gameplay loop, 108 potent potions may be brewed per hour, or 117 if the reagents are already in the reagent bank. Potent potions also award more knowledge than standard potions, at 2.5% per potion, or 1 point for every 33.3 potions made. This means that potent potions also award knowledge faster than standard potions, at 3.24 knowledge points per hour.

The process for efficently operating the potent potion station is to synchronise the separate components:
# Interact with the potent potion station with an inventory of preparations to start the process
# Interact with the hopper
# Interact with the boiler
# Interact with the tank
# Stand in front of cauldron, and wait for it to reach the level line
# Interact with the caudron to produce a potent potion
# Repeat steps 2-6 until all potions have been produced. Step 2 may be skipped once all preparations have been loaded into the station. 
This process produces one potent potion every 25 seconds, which is the minimum time possible.

==Profitable potions==
All potions are profitable if the reagents are gathered manually, however even if all reagents are purchased then there are 5 potions which are still profitable to make, all of which are Potent potions.


{| class="wikitable align-right-1 align-right-3 align-right-4 align-right-5 align-right-6"
|-
! Level 
! Potion 
! Profit / potion 
! Profit / Hour 
! XP / potion 
! XP / hour
|-
| 35 
| {{plink|28% Potent Potion Healing}} 
| {{currency|891}} 
| {{currency|96228}} 
| 556 
| 60,048
|-
| 62 
| {{plink|+60 Potent Potion Strength Arborae}} 
| {{currency|694}} 
| {{currency|74952}} 
| 936 
| 101,088
|-
| 77 
| {{plink|+60 Potent Potion Strength Cryonae}} 
| {{currency|700}} 
| {{currency|75600}} 
| 1,249 
| 134,892
|-
| 104 
| {{plink|9 Minute Potent Potion Fear}} 
| {{currency|2503}} 
| {{currency|270324}} 
| 2,100 
| 226,800
|-
| 131 
| {{plink|7% Potent Potion XP Mine}} 
| {{currency|2801}} 
| {{currency|302508}} 
| 3,531 
| 381,348
|}

{{AlchemistNavBox}}