Dealing damage and weakening enemies in Skyrim isn’t just about swinging swords and shooting beams of lightning. For those who seek an advantage over their enemies, plenty of flora, fauna, and fungi come in handy for creating toxic concoctions.

Some players find Skyrim’s alchemy mechanics a bit daunting at first, since ingredients are shrouded in mystery at the beginning of the game. With this guide, though, they’ll whip up deadly brews in no time. An alchemically shrewd Dragonborn can coat their weapons in poison — or, with a high enough Pickpocket skill, simply slip any of these mixtures into a foe’s pocket and watch it take effect.

Updated September 26, 2021 by Demaris Oxman:For Skyrim’s cleverest Dragonborn, alchemy remains a key aspect of any playthrough. Though players can use plenty of mixtures to heal and buff themselves to godlike heights, some may use their alchemical prowess in a more sinister way. Poisons in Skyrim can chip away at a foe’s health, but they can do so much more: decrease important stats, create weaknesses, or even manipulate their minds. To that end, this list has been updated with more recipes, as well as information on where to find ingredients.

13 Swamp Fungal Pod + Purple Mountain Flower + Imp Stool

Effects: Paralysis, Lingering Damage Magicka

Are slippery mages proving a challenge for the Dragonborn? With this poison, they’re an issue no longer. Though this brew only boasts two effects, it can save the player’s hide in the right situations.

Paralysis is one of the most useful poison effects, giving players a window to land hits on fast-moving opponents — like high-level mages that tend to leap around the battlefield. With the additional Lingering Damage Magicka effect, these opponents will have a harder time casting spells even when they get back up.

Ingredient Locations

  • Look for
  • Swamp Fungal Pods
  • in the marshes around Morthal.
  • Purple Mountain Flowers
  • are common in the wilderness in the Rift, and along mountain paths.
  • Imp Stools
  • are typically found in caves and other dark, damp areas.

12 Daedra Heart + Powdered Mammoth Tusk + Juniper Berries

Effects: Weakness To Fire, Damage Stamina Regen, Fear

Apply this poison to a weapon with a fire enchantment, and enemies will turn to ash as they flee from the Dragonborn’s presence. Weakness to Fire leaves enemies vulnerable to magical damage; meanwhile, Damage Stamina Regen decreases their capacity to attack.

Finally, Fear causes enemies to turn and run. Thus, this poison is perfect for thinning out crowds of enemies. When the Dragonborn is overwhelmed by draugr, use this poison to force a few of them to run away.

  • Daedra Hearts
  • are rare, but can be found on the corpses of Daedric foes. Alchemy shops also carry them, but they’re quite expensive.
  • Powdered Mammoth Tusk
  • may be found as a rare drop from Forsworn. Players can also receive it by purchasing an Alchemy Lab for their home with the
  • Hearthfire
  • DLC.
  • Look for
  • Juniper Berries
  • in the wilderness of the Reach.

11 Salt Pile + Trama Root + Hagraven Feathers

Effects: Damage Magicka, Weakness to Shock, Slow

This brew proves excellent for weakening opponents who prefer magical attacks. Damage Magicka, naturally, makes it much more difficult for foes to unleash high-level spells. Meanwhile, Weakness to Shock allows the player to drain their enemies’ magicka even further with spells of their own.

Slow, meanwhile, shows up a few times on this list considering its utility. When one’s opponents move at half their usual speed, it’s easier for the Dragonborn to dodge incoming attacks and cut enemies down.

  • Salt Piles
  • are commonly found in homes, camps, and can be bought cheaply from shops.
  • Trama Root
  • is exclusive to the
  • Dragonborn
  • DLC, and grows all over Solstheim.
  • Find
  • Hagraven Feathers
  • on defeated Hagravens, or buy them from alchemists to avoid the hassle.

10 Abecean Longfin + Ice Wraith Teeth + Bleeding Crown

Effects: Weakness To Poison, Weakness to Frost, Weakness To Fire

Destruction mages rejoice! With this brew, enemies are left more vulnerable to fire and frost spells. Though players will initially need a weapon to apply the poison, they’re left free to shoot Firebolts and Icicle Spears afterwards. The effect also works with fire and frost enchantments on weapons.

What’s more, Weakness to Poison ensures that if the Dragonborn wants to apply another toxic effect, it will pack a bigger punch. Some players tend to overlook poison effects that don’t directly damage stats, but don’t underestimate the impact of weakening a foe’s defenses.

  • Catch
  • Abecean Longfin
  • in Skyrim’s lakes and rivers, or breed them in a fish hatchery with
  • Hearthfire
  • .
  • Kill
  • Ice Wraiths
  • to loot their fangs.
  • Find
  • Bleeding Crown
  • in caves and other underground areas.

9 Nightshade + Skeever Tail + Silverside Perch

Effects: Damage Health, Ravage Health, Damage Stamina Regen

Nightshade is always a reliable ingredient when it comes to poisons in Skyrim. While this recipe’s effects may be simple, they’re also highly destructive. Ravage Health decreases the target’s max health, while Damage Health takes out of chunk of HP.

Lastly, Damage Stamina Regen makes it much harder for enemies to regain enough stamina to perform effective power attacks in quick succession. This makes it easier for players to avoid the hardest hits, and sneak a few blows in themselves.

  • Several
  • Nightshade
  • plants grow in the cemeteries in Solitude, Riften, and Falkreath.
  • Kill
  • Skeevers
  • in cellars and caves to loot their tails.
  • Catch
  • Silverside Perch
  • in Skyrim’s lakes and rivers, or breed them in a fish hatchery with Hearthfire.

8 Scathecraw, Orange Dartwing, Giant Lichen

Effects: Ravage Health, Ravage Magicka, Lingering Damage Health

A great poison to employ against high-level magic users, this poison deals an initial hit to both Health and Magicka. The Ravage effect decreases the max value of these stats, making targets weaker and less magically effective even if they manage to heal.

What’s more, Lingering Damage Health is always a helpful effect for poisoners. Decreasing the target’s health by a certain amount every second, it does the work of a player’s attacks for them.

  • Orange Dartwings
  • may be found hovering over Skyrim’s lakes and streams.
  • Scathecraw
  • is a
  • Dragonborn
  • -exclusive ingredient, and grows all over Solstheim.
  • Giant Lichen
  • are common around the marshes east of Solitude.

7 Deathbell + Falmer Ear + Blisterwort

Effects: Frenzy, Damage Health, Ravage Stamina

Deathbell is a poison powerhouse, and Skyrim’s more devious alchemists will find themselves turning to it time and again. This recipe makes use of its Damage Health and Ravage Stamina effects, while the other two ingredients bring Frenzy into play.

When under the influence of Frenzy, the target will attack any creature in range. Hostile guards will turn on civilians; bandit leaders will go after their henchmen. Use it as a distraction to slip away, or simply to get an enemy to help weaken other opponents.

  • Deathbell
  • are plentiful around Morthal and throughout the wilderness of Hjaalmarch.
  • Predictably,
  • Falmer Ears
  • can be looted from killed Falmer.
  • Like most mushrooms,
  • Blisterwort
  • is most common in caves and dark, damp areas.

6 Giant Lichen, Skeever Tail, Deathbell

Effects: Damage Health, Ravage Health, Weakness to Poison

Poisons of Weakness to Poison are a bit of an inside joke among Skyrim fans, but that doesn’t mean they’re not useful. Not only does this brew gouge an enemy’s health bar, it also leaves them more vulnerable to further poison attacks.

Make this recipe in bulk, and reapply it to weapons in between hits in battle. Each toxic hit will be more brutal than the last, making it easy to quickly wear down even the toughest opponents.

  • Giant Lichen
  • are common around the marshes east of Solitude.
  • Kill
  • Skeevers
  • in cellars and caves to loot their tails.
  • Deathbell
  • are plentiful around Morthal and throughout the wilderness of Hjaalmarch.

5 Nightshade + Human Heart + Chicken’s Egg

Effects: Damage Magicka Regen, Damage Health, Lingering Damage Stamina

All three major stats take a hit with this poison, each in a different way. Whether players face an opponent that relies on power attacks or Destruction spells, a weapon coated with this mixture will put targets at a disadvantage, as well as decreasing HP.

This brew is a good one to keep on hand during exploration, when players have no idea what enemies they might encounter. No matter what might try to attack the Dragonborn, this poison can help counter it.

  • Look for
  • Nightshade
  • in the cemeteries in Solitude, Riften, and Falkreath.
  • Human Hearts
  • are rare, and can sometimes be found in the hideouts of vampires or other evil mages.
  • Look for
  • Chicken Eggs
  • in animal pens. With
  • Hearthfire
  • , players can raise chickens of their own for an endless egg supply.

4 Deathbell + River Betty + Thistle Branch

Effects: Slow, Damage Health, Ravage Stamina

Not all Damage Health ingredients are equally toxic, and Deathbell and River Betty both pack a more sickening punch than more common ingredients. When players use them both in a Damage Health poison, that mixture will deal more damage than, for example, Falmer Ear and Red Mountain Flower.

Meanwhile, Slow reduces the speed of the target’s attacks, making it much easier for players to avoid damage. The mixture also cuts off some of the enemy’s Stamina resources, making it harder for them to pull off harsh blows.

  • See above for
  • Deathbell
  • Catch
  • River Betty
  • in Skyrim’s lakes and rivers, or breed them in a fish hatchery with
  • Hearthfire
  • .
  • Thistle Branches
  • are abundant in temperate areas, such as Whiterun Hold.

3 Poison Bloom + Deathbell + Namira’s Rot

Effects: Slow, Damage Health, Fear

Fear is a great effect to use when facing crowds of enemies, or when the player is overwhelmed and needs to catch their breath. When hit with this effect, the target will flee in terror and will not attack.

With the added Slow effect, though, they won’t get very far — which leaves the Dragonborn free to keep attacking without their enemy retaliating. And of course, Damage Health drops the enemy a little closer to zero HP.

  • Poison Bloom
  • is exclusive to
  • Dawnguard,
  • and can be found in Darkfall Passage.
  • See above for
  • Deathbell
  • Namira’s Rot
  • grow in caves and other dark underground areas.

2 Hagraven Feathers + Human Heart + Nightshade

Effects: Frenzy, Damage Health, Damage Magicka, Damage Magicka Regen

Boasting a whopping four effects, this poison is invaluable when fighting groups of dangerous magic-users. Damage Health is useful for any type of foe, while Damage Magicka and Damage Magicka Regen leave enemies unable to pull off powerful attacks.

And of course, Frenzy has been discussed above. With this effect, those under this poison’s influence will attack their own allies, innocent passers-by, or whoever happens to be closest.

  • Find
  • Hagraven Feathers
  • on defeated Hagravens, or buy them from alchemists.
  • Human Hearts
  • are rare, and can sometimes be found in the hideouts of vampires or other evil mages.
  • Several
  • Nightshade
  • plants grow in the cemeteries in Solitude, Riften, and Falkreath.

1 Imp Stool + Mora Tapinella + Human Flesh

Effects: Paralysis, Damage Health, Lingering Damage Health

Leave enemies immobilized while their life force drains away. With the one-two hit of Damage Health and Lingering Damage Health, enemy HP will quickly reduce by a dangerous amount. What’s more, the Paralyze effect leaves them helpless on the ground while the player attacks and the poison drains their life away.

In desperate situations, this brew nearly always allows the Dragonborn to regain the upper hand — or at least level the playing field. It’s one for skilled alchemists to make as much as possible.

  • Imp Stools
  • are typically found in caves and other dark, damp areas.
  • Mora Tapinella
  • grow on tree stumps and fallen logs. Several can be found in Autumnshade Clearing.
  • Human Flesh
  • can sometimes be found in the hideouts of vampires or other evil mages, or where the Black Sacrament has been performed.