stat boosting potions

[Pangarban]

I was delighted to discover stat boosting potions in the black market. However, the potion of brawn reduced my constitution while boosting my strength, and the potion of nimbleness reduced my strength while boosting my dexterity.

Are there stat boosting potions that don't reduce another stat? Or is this a random chance, and I was just unlucky twice in a row?

[PowerWyrm]

Originally Posted by Pangarban

I was delighted to discover stat boosting potions in the black market. However, the potion of brawn reduced my constitution while boosting my strength, and the potion of nimbleness reduced my strength while boosting my dexterity.

Are there stat boosting potions that don't reduce another stat? Or is this a random chance, and I was just unlucky twice in a row?

These are +1/-1 potions: brawn, intellect, contemplation, nimbleness, toughness. There are pure stat boosting potions: strength, intelligence, wisdom, dexterity, constitution.

[Carnivean]

The other thing to note is that the +1/-1 potions are random in which stat they take the -1 from.

In some other threads there are strategies to game their use for a net positive, but personally I just ignore them after iding them.

[Pangarban]

Thanks. I will ignore them too!

[Derakon]

The swap potions can be quite useful for min-maxing your character before "real" stat gain starts. Everyone has at least two dump stats at that stage: their non-casting stat and CON (CON isn't really a dump stat, but its effects are minimal until later in the game). Realistically, everyone has a third dump stat as well: DEX for pure casters, and the casting stat for hybrid classes, unless it's already abysmally low.

Anyway, that means that the STR, DEX, and casting stat potions are all worth investigating depending on class. If you want to make certain that a particular stat doesn't get drained (e.g. you're a mage and want to protect your INT), you can make certain you have 1 potion for that stat for every other swap potion you drink. So e.g. if you drink Brawn and it drains INT, then you can drink Intellect and lose something else (possibly STR, but oh well).

[fizzix]

Originally Posted by Derakon

The swap potions can be quite useful for min-maxing your character before "real" stat gain starts. Everyone has at least two dump stats at that stage: their non-casting stat and CON (CON isn't really a dump stat, but its effects are minimal until later in the game). Realistically, everyone has a third dump stat as well: DEX for pure casters, and the casting stat for hybrid classes, unless it's already abysmally low.

Anyway, that means that the STR, DEX, and casting stat potions are all worth investigating depending on class. If you want to make certain that a particular stat doesn't get drained (e.g. you're a mage and want to protect your INT), you can make certain you have 1 potion for that stat for every other swap potion you drink. So e.g. if you drink Brawn and it drains INT, then you can drink Intellect and lose something else (possibly STR, but oh well).

Alternatively, I tend to store toughness at home until CON reaches 18 base, at which point I drink them all. I also, disagree with CON being a dump stat, simply because it is usually what holds back a mid game character from being able to handle the endgame. Since I tend to want to get down as quickly as possible, that often means prioritizing CON early (Including putting points in it at character build). Players who aren't in a rush, may view things differently, though.

[Derakon]

It depends on class and where you tend to bottleneck. If you're playing a hybrid class with a race that can't really optimize STR/DEX, then you really want those Brawn and Nimbleness potions to get your blows/round up so you can survive to make it to the 1500's or so. Pretty much everything else is secondary.

Certainly I'd rather that the swap potions target my actual dump stat(s) rather than CON. I'm just saying it's not a huge deal if you lose a point or two of CON as long as you boost the stats that you really need.