I hate potions.

[Greenkreen]

I've never considered potions anything but highly useful, myself. What if you're in the middle of a pitched battle and across the room from the Cleric and need healing, but he'd take half a dozen AoOs and expose your flank to the enemy? Also, every time the Cleric has to heal you, it's an action he's taking and a spell he's having to convert instead of doing something else.

Many potions are certainly less useful than others, and some of the higher level ones might strain the budget, but you're paying for some incredible convenience, after all. They're not primarily for parties without clerics or wizards, either - potions are definitely not going to make up for the deficiencies you're going to have without an arcane and divine caster.

Some of the Elixirs are quite nice, too, especially for being sneakier and harder to spot than you otherwise would be. They can make a good rogue nigh impossible to spot or hear, or make an average fighter able to sneak past standard sentries, for instance.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

Potions can be useful but they shouldn't be a focus of your characters. The key is to use them before combat when you're expecting trouble and to have a few potions on hand to save your bacon if things get hairy or if you unexpectedly find yourself in a situation that requires lots of magic.

Potion of CLW (good until 4th level or so; after that you want cure mod or cure serious). Useful for healing when the cleric is down, isn't in the party, or can't get to you. For after combat healing, scrolls are better.

Potions of stat bumps. Good until 6th level or so when you're expecting a tough fight. After that, you probably have permanent items. Not worth drinking in combat.

Oil of Bless Weapon. Good when you need to beat DR or are going into a tough fight.

Potion of Protection from Evil. Good for when you're going into a tough fight or when an evil druid is overwhelming you with summoned creatures.

Potion of sneaking. Good for when the rogue wants to scout a dangerous area.

Potion of invisibility. Good for when you need to make the whole party sneaky.

Potion of Fly. Good for a fighter if he ends up facing a flying foe and the wizard doesn't have fly. Keep one on hand for emergencies.

Elixir of Vision. Excellent for a medium duration expedition into a trapped tomb or something like that--lets the rogue take ten and find most traps.

In terms of usefulness, I'd rate potions of cure wounds, oil of bless weapon, elixir of vision, and potions of fly as the best ones--in that order.

 

[kigmatzomat]

I forgot to mention our fighter's started getting potions from various Templar-type organizations with non-adventuring paladins. Paladins have some excellent spells, though few people notice them.

Potion of Divine Sacrifice: take 2hp to add +1d6 when attacking, (Max 10hp/+5d6)

Oil of Bless Weapon: crit threats against evil targets are automatic crits, counts as a +1 vs incorporeal, and Blessed/Holy. Extra handy when fighting those things that require a crit threat to hit.

Potion of the Brute (aka "Jyhad"): lose some mental stats to get beefier. Our cleric refers to it as "The Paladin's on Jyhad"

Oil of Holy Sword: It's a bottle of +5 weapon with massive bonuses against the evils.

 

[Chimera]

House Rules
Any spell of up to 3rd level can be put into a potion. A certain (NPC only) race can put 4th level spells into potions.

In my last campaign, the group came upon a mob of 60 mind-controlled people headed toward a village, each of these individuals carrying a single Potion of Fireball. They stopped them about 1/4 mile short of the village, unfortunately with a massive chain reaction of fireballs setting off other fireballs. I think it killed one member of the group and 2 of their NPCs. Quite a lot better than had those people made it to the village...

 

[iceifur]

My personal favorite potion? Potion of Cure Minor Wounds. The 25 gp Stabilizer!

I also like potions Inflict X Wounds for undead. Mmm...undead healing...

-B-

 

[Saeviomagy]

Ok. Lets look at this logically.

What possible uses for potions are there?

1. Emergency

Erm. That's it.
In fact, the only time you need to have a potion (as opposed to a scroll, which is half the price) is when there is no appropriate spellcaster nearby.

So - in a fight, when the spellcasters are far away (so - potions of cure X wounds, or potions that vastly help in a certain combat situation), or in situations where you simply don't have a spellcaster.

Cure wound potions should never be used between combats (because there is always time to get to a scroll or wand). Use them to fill up hitpoints when you're really low.

What other potions could I see a use for?

Restricted use protection spells seem good - because each party member needs it. Unfortunately all choices about a potion have to be made when you make the potion, which makes them almost useless for elemental resistances and the like.

In general, my tactics for potions are
1. Always have a CMW or better on each party member. Buy them if necessary.
2. Use them as a last resort if someone goes down.
3. Keep non curing potions found during an adventure - if you sell them, you only get as much as a scroll anyway.
4. Never buy any other potion unless you've got no casters in the party.

 

[Laurel]

Just one lonely bard

Potions are currently one thing saving my group over and over and over and.. well you get the picture.
Our spell caster is the one bard. So potions are a good thing for us to have around as back-up magic. Not just healing, but spider climb, invisability... there is a whole gambit we have used. This allows our bard for more in the moment needed spells.

But I can see how with maybe more balanced group potions maybe more trivial.

 

[Angcuru]

"in case of broken cleric, potion"

ROFL!

 

[CrazyDrake]

personally, i find potions to be useless one the whole, though there are two exceptions:

one shot games (why buy anything else?)

potions of cure minor wounds. you know, that 0th level spell that only heals one hit point... every char should have a couple of these handy, so they can stabilize anyone in the party.

 

[Goblyn]

Potions of higher level spells?

I can't remember where I've seen it, but I seem to recall a feat called 'Improved Brew Potion' or somesuch that allowed a character to make potions of up to 6th(or 9th) level.

Anyone familiar with htis feat? Maybe it would solve the useless potion problem. Potion of Heal, anyone?

...

Maybe it's already been mentioned.