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This article is about the Herblore skill. For information on training Herblore, see Herblore training.
"Potions" redirects here. For the item that players can obtain from the apothecary in Varrock, see Potion.
Herblore
Herblore
Also known as Herby, Herblaw, Herb
Release date 27 February 2002 (Update)
Members only Yes
Minimum level
for Hiscores
15
as of 12 Dec 2017
Players with
99
160,742
as of 4 Feb 2023
Players with 120 5,102
as of 4 Feb 2023
Players with
200M XP
1,159
as of 4 Feb 2023
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Herblore potion mixing

A player mixes a potion using the Herblore skill.

Herblore (Herblaw on RuneScape Classic) is a members-only skill that allows players to make their own potions. Before players are able to begin using it, they must first complete the Druidic Ritual quest. This gives enough Herblore experience to raise the skill to level 3, which is the first level at which players can make potions. Players that have not completed the quest may utilise the Assist system to borrow someone else's Herblore level and make potions, though they will not receive experience for doing so. Herblore is considered the most expensive skill to train.

Herblore appears to have been established by Sarah in Past A, as revealed after finishing the Meeting History quest and then talking to her.

Although it is easy to get Herblore to level 99, it is one of the most expensive skills in the game for players who buy all or most of the needed ingredients. Some players are known to have paid over 400 million coins to get 99. For players who gather the ingredients (most are available from monster drops and some spawn in various locations), it is much less expensive but quite time consuming. The current minimum requirement to be ranked (at approximately rank 765,861) on the hiscores for Herblore is level 15. As of 04 February 2023, there are 160,742 current members that have achieved level 99 in Herblore.

Herbs

Main article: Herb
File:Assorted herbs.png

Assorted Herbs

Grimy herbs

Main article: Herblore/Grimy herbs

Grimy herbs are herbs that have not yet been cleaned. They can be cleaned by clicking on the herb, which provides a small amount of herblore experience. Herbs are almost always obtained in their grimy state (from farming, monster drops etc.). Grimy herbs typically cost more than their clean counterparts because experience is gained from cleaning it. Although, players usually do not want to spend time cleaning the herbs. It is also suggested that players collect their own ingredients to reduce training costs.

Potions

See the Potion calculator for coins-per-experience-point analysis of potions using live data from the Grand Exchange Market Watch.
Note: The strength potion is the only potion available to non-members.
File:Potions.png

A variety of potions in their (3) form.

The potion-making process in Herblore takes two steps, each combining separate items. The first step involves adding a primary ingredient (usually a herb) to a vial of water (or a vial of coconut milk for some high-level potions), to produce an unfinished potion. This does not grant any Herblore experience. If you are trying to save money while doing herblore it is recommended to purchase vials and fill them with water yourself, as a vial is cheaper than a vial of water.

File:Filling water.png

A player filling vials with water -- East of Grand exchange

The second step involves adding a secondary ingredient (see below) to make a complete potion that may be drunk or sold (with the exception of a few potions made as part of a quest). This is the main method of gaining Herblore experience. Both steps can be done in batches, which is when the player's inventory contains several of the required items, one may "make all" or "make x".

The choice of herb and secondary ingredient dictate which potion is made. Each potion has a minimum Herblore level required before potions may be made, unless the assist system is used.

Potion Image Level XP Effect Primary Ingredient Secondary Ingredient Notes
Attack potion
Attack potion (3)
3 25 Temporarily boosts Attack by 10% plus 3
Antipoison 5 37.5 Cures poison and provides immunity for 3 minutes
Relicym's balm 8 40 Cures disease and provides immunity for a short time Must have at least started Zogre Flesh Eaters.
Strength potion
Strength potion (3)
12 50 Temporarily boosts Strength by 10% plus 3 This is the only potion available to non-members.
Serum 207 15 50 Temporarily cures Afflicted NPCs in Mort'ton Learned and required in Shades of Mort'ton; Can be sanctified to produce Serum 208
Guthix rest 18 59.5 Cures poison, restores some run energy, and boosts max life points by 50 if at full health Cup of hot water Requires a Cup of hot water instead of a Vial of water;
Made during One Small Favour
Guam tar 19 30 Ammunition and bait for Swamp lizard
Restore potion 22 62.5 Restores Attack, Strength, Defence, Magic, and Ranged by 30% of level plus 10 Does not restore Constitution, Prayer, or Summoning.
Guthix balance 22 50 Used against Vampire Juvinates and Vampire Juveniles, particularly in the Temple Trekking activity. Players receive partial experience (25 xp) for each of the secondary ingredients.

Requires In Aid of the Myreque.

Blamish oil 25 80 Used to make oily fishing rods during the Heroes Quest
Energy potion 26 67.5 Restores 20% run energy
Defence potion
Defence potion (3)
30 75 Temporarily raises Defence level by 10% plus 3 Generally not made - prayer potions, which also require a ranarr weed, are an effective defence against most attacks and far more widely used.
Marrentill tar
Marrentill tar
31 42.5 Ammo for Orange salamander
Super Fishing Explosive 31 55 Can be used as a Fishing Explosive Super Fishing Explosives can only be made after Kennith's concerns. Rubium is non-tradeable.
Agility potion
Agility potion (3)
34 80 Temporarily boosts Agility by 3 You can obtain Toadflax by purchasing it with agility tickets from the Brimhaven Agility Arena or Pest Control Points from Pest control, receiving it from a Random event gift, by growing it using the Farming skill, or buying it from the Grand Exchange. It is also a frequent reward for the Temple Trekking minigame.
Combat potion
Combat potion (3)
36 84 Effect of both Attack potion and Strength potion
Goblin potion 37 The potion transforms the player into a goblin during the Land of the Goblins quest The potion will wear off if the player wears something that isn't goblin related, if the player attacks something, or if the player approaches direct sunlight.Pharmakos berries are obtained by talking to the makeover mage,after quest. They are free.
Prayer potion 38 87.5 Restores 25% of player's Prayer level plus 7, resulting in a total restoration of 7-31 Prayer Points. Effect increased by holy wrench. A lifeline when fighting TzTok-Jad. Used lots in Barrows.
Tarromin tar 39 55 Ammo for Red salamander
Summoning potion
Summoning potion (3)
40 92 Restores 25% of player's Summoning level plus 7
Crafting potion
Crafting potion (3)
42 95 Temporarily boosts Crafting by 3
Harralander tar 44 72.5 Ammo for Black salamander
Super attack 45 100 Temporarily boosts Attack by 15% plus 5
Vial of stench
Vial of stench
46 After activation, allows players to sell goods stolen from stalls to the stall owners immediately Talk to Chief Thief Robin in the Thieves' Guild to activate it (after A Guild of Our Own). It only needs to be in inventory to work. The potion is not tradeable.
Super antipoison 48 106.3 Cures poison and provides immunity for 6 minutes
Fishing potion 50 112.5 Temporarily boosts Fishing by 3 Can be used to get into the Fishing Guild if you are a few levels short.
Super energy 52 117.5 Restores 40% run energy
Shrink-me-quick
Shrink-me-quick
52 6 Reduce player size during Grim Tales Quest
Hunter potion 53 120 Temporarily boosts Hunter by 3 Kebbit teeth are found from deadfalling Sabre-Toothed Kebbit.
Super strength 55 125 Temporarily boosts Strength level by 15% plus 5
Magic essence potion 57 130 Temporarily boosts Magic by 3 Made during A Fairy Tale Part II quest. Components are only available via the Fairy rings. The potion and the components are not tradeable.
Fletching potion
Fletching potion (3)
58 132 Temporarily boosts Fletching by 3
Weapon poison 60 137.5 For use on arrows, daggers, spears, javelins, darts, and knives
Super restore 63 142.5 Restores all stats including prayer points by 25% plus 8 You can only obtain Snapdragon by purchasing it with agility tickets from the Brimhaven agility activity or pest control points from Pest control, receiving it from a Random event gift, or by growing it using the Farming skill.
Sanfew serum
Sanfew serum (3)
65 128,
160,
or
192
Sanfew Serum combines the properties of super restore, cure poison, and cure disease potions all in one Nail Beast Nails are from Temple Trekking. Players receive partial experience (47.5, 52.5, and 60 xp for the 3-dose, e.g.) for each of the secondary ingredients. Experience varies based on the dosage.
Super defence 66 150 Temporarily boosts Defence by 15% plus 5
Antipoison+ 68 155 Cures and gives immunity to poison for 9 minutes Coconut milk Requires coconut milk in place of water.
Antifire 69 157.5 Temporarily provides some resistance to dragon's breath Can be used with an Anti-dragon shield or Dragonfire shield to completely prevent dragonfire damage. Each dose lasts for 6 minutes (you will get a 15 second warning before it runs out).
Ranging potion 72 162.5 Temporarily boosts Ranged by +10% plus 4
Weapon poison+ 73 165 For use on arrows, daggers, javelins, spears, darts and knives Coconut milk Requires coconut milk in place of water.
Magic potion 76 172.5 Temporarily boosts Magic by 5
Zamorak brew 78 175 Temporarily boosts Strength by 12% plus 2, Attack by 20% plus 2 and restores up to 9 Prayer points, but lowers Defence and life points by 10% plus 2 (or +20 in the case of life points) Torstol can only be obtained from the Yanille Agility dungeon herb chest, or grown using the Farming skill, or obtained as a drop from Nex.
Antipoison++ 79 177.5 Cures poison and provides immunity for 12 minutes Coconut milk Requires coconut milk in place of water.
Saradomin brew 81 180 Temporarily boosts Defence and life points but lowers Attack, Strength, and Range. See above for Toadflax locations.
Weapon poison++ 82 190 For use on arrows, daggers, spears, darts and knives, gives a (P++) name change. Coconut milk Requires coconut milk in place of water.
Recover special 84 200 Recovers Special attack bar by 25%. Can only be used every 30 seconds. This potion cannot be traded. Only the 3-dose Super energy potion can be used as an ingredient. See Zahur.
Super antifire 85 210 Provides complete resistance from dragon's breath for 5 minutes. This potion cannot be traded.
Extreme attack 88 220 Temporarily boosts Attack by 5 to 26 levels. This potion cannot be traded.
Extreme strength 89 230 Temporarily boosts Strength by 5 to 26 levels. This potion cannot be traded.
Extreme defence 90 240 Temporarily boosts Defence by 5 to 26 levels. This potion cannot be traded.
Extreme magic 91 250 Temporarily boosts 7 Magic levels. This potion cannot be traded.
Extreme ranging 92 260 Temporarily boosts Ranged by 4 to 23 levels. This potion cannot be traded.
Super prayer
Super prayer
94 270 Restores 35% of player's Prayer level plus 7, resulting in a total restoration of 7-41 Prayer Points. This potion cannot be traded.
Overload 96 1000 Grants the effect of all five potions for five minutes, without a gradual decrease, at the cost of a loss of 500 life points in waves of 100. You regain the 500 life points when the stat effects wear off. Clean torstol
Torstol
This potion cannot be traded.
  • Serum 207, all types of Tar, all types of Weapon poison, and Guthix balance potion (unlike its Saradomin and Zamorak brew counterparts) cannot be consumed, and are to be used for special purposes.
  • Potions from "Recover Special" to "Overload", which came out on 7 October 2009, with the "High-level Herblore Potions" update, does NOT work with lunar spells "Stat Restore Pot Share" and "Boost Pot Share", and CANNOT be made through the assist system as they are untradeable.

Barbarian potions

See the barbarian mix calculator for coins-per-experience-point analysis of barbarian mixes using live data from the Grand Exchange Market Watch.
Attack mix

In order to be able to make Barbarian mixes, Otto Godblessed must be talked to, located at Otto's Grotto (West of Baxtorian Falls). He will teach the basic Barbarian Skills needed to get the special ingredients for these mixes. He also teaches the decanting of 4 dose potions into two 2-dose potions by using any 4-dose potion on an empty vial.

Enhanced potion requirements:

All mixes that can be made from roe heal 30 life points per dose. All mixes that require caviar heal 60 life points per dose. Using caviar on potions that require roe does not make the potion heal 60 lifepoints per dose, the potion will still heal the usual 30 lifepoints. Apart from healing, all potions have the same effect as their corresponding normal potion seen in the table above. Although being able to restore life points, Barbarian potions are not recommended for PKing.

Mix Image Add Level XP
Attack mix 4 8
Anti-poison mix 6 12
Relicym's balm mix 9 14
Strength mix 14 17
Stat restore mix 24 21
Energy mix 29 23
Defence mix 33 25
Agility mix 37 27
Combat mix 40 28
Prayer mix 42 29
Super attack mix 47 33
Super anti-poison mix 51 35
Fishing mix 53 38
Super energy mix 56 39
Hunting mix 58 40
Super strength mix 59 42
Magic essence mix 61 43
Super restore mix 67 48
Super defence mix 71 50
Extra strong
anti-poison mix
74 52
Antifire mix 75 53
Ranging mix 80 54
Magic mix 83 57
Zamorak mix 85 58

Obtaining secondary ingredients

When training Herblore it is useful to have ample supplies of secondary ingredients.

Secondary Ingredient Price * Collection methods Potions
Eye of newt 10 coins (update) Can be bought in Port Sarim magic shop or in Herblore stores for 3 coins
Use Newtroost Creature Creation.
Attack potion, Super attack
Unicorn horn 3,404 coins (update) Kill unicorns or use Unicow Creature Creation. Anti-poison potion, Super anti-poison potion
Snake weed Untradeable Can be found on Karamja - requires Jungle Potion. Relicym's balm
Limpwurt root 5,190 coins (update) From Farming or from hill giant, cockatrice and hobgoblin drops. They also respawn in the hidden resource dungeon located in the Edgville Dungeon (requires level 20 dungeoneering). Strength potion, Super strength potion
Swamp tar 115 coins (update) Cave Slime drops, Warped tortoise drops or collected in Lumbridge swamp. Guam tar, Marrentill tar, Tarromin tar, Harralander tar
Red spiders' eggs 1,405 coins (update) Use SpidineCreature Creation. 2 respawns in the Varrock Sewers. The Edgeville Dungeon has 6 respawns in low level Wilderness. Also, those with level 10 Summoning can use the Egg Spawn scroll using a Spirit Spider. One respawns inside Karamja Volcano. Stat restore potion, Super restore potion, Guthix balance potion, Extra strong weapon poison
Chocolate dust 490 coins (update) Use pestle and mortar on chocolate bars. Chocolate bars or chocolate dust can be bought from Culinaromancer's chest, Port Sarim food store, or Grand Tree food supply stores for 20 coins and respawn in the Cooks Guild and Zanaris. Players can also buy chocolate bars from the bakers in the Ardougne market place. Energy potion
White berries 4,019 coins (update) From Farming, respawn at Red dragon isle (in wilderness) or use Elf teleport crystal and the respawn in Elven area. Defence potion, Super defence potion
Rubium Untradeable From Mining, Mined under Witchaven, Kennith's Concerns is required. Super Fishing Explosive
Toad's legs 595 coins (update) Respawns west of the Grand Tree and south-east of Taverley. Agility potion
Snape grass 134 coins (update) Respawns on Waterbirth Island and on peninsula west of Crafting Guild. Dropped by Chaos Druids, and Waterfiends. Prayer potion, Fishing potion
Mort Myre fungi 3,433 coins (update) Cast bloom with silver sickle on logs in Mort Myre Swamp in Morytania. Super energy potion
Crushed gorak claw Untradeable Kill Goraks. Magic essence potion
Dragon scale dust 625 coins (update) Taverley Dungeon, Blue Dragon area. Anti-fire potion

Weapon poison

Yew roots 1,001 coins (update) Only from Farming Yew trees. Extra strong anti-poison potion
Wine of zamorak Lua error in Module:Exchange at line 74: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Exchange/Wine of zamorak' not found. coins (update) Telegrab from table at the Chaos Temple (Asgarnia). Ranging potion
Potato cactus 5,249 coins (update) A few respawns in the Kalphite Lair. Combine with slayer assignments. Magic potion
Jangerberries 866 coins (update) Several respawns at Ogre Island (between Castle wars and Yanille). Bring a rope. Also from farming. Zamorak potion
Magic roots 4,002 coins (update) Growing, cutting down, and digging up Magic trees. Super strong anti-poison potion
Bird nest 6,833 coins (update) From Woodcutting, Miscellania, or for exchanging mole claws or mole skins. Saradomin brew
Poison ivy berries 3,263 coins (update) From bush Farming. Super strong weapon poison
Shrunk Ogleroot 83 coins (update) Taverley witch's house. Shrinking potion
Ashes 95 coins (update) From any log fire when it stops burning. Can also be obtained from monsters such as lesser demons and imps. Serum 207
Papaya 5,562 coins (update) Picked from a Papaya tree, grown with the Farming skill, or by using a Fruitfall scroll with the Fruit bat familiar. Recover special
Phoenix feather Untradeable Grabbed from a Desert phoenix near the clay mine in the Northeastern Kharidian Desert. Super antifire
Ground mud runes Untradeable Created by using Pestle and mortar on a Mud rune. Extreme magic
Grenwall spikes 994 coins (update) Obtained by trapping Grenwall using the Hunter skill. Extreme ranging
Wyvern bonemeal Untradeable Obtained by grinding Wyvern bones in the Ectofuntus grinder. Super prayer

Note: Another way to obtain Eye of Newt, Unicorn Horn, or Red spider's eggs would be Creature Creation, an activity achievable only after completing the Tower of Life quest. By defeating the appropriate creature, 2-10 of the item in question are dropped.

Money

With the introduction of grimy herbs, these herbs now reveal their identity. Hence, the price of grimy herbs depends on what level herbs they are. Chaos druids (as well as Aberrant spectres and Flesh crawlers) drop grimy herbs often, and on occasion may drop two. Aberrant Spectres may also drop three.

Many combat-related potions sell for high prices (prices are for 3 dose potions):

Potion Current GE price
Prayer potions 2,208 coins (update)
Summoning potions 23,173 coins (update)
Super restore potions 2,095 coins (update)
Weapon poison+ Lua error in Module:Exchange at line 74: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Exchange/Weapon poison+' not found. coins (update)
Weapon poison++ Lua error in Module:Exchange at line 74: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Exchange/Weapon poison++' not found. coins (update)
Set of all three super potions
(super attack, super strength, and super defence)
Expression error: Unexpected < operator. coins update
Super attacks 5,392 coins (update)
Super strength potions 15,217 coins (update)
Super defence potions 7,826 coins (update)

Some of these prices are under pressure as the number of herbalists that can make those potions increases. Prices of potions have fallen since the release of the Grand Exchange because of the ability to quickly sell potions in bulk.

Potion Production costs

For a full overview of profits/losses training Herblore; see Herblore/Production costs.

Temporary boosts

Herblore Emote

A player wearing a Herblore cape (t) and performing the Skillcape emote.

NPC Assistance

Bob Barter at the Grand Exchange will decant potions for free. Decanting results in potions of the same kind being consolidated into 4-dose potions as much as possible. For example, Bob Barter will decant six 3-dose strength potions into four 4-dose and one 2-dose potion. Noted potions may also be decanted; any noted / unnoted combinations of potions in your inventory will be treated independently of each other. This is a quick and easy way to free up Vials for reuse. 4-dose potions also tend to sell better on the grand exchange as the price is always the same per dose, so a 1-dose potion costs half of the price of a 2-dose potion. Prices may be rounded down.

Zahur in Nardah will clean grimy herbs for 200 coins per herb. This ability is seldom used, as the ability to make potions with the cleaned herb requires the herblore level to clean the herb.

Zahur will also decant 4-dose potions into 3-dose potions, for a small fee of 11 coins per vial supplied. Zahur's fee covers the price of empty vials required for the decanting, if you supply all vials required the service is free. Inventory space for the resulting potions is required, or Zahur will refuse to decant them. (21 4-dose potions would become 28 3-dose potions, filling inventory entirely, and seeing as one inventory space is required for coins, 20 is the maximum that can be decanted in one 'go' producing 26 3-dose potions (at a cost of 220) and one 2-dose potion.)

Herblore Habitat

Main article: Herblore Habitat

In the Herblore Habitat activity, there are ten potions that can be made using herbs grown there, and secondary ingredients found by hunting Jadinkos. All of these potions must be made in special juju vials bought from Papa Mambo, and some of them can be stored with tool leprechauns. These potions have special effects

See Juju potion and Herblore Habitat for more information.

Scroll of cleansing

This section is a stub. You can help by expanding it.
Main article: Scroll of cleansing

Trivia

  • In the game's fictional history, the skill owes its name to a temporal paradox. In the Meeting History quest when the player has travelled back in time and talks to the creator of the art, they mention Herblore and she replies by saying that that is the perfect name. This is a paradox as the player only mentioned this because they knew it from their own time but it appears they were the original inspiration. This paradox is known as a jin, where objects (or in this case information) has a circular time line, where a person receives an object or information from or due to a person and later goes back in time to give the object or information to them and have it age until it reaches the person that sends it back in time. In fact, the invention of the skill itself exists in a non-linear paradox - as, in the linear path of time, the creation of Herblore isn't mentioned. It is only after we alter events that lead to the present that Herblore is created.
  • Previously, the Druidic Ritual was required to drink mature greenman's ale for boosting Herblore levels to make potions, but an update has now prevented this.
  • Originally, herbs were identified rather than cleaned. All unidentified herbs or "unids" looked the same. It was changed due to the fact that scamming by use of unidentified herbs by telling other players that the herb was a higher level than it actually was. The Grand Exchange was also released shortly after this change, so that may also have been a contributing factor.
  • Also, when herbs where still known as "unids", despite the fact that all herbs looked the same in the "unid" form and had the same name they would still stack according to what they were. Being as such it was extremely proffitable for a player to buy all "unids" for 1k each, which was the common price, until said player had 8 or 9 different stacks in their bank. Then they would identify one from each stack to find out what each stack had in it. That being done they would put the stack of the low level herbs somewhere in their bank away from the rest. Then when they bought new herbs they would know what they were without having to identify them, and they would turn around and resell the low level ones for 1k each as unids.
  • Originally herbs grown from farming were identified, however the same update that changed unidentified herbs to grimy herbs gave grimy herbs from farming, thus allowing them a small amount of extra Herblore experience when farming
  • The Summoning potion and Sanfew Serum are the only potions which cannot be divided/split into lesser doses.
  • Without the required Herblore level to clean a herb the message "You cannot clean this herb. You need a Herblore level of (Minimum Level Here) to attempt this." appears.
  • Herblore cannot be trained to level 2, as it can not be trained at all before completing the quest, Druidic Ritual - which instantly levels players to level 3.
  • When training Herblore to the maximum level of 99, if players chose to gather their herbs and secondary materials, it would take up a huge amount of time, as herbs and ingredients are not easy to obtain. Therefore, almost all of the players who decide to achieve 99 Herblore buy their herbs and materials instead of gathering the herbs themselves.
  • If you try to clean a herb that you do not have the proper level to clean, it will say you Attempt to clean the herb, even though there is no chance of it failing when you do have the appropriate level.
  • Herblore is known as "Herblaw" in RuneScape Classic.
  • When you mix a herb into a vial of water, it shows the player using a funnel.
  • Even though you can make boosting potions for almost any skill, there is no such thing as a Herblore potion.
  • Bob Barter (herbs) will "decant" your potions, noted or not. the rate is exact. Four, (3)dose potions for Three (4) dose potions. Very handy for hundreds of potions.

See also

References

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