Risen 3 - Permanent plant location maps & alchemy guide
Introduction
In Risen 3, every attribute has a soft-cap of 100. Since the cost of upgrades using Glory scales upwards, using permanent alchemy potions is the most efficient method to complete your build.
In this guide, I will explain how alchemy works and share custom maps I've created to show the location of every single rare plant.
Please note: Risen 3 is not a punishing game. Min-maxing your build is not mandatory to finish the story. If you find plant hunting or crafting tedious, you can safely ignore alchemy and still enjoy the adventure without any major headaches.
Permanent plants
Throughout the game world, you will find rare plants that permanently increase your stats. They can be consumed raw for an immediate +2 to an attribute. However, they can be used as ingredients to brew permanent potions that grant +5 to an attribute.
Therefore, never eat raw plants. Save them for when you are able to craft the corresponding permanent potions.
Warning: It is not possible to increase an attribute above 100 (or above 105 if you have the Legendary Item related to that attribute, see the section below), even by consuming plants or potions.
To craft potions, you must learn the Brew Potions skill. There are several trainers:
- Cunningham (Kila)
- Emma (Antigua)
- Ixil (Kila)
- Nergal (Taranis)
- Neron (Skull Island, but hey, you are already at the end of the game here! :D)
Plant list
| Name | Attribute | Total | Total bonus (from potions) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bloodcap | Spirit | 8 | 40 |
| Hero's Crown | Toughness | 10 | 55 (+50 from crafted potions +5 found potion) |
| Hunter's Root | Ranged | 10 | 50 |
| Shadow Fire | Cunning | 11 | 55 |
| Soul Lichen | Magic | 10 | 55 (+50 from crafted potions +5 found potion) |
| Swordthorn | Melee | 10 | 50 |
| Thief's Herb | Dexterity | 10 | 50 |
| Tree Strangler | Influence | 10 | 55 (+50 from crafted potions +5 found potion) |
Quick rule to maximize: Subtract the "Total Bonus" value from 100. The result is the level you should reach using Glory before drinking your potions.
Example: If the Total Bonus for Toughness is 55, raise the attribute to 45 with Glory and then use all your potions to hit 100. This will save you a massive amount of Glory.
When to use potions?
Since the Glory cost increases drastically at higher levels, don't use your potions when your attribute level is still low.
Potions and plants, once consumed, increase the base value of your attribute. Consequently, this makes the next upgrade via Glory more expensive.
Maps
Antigua
- Hero's Crown 1: You can access this area either with a monkey, by going through a small opening in the rocks, or by flying as a parrot.
Calador
- Bloodcap 2: This area becomes accessible in Chapter 3.
- Soul Lichen 1: Tavern roof. You can reach it from the hill at the west exit, or by using a Parrot Flight to fly directly onto the roof.
- Swordthorn 2: On the tower near where the teleport stone is located. You need to climb onto the roof and transform into a parrot to fly there.
- Tree Strangler 2: This area becomes accessible in Chapter 3.
Crab Coast
Fog Island
- Bloodcap 1: On a shipwreck. You need to jump onto the upper level.
- Hero's Crown 1: In the shipwreck, at the back facing the water. You can reach it either by using a monkey or by grabbing the plant with a Telekinesis spell.
- Shadow Fire 2: Given by Domingo during dialogue. After asking why he joined the Inquisition, choose the 'Makes sense' option to receive this plant as a gift.
- Soul Lichen 1: In the Stone Circle, on top of one of the stones. Use Telekinesis to grab it, or fly up there in parrot form.
Isle of Thieves
- Bloodcap 1: Same cave as the Goblin King quest. At the fork, the Goblin King's room is on the right, keep going straight instead.
- Shadow Fire 1: There's an opening behind the Goblin King. Transform into a parrot and fly to this small island.
Kila
- Bloodcap 2: Inside the temple, in a room accessible with a monkey.
- Shadow Fire 2: To reach it, you must transform into a parrot from the plateau with Damaka and the 2 golems.
- Swordthorn 2: On a rock. You can get it either by using a telekinesis spell or by gliding from the Native Village transformed into a parrot.
- Tree Strangler 1: Near the puddle where an alligator is located.
- Tree Strangler 2: At the plateau with Damaka and 2 golems. Use parrot form to glide down to a small ledge nearby.
Please note: All plants behind the wall will only be accessible from Chapter 3.
Tacarigua
- Bloodcap 1: Behind the Swamp Golem, climb up the rocks.
- Hero's Crown 1: At the top of the mountain. To get there, you need to go to the beach and use the vines. It's the same spot you have to go to for Osorio's "Off and Away" quest.
- Hero's Crown 2: In the cave for the 'Polly's Daddy' quest. To trigger this quest, speak with Polly periodically. He will provide new dialogue bits over time until the quest finally unlock.
- Swordthorn 1: In the abandoned tower. You must use a monkey to access a small opening, which can be reached either from inside the tower (near the bed, behind the wardrobe) or from outside the tower, at the corner of the wooden barricade.
Taranis
- Shadow Fire 2: This area becomes accessible in Chapter 3.
- Soul Lichen 2: In the Mages' basement, in the room next to Nergal.
- Soul Lichen 3: In the warehouse window at the harbor. To get it, you will need a Telekinesis spell or a Parrot Flight scroll.
- Swordthorn 2: In the well. Accessible by climbing down the ladder in Nergal's basement or by jumping into the well located behind Magnus.
- Thief Herb 1: In the Mages' basement, found in the same room where Nergal is located.
- Tree Strangler 1: Climb up the rocks immediately to the right after the gate where Baker is located and follow a small path.
If you have trouble finding a specific plant, feel free to ask, I can provide more detailed directions or a screenshot.
Recipes
To craft permanent potions, you will need the corresponding recipes. Here is the complete list and how to obtain them:
- Cunning (Recipe for Shadow Elixir): Can be purchased from Nergal on Taranis.
- Dexterity (Recipe for a Potion of Dexterity): Can be purchased from Emma on Antigua. Note: You must first complete the quest "Emma's Hellswill".
- Influence (Recipe for Essence of Persuasion): Can be purchased from Tenya on Kila.
- Magic (Recipe for a Potion of Magic): Can be purchased from Bahati on Kila.
- Melee (Recipe for Swordthorn Essence): Found on Taranis, close to the chest where the Terrifying Golem ('Especially Big Haul' quest) is located.
- Ranged (Recipe for a Potion of the Eternal Hunter): Found in the ruins west of Calador. You must solve a Rotary Switch Puzzle to open the gate. Puzzle solution: https://steamcommunity.com/app/249230/discussions/0/35221584531349177
- Spirit (Recipe for Spirit Paste): Can be purchased from Nergal on Taranis.
- Toughness (Recipe for a Tincture of Toughness): On the island north of Kila, near the chest where the 'Strong Ghouls' for the quest 'All Cats Are Grey By Night' and a Swamp Golem are located
Recipe for a Potion of the Eternal Hunter Puzzle
Recipe for a Tincture of Toughness
Permanent potions found in the world
In addition to crafting, there are 3 extra permanent potions that can be found or obtained directly in the game world:
- Essence of Persuasion (+5 Influence) - Location: Calador, In the area near the lava. You will find it behind a Lava Golem.
- Soul Potion (+5 Magic) - Location: Fog Island. Complete the quest "United in the Afterlife". When Balthazar allows you to ask the last question, you MUST choose: "Can you teach me the secrets of your magic?" (the second dialogue option).
- Tincture of Toughness (+5 Toughness) - Location: Taranis. Obtained from Nergal as a reward for completing the quest "Herbs and Tinctures".
Note on Legendary Items
There is one Legendary Item for each attribute, providing a permanent +5 bonus.
How it works:
- Potions & Plants: These increase your base value. If you consume them, the Glory cost for the next level will increase accordingly.
- Legendary Items: These act as passive equipment. They are always active but do not increase the Glory cost for leveling up.
The cap: The combination of Glory + Potions can take an attribute to a maximum of 100. The Legendary Item bonus is added on top of this, allowing you to reach a total of 105.
You can collect Legendary Items at any time. They won't interfere with your leveling strategy or "steal" potential upgrades. Grab them as soon as you find them.
The "Freddie's Shackles" strategy (+10% Glory)
There is a specific Legendary Item called Freddie's Shackles that grants a permanent +10% Glory bonus on everything (kills, quests, etc.). Over the course of the game, this adds up to a massive amount of extra XP.
To maximize your gains, I highly recommend retrieving this item as soon as the prologue ends and you can sail:
- As soon as you can sail, go to Fog Island.
- Use a Parrot Flight scroll instantly.
- Fly to the Shackles' location (Check YouTube for a quick visual guide on how to reach this specific spot).
- Grab them, then use the Map to "Return to ship".
