Skyrim players who love alchemy know the value of stocking up on ingredients. A Dragonborn who dreams of becoming a potion whiz will collect every flower, mushroom, and berry in their path. Rare ingredients may be fun, but even common reagents can be surprisingly powerful, allowing players to create large batches of life-saving potions and devastating poisons.
For Skyrim's burgeoning alchemists, some ingredients are always useful to have in one's toolkit, ready to be made into mixtures that can mean the difference between life and death. These reagents all have highly useful effects, allowing the player to use them in multiple mixtures that all provide valuable buffs.
Updated November 2021 by Demaris Oxman: With Skyrim: Anniversary Edition right around the corner, plenty of players are returning to this wildly popular Elder Scrolls title — or perhaps picking it up for the first time. When beginning one's adventure through this gorgeous open world, one of the best things the Dragonborn can do is keep plenty of potions on hand. Though these can be bought from vendors, many players prefer to save Septims and tailor their potions to their specific needs. To that end, some ingredients in particular have a range of beneficial effects, such as those below.
13 Giant's Toe
Effects: Damage Stamina, Fortify Health, Fortify Carry Weight, Damage Stamina Regen
Though harder to find than most ingredients on this list, the Giant's Toe is among the most useful alchemy ingredients in Skyrim. In addition to its potential use in potent stamina poisons, the Giant's Toe can also be used to temporarily increase maximum health and carry weight, both considerable boons when traversing Skyrim's wilderness. Additionally, when used for Fortify Health potions, this ingredient vastly increases the length of the effect: the drinker's health is increased for 300 seconds, instead of the usual 60.
The only downside to this ingredient is that it can be a bit dangerous to collect, as Skyrim's giants are well-known for sending players flying with their clubs. Lower-level players may want to buy or steal them from shops instead.
12 Purple Mountain Flower
Effects: Restore Stamina, Fortify Sneak, Lingering Damage Magicka, Resist Frost
These tiny blossoms are one of the most common sights among Skyrim's flora, but players shouldn't let their abundance mislead them. Plentiful ingredients can be just as useful as rare ones, and purple mountain flowers are proof.
This purple powerhouse's Restore Stamina and Resist Frost effects work wonders against Skyrim's many frosty foes, such as ice wraiths and frost dragons. Meanwhile, for players who prefer not to alert their enemies, it's the perfect ingredient for a quick and easy Fortify Sneak potion.
11 Scathecraw
Effects: Ravage Health, Ravage Stamina, Ravage Magicka, Lingering Damage Health
The Dragonborn DLC introduced plenty of strange and fascinating ingredients native to the island of Solstheim. Among these is the highly toxic Scathecraw plant, which can be found in abundance all over the southern half of the island. It serves the Dragonborn against any foe, as it is capable of temporarily reducing all three of the enemy's main stats.
Lingering Damage Health is also one of the best poison effects in the game, slowly sapping the target's life force while the Dragonborn wails on them. Stock up on Scathecraw, and the island's ash spawn and sinister Daedra won't stand a chance.
10 Blue Mountain Flower
Effects: Restore Health, Fortify Conjuration, Fortify Health, Damage Magicka Regen
Much like its purple cousin, players shouldn't underestimate this flower just because it's everywhere. With both Restore and Fortify Health effects, Blue Mountain Flowers can be used to make potions that bring the Dragonborn back from the brink of death. They grow all over Skyrim's wilderness, and it's worth picking every one from Solitude to Falkreath.
For mages, this ingredient can also fortify Conjuration, increasing the duration and power of summoned creatures and items. Meanwhile, when fighting powerful spellcasters, its Damage Magicka Regen effect can provide players with an offensive advantage.
9 Deathbell
Effects: Damage Health, Ravage Stamina, Slow, Weakness to Poison
Not all Damage Health reagents are created equal — some are more toxic than others. Among the most common ingredients with this effect, poisons made with Deathbell tend to pack a slightly bigger punch. With Ravage Stamina, Slow, and Weakness to Poison alongside the Damage Health effect, this beautiful blossom lives up to its name.
These flowers are common throughout Skyrim, especially in Hjaalmarch and The Pale. It's a perfect ingredient for alchemists to start experimenting with poisons, finding the right combination of effects to cripple their enemies.
8 Snowberries
Effects: Resist Fire, Fortify Enchanting, Resist Frost, Resist Shock,
Found in Skyrim's snowiest regions, these humble berries can be made into potions that provide resistance to each type of Destruction magic found in the game. This resistance to elemental damage is highly valuable when players face powerful mages, like Dragon Priests or Forsworn Briarhearts.
Additionally, the Fortify Enchanting effect increases the power (and therefore value) of magical effects that the player applies to items. Whether the player plans to sell their enchanted creations or use them to their own advantage, this boost in power is worth collecting Snowberries.
7 Imp Stool
Effects: Damage Health, Lingering Damage Health, Paralysis, Restore Health
With both beneficial and deadly effects, Imp Stool is one of Skyrim's most versatile species of fungus. Combine them with Blue Mountain Flowers to restore health, or with Deathbell and Canis Root to damage health and paralyze enemies.
Look for these squat little mushrooms in damp caves, and collect as many as possible. With a little practice, players can use them to create some of the most effective potions in the game. Its Lingering Damage Health effect is particularly useful in difficult battles, especially when combined with Paralysis.
6 Luna Moth Wing
Effects: Damage Magicka, Fortify Light Armor, Regenerate Health, Invisibility
Chasing butterflies in Skyrim is worth an alchemist's time, especially at night. Luna Moth Wings are especially handy for stealthy characters. They can both fortify Light Armor and create invisibility potions, raising defenses and making sneaking a cinch.
Players can also use this reagent for a Damage Magicka poison, handy when fighting magic users. Even more useful, though, is the Regenerate Health effect. The ability to quickly regain lost HP is vital in any fight, and Luna Moth Wings give the Dragonborn this boost.
5 Garlic
Effects: Resist Poison, Fortify Stamina, Regenerate Health, Regenerate Magicka
Like Luna Moth Wings, Garlic can be used to regenerate health; however, this ingredient does double duty, as it has the same effect on magicka. Its Stamina effect also allows players to get in a few extra power attacks. Finally, its Resist Poison effect makes it useful for fighting Falmer and Chaurus, both of whom use toxins in battle.
A handy ingredient for several play styles, Garlic is also easy to find. Most homes in Skyrim have garlic braids hanging in the kitchen, which regenerate over time after the player harvests from them.
4 Charred Skeever Hide
Effects: Restore Stamina, Cure Disease, Resist Poison, Restore Health
Nobody in their right mind would think that consuming burnt rodent skin would provide health benefits — but hey, this is a fantasy world. Charred Skeever Hides are useful for recuperating both health and stamina, and like Garlic, reduce the damage dealt by poisons.
Additionally, players can use this ingredient in Potions of Cure Disease. From skill-lowering ailments like Rockjoint to the magicka-draining Witbane, diseases can be seriously debilitating. Thus, it's always helpful to have a few remedies on hand, and Charred Skeever Hides are an easy way to ensure that.
3 Dwarven Oil
Effects: Weakness to Magic, Fortify Illusion, Regenerate Magicka, Restore Magicka
Though it requires some legwork to track down, this ingredient is one of the most useful for mages. Dwarven Oil is priceless when it comes to creating Magicka-boosting potions, ensuring that the user doesn't run low on spellcasting power in tough fights.
Its Fortify Illusion effect is also handy for these players, as are the Weakness to Magic poisons it can be used to make. These effects make it worth players' time to find and collect every jar of Dwarven Oil from Dwemer ruins. What's more, if it ever proves tricky to find, Taproots provide all four of the same effects.
2 Canis Root
Effects: Damage Stamina, Fortify One-Handed, Fortify Marksman, Paralysis
Excellent for both beneficial and deadly mixtures, Canis Root is a necessity in every alchemist's satchel. With Fortify Marksman and One-Handed, warriors can enhance their weapon prowess; meanwhile, with its toxic effects, they can coat those weapons in devastating poison.
Canis Root is common in The Rift and Hjaalmarch wilderness, though it can be tricky to spot against the rocky terrain. With practice, though, players will easily learn to recognize the twisted little tree that holds this ingredient.
1 Vampire Dust
Effects: Invisibility, Restore Magicka, Regenerate Health, Cure Disease
Since it can be looted from any dead vampire, this ingredient is more common than some might think. Furthermore, its effects are invaluable to almost any player, keeping them alive and kicking despite whatever adversity comes their way.
Vampire Dust combines beautifully with a Luna Moth Wing, turning players invisible while regenerating their health. Mages find it a useful way to avoid running low on magicka. Contracting Sanguinaire Vampiris is always a risk when gathering this ingredient — but its Cure Disease effect takes care of that quickly.