Welcome to the Everything to Know About Minecraft Potions and Brewing Tutorial from Team Visionary.

Introduction

Potions are not a novel concept in video games. Most games have some sort of consumables, along the lines of potions, that can be used to gain a small, temporary positive effect for a small period of time, or used to gain health, mana, spell slots, and other similar resources. The same applies to Minecraft, which comes with dozens of unique, customizable, even, potions that are designed to help you with your gameplay.

Given the vast amount of other things to do in Minecraft, however, most of which are not combat – related, it makes sense that for many casual players, potions are not incredibly well – known — it’s not uncommon for vanilla survival players to run through their entire playthrough without having used a single potion, and even less uncommon for players to feel as though Minecraft is such a simple block game that these extra consumables (beyond the occasional porkchop or so) are wholly unnecessary. 

However, Minecraft potions are actually incredibly helpful, even for casual players! While it’s obviously undeniable that a Strength, Invisibility, and Instant Health potion can bring in turn the tides in any PvP match or intense combat  — and it’s what most people think of when Minecraft brewing is brought up — there are also uses for potions in survival, mining and even building during your vanilla survival gameplay! 

For instance, the Night Vision potion can help you mine better in even the darkest depths of the world, the Jump Boost potion can help you get to hard – to – reach spots when building, and the Water Breathing potion can help you when you’re exploring one of those sprawling deep sea temples for treasure! 

So, without further ado, we’re here today to go through each and every potion there is in Minecraft, how you can most easily obtain them, and how their buffs can make your Minecraft survival, PvP and multiplayer gameplay life so much easier! 

What are Potions?

If you’re a Minecraft newbie looking for an introduction to these wonderful little bottles of magic and joy, start here! If you’re a grizzled Minecraft veteran, however, you can skip right on ahead — you probably already know this. Take a look at some of the Team Visionary Minecraft Building ideas and tips for some inspiration.

Potions are essential bottled substances that give you effects when drunk, or splashed on the ground. Each potion is unique and is made by combining a wide variety of different items that you come across in your world. They provide buffs that range from simple things like making you move faster for a set amount of time (Speed), to some more complicated and unique effects such as making you invisible (Invisibility) or making you slowly float down like a chicken when you fall (Slow Falling). 

Admittedly, they are a little hard to get (and get into), and also require quite a bit of work to start mass producing. Potions have been around for ages, but many casual Minecraft players have never used them before or have no idea what they do — and that’s what we’re aiming to fix! 

How (Else) Do I Get Potions?

There are actually quite a couple of ways to obtain potions, with the most common and reliable method, of course, being brewing your own — which we’ll go a bit more in depth about later on. Many might believe that brewing is the only way to get potions, but there are, actually, quite a handful of other ways you can get your hands on them! 

If you’re just looking to collect a couple of random potions here and there, you might find that some of these methods are a lot easier to access but can be much less reliable or consistent than getting a brewing setup up and running.

Mob Drops

The first method is… well, beating monsters up like a pinata until they cough up a potion that you want — to be more specific, the witch mob! 

Witches in Minecraft have a chance of dropping one of four potions; but for you to obtain a potion from a witch, you’d have to kill it while it’s actually drinking the potion whilst fighting you. If you kill it at the right time, you have a 8.5% chance of it dropping said potion upon death. 

This is an effective method of getting potions but you are limited to only getting four types of potions — and even then, you’ll still have to wait for the witch to drink the potions before you can kill it. This is… definitely not a recommended way to farm for your potions, unless you have lots of time and really don’t want to get into brewing. 

This does not mean that witches are completely useless for your brewing endeavors, however, as you’ll find out pretty soon that you need tons of different items from the Minecraft world to brew your own potions, and witches have a very expansive drop table, with almost all of their dropped items being ingredients for making potions.

There is another mob that has a small chance of dropping a potion, and it’s the Wandering traders. However, the chance of you finding one and killing it is extremely low — so this is also not a way you should be betting on for your potion needs.

Fishing

Next up, we have fishing! Through fishing, you have a small chance to get a bottle of water. These are, admittedly, not full potions, these bottles of water can become extremely useful when it comes to brewing your own potions, especially when it’s early game and smelting glass is pretty low on your list of to-do’s. 

The water bottles are located within the junk loot section of the loot table of fishing. In total you have about a 1% chance of getting a water bottle from fishing. This method is only recommended as a side farm for if you’re already planning a day of fishing; otherwise, it’s not recommended to get water bottles using this as they are pretty easy to craft on their own and it wouldn’t be too efficient to obtain them through just fishing.

Chests / Dungeon Loot

Your third option is to sift through the random chest loot found in specific locations, which have a chance of containing some splash potions of Instant Health and Weakness. This is more of a reward for exploration rather than a sustainable farm of potions, but if you enjoy exploring more than brewing, it can be a nice way to get your hands on a few extra splash potions for free.

Trading

Lastly, we have bartering — trading with piglins may reward you with a bottle of water or a splash potion of fire resistance. This will cost you a bit of gold and so isn’t too sustainable compared to brewing, but it may be worth it in certain circumstances — like if you find yourself stuck in the nether without any fire resistance — yikes! 

Different Types of Potions

Before we start talking about how to brew your own potions, let’s first cover all the potions within Minecraft and what they do. In total, there are about 28 different potions and each comes with its own unique effects. Some potions offer instant effects, while others offer an effect that lasts for a specific duration.

Base Potions 

First up we have the base potions, these potions offer no benefit and give you nothing when consumed but they are the base used to make other potions.

Water Bottle – You can obtain a water bottle by simply holding a glass bottle in your hand and right clicking on water. You can get water from either a water source block or from a cauldron filled with water, though if you get water from a cauldron it will consume ⅓ of the water in it — while if you get water from a water source, it will remain unaffected.

Awkward Potions – This is the base potion for all effect potions.

Thick Potions –  This potion has no use and if you get this potion it means you have made a mistake while you were trying to brew a potion. This potion can be made if you brewed a water bottle with glowstone dust — just throw it out 🙁 

Mundane Potion – This potion can be used to craft a potion of weakness, but this potion can also be created if you make a mistake while trying to brew potions. Typically, it’s made if you brewed potion ingredients into a bottle of water instead of an awkward potion.

Effect Potions

Potion of Regeneration – There are three variations of this potion, each with its own effects. Each variation offers a different potency or duration depending on how it’s made. The variations are as follows: potion of regeneration, potion of regeneration+ and potion of regeneration 2.

Potion of Regeneration lasts for 45 seconds and restores 9 hearts of health over time, healing half a heart every 2.5 seconds .

Potion of Regeneration+ lasts for 2 minutes and restores 18 hearts of health over time, healing the same as the normal potion.

Potion of Regeneration 2 lasts for 22 seconds and restores 9 health over time, healing half a heart every 1.25 seconds.

Potion of Swiftness –  These potions also come in three different variations: potion of swiftness, potion of swiftness + and potion of swiftness 2.

Potion of Swiftness lasts for 3 minutes and increases your movement speed by 20% and also gives you a greater POV while sprinting.

Potion of Swiftness + provides the same benefits as the original potion, the only difference being the duration increases form 3 minutes to 8 minutes.

Potion of Swiftness 2 lasts for 1 minute and 30 seconds and provides a 40% increase in movement speed and also provides a greater POV while sprinting.

Potion of Fire Resistance – This potion comes in two different variations though unlike the previous two the different variations do not offer more/less potent effects but rather only duration.

Potion of Fire Resistance and Potion of Fire Resistance + , both provide immunity from any source of heat related damage in Minecraft, with the only difference being that the potion of fire resistance lasts 3 minutes while the potion of fire resistance + lasts 8 minutes.

Potion of Night Vision – This potion comes in two different variations, both of which provide the same effect but offer different durations.

Potion of Night vision and Potion of Night Vision +, both of these potions visually brighten up everything to a light level of 15, the only difference being that the potion of night vision lasts 3 minutes while the potion of night vision + lasts for 8 minutes.

Potion of Strength – This potion comes in three different variations : potion of strength,potion of strength + and potion of strength 2.

Potion of Strength  lasts for 3 minutes, it increases your melee damage by 1 and a half hearts of damage.

Potion of Strength + lasts for 8 minutes, it increases your melee damage by 1 and a half hearts of damage.

Potion of Healing – This potion comes in two different variations : potion of healing and potion of healing 2.

Potion of Healing restores 2 hearts the instant it is consumed, and the Potion of Healing 2  heals a total of 4 hearts the instant it is consumed.

Potion of Leaping –  This potion comes in three different variations: potion of leaping, potion of leaping+ and potion of leaping 2.

Potion of Leaping lasts for 3 minutes and allows the player that consumes it to jump higher and take less fall damage.

Potion of Leaping+ has the same effects as the original potion except it lasts for 8 minutes instead of 3.

Potion of Leaping 2 lasts for  only 1 minute and 30 seconds but provides a greater jump boost then the previous ones and also reduces fall damage.

Potion of Water Breathing – This potion comes in two different variations: potion of water breathing and potion of water breathing +. 

Both of the potions prevent the oxygen bar from decreasing when the player is underwater, the only difference being that the potion of water breathing lasts only 3 minutes while the potion of water breathing + lasts for 8 minutes.

Potion of Invisibility – This potions comes in two different variations : potion of invisibility and potion of invisibility +.

Both of the potions make the player invisible the only difference being that potion of invisibility lasts for 3 minutes and the potion of invisibility + lasts for 8 minutes.

Keep in mind that when you use this potion it only makes you invisible and not the armor you are wearing or the tools you are holding. You are not completely invisible to all mobs; if you get too close to mobs, they will be able to detect and attack you.

Potion of Slow Falling – This potion comes in two different variations : potion of slow falling and potion of slow falling +.

Both of these potions make the player fall at a slower pace and not take fall damage when you hit the ground. As a by-product of slow falling you are also able to cover a 6 block gap when you sprint jump. The only difference between the two potions is that the potion of slow falling lasts for 1 minute and 30 seconds while the potion of slow falling + lasts for 4 minutes.

Potion of the Turtle Master – This potions comes in three different variations : potion of the turtle master, potion of the turtle master + and potion of the turtle master 2.

Potion of the turtle master and Potion of the turtle master+ slows the player by 60% and reduces that players incoming damage by 60%. The only difference between the two potions is that the potion of the turtle master lasts for 20 seconds while the potion of the turtle master + lasts for 40 seconds.

Potion of the turtle master slows the player by 90% and also reduces that players incoming damage by 90% for 20 seconds.

Potion of Poison – This potion comes in three different variations : potion of poison, potion of poison + and potion of poison 2.

Potion of poison deals 18 hearts of damage over 45 seconds but is unable to reduce health below half a heart.

Potion of poison + deals 36 hearts of damage over 1 minute and 30 seconds but is unable to reduce health below half a heart.

Potion of poison 2 deals 19 hearts of damage over 22 seconds but is unable to reduce health below half a heart.

Potion of Weakness – This potion comes in two different variations : potion of weakness and potion of weakness +.

Both of the potions reduce melee damage by 2 hearts, the only difference being that the potion of weakness lasts for 1 minute and 30 seconds while the potion of weakness + lasts for 4 minutes.

Potion of Slowness – This potion comes in three different variations : potion of slowness, potion of slowness + and potion of slowness 4.

Potion of slowness and potion of slowness +  both lower the affected plays speed by 15%, the only difference being that the potion of slowness lasts for 1 minute and 30 seconds while the potion of slowness + lasts for 4 minutes.

Potion of slowness 4 lowers the affected players movement speed by 60% and lasts for 20 seconds.

Potion of Harming – This potion comes in two variations : potion of harming and potion of harming 2.

Both potions instantly damage the affected player with the potion of harming dealing a total of 3 hearts of damage and the potion of harming 2 dealing a total of 6 hearts of damage.

Brewing Potions

Now that you know all the potions that exist and what every potion does, we can finally start talking about how to brew them! 

Before you start brewing, you’ll first need access to a few items and blocks. The most important block that you will need to get is the brewing stand. This is the block that’s used to make all the potions within Minecraft and is essential for you to make potions. 

In order for you to be able to craft a brewing stand, you’ll need to have access to the nether, since the recipe is as follows: 1 blaze rod in the middle of the 9×9 and 3 pieces of cobblestone in the bottom row. Aside from the brewing stand itself, you will also need blaze powder inorder to fuel it — and a ton of glass bottles to make potions in.

To use the brewing station, simply place water bottles within the bottom boxes that have a faint water bottle outline. Then, you can place the main ingredient on the top box. After a few seconds, it’ll brew said item into the bottle.This may sound simple, but brewing takes a few steps, as every potion you make will require multiple items, depending on if you want the effets to be longer or stronger it will require different items.

When it comes to brewing potions, there are 2 main steps you need to take. The first step is to create a base potion. As mentioned above you should not brew an item into a bottle of water — if you do this without making an awkward potion beforehand, you’ll end up with a thick potion which has no use. 

So, to make your first potion, place your water bottles into the water bottle slot and then place a nether wart into the item slot. Doing this will give you an awkward potion. Once you have the awkward potion, you can move on to making a specific potion.

After you have completed the first step you can begin the second step — which is to add the effect ingredient. This ingredient varies depending on the type of potion you want to make; below are listed of what ingredients you can use to make what potions.

Sugar – Used to create a potion of swiftness.

Rabbit’s Foot – Used to create the potion of leaping.

Fermented Spider Eye – This is a special ingredient; it can be used on multiple potions after you have already put in the effect ingredient, after which it’ll change certain potions into other potions. You can also use it on awkward potions to create a potion of weakness.

It will turn Potion of Swiftness and Potion of Leaping into Potion of Slowness, when used on the Potion of Healing or Potion of Poison, you will get Potion of Harming; and when used on the Potion of Night Vision you will get Potion of Invisibility.

Blaze Powder – Used to create a potion of strength. 

Glistering Melon – Used to create a potion of healing.

Spider eye – Used to create a potion of poison.

Ghast Tear – Used to create a potion of regeneration.

Magma Cream – Used to create a potion of fire resistance.

Pufferfish – Used to create a potion of water breathing.

Golden Carrot  – Used to create a potion of night vision.

Turtle Shell – Used to create a potion of the turtle master.

Phantom membrane – Used to create a potion of slow falling.

Using one of the ingredients above, you can create any potion you might need. After you have your potion you can use it as you please — but if you want to make them stronger or last longer, you can brew them one more time with a modifier ingredient. There are 2 modifier ingredients in Minecraft, redstone dust and glowstone dust.

If you apply redstone dust to a potion it will increase its duration, This works on most of the potions. After you apply the redstone dust you will get the “+” version of that potion.

If you apply glowstone dust to the potion it will increase the potency of the potion, making it strong.This also works for about 75% of the potions, you can refer to the potion list above to see which potions you can apply this to, they will be listed as Potion of XXX 2.

Simple Automatic Brewing Setups

There you have it, you now know everything you need to know about potions. Though it is a pretty simple process and it’s not too bad if you only want a handful of potions at a time, the process can get really tedious and repetitive if you need a lot of potions. There is a simple solution for this, however! You can make an automatic potion brewer if you’re willing to get your hands a little dusty with some redstone. This automatic brewer is capable of making hundreds of potions over time and only requires you to fill it up with the correct ingredients. 

To make this machine you will need 4 chests, 3 hoppers, a brewing stand, a sticky piston, 4 droppers,a redstone block,a redstone torch, 5 pieces of redstone dust and a button. For a machine that could potentially save you a ton of time, it is fairly cheap and you can set one up pretty early on. After you have collected all the materials you need you need to clear out a 3×3 area for the machine.

First you will place 2 chests and a hopper that is facing into the chests — this will be the collection area for your finished potions.You can expand this if you are planning to brew more than a double chest of potions at a time. Next, you’ll want to place the brewing stand on the hopper and then another hopper that is going into the brewing stand. This will put the brewing stand in between 2 hoppers, where the hopper on the top will feed the brewing stand with the ingredients and the hopper on the bottom will remove the completed potions. (If you’re starting to get lost, refer to the images below!)

Next, place a redstone block next to the bottom hopper and then place the sticky piston beside the brewing stand facing down with the sticky part touching the redstone block. When doing this you will need to break the block below the redstone block to ensure that the redstone block has somewhere to go. After that, place a dropper on top of the piston facing towards the top hopper. If you’ve followed the instructions properly so far, then your machine should look something like this.

Next you will want to place a hopper above the double chest. When you do this make sure that the hopper is feeding into the brewing stand and not the chests below it, then place a double chest on the hopper you have just placed.This double chest will be your storage for the water bottle that’s going to be used.

Next, place the remaining 3 droppers — place 2 of the droppers on both of the free sides of the top hopper, then place the third dropper beside the brewing stand on the side that is directly opposite the sticky piston. These droppers are responsible for holding and inputting all of the ingredients used to create your potions. After you have done this your machine should look something like this.

For the final step you will need to place your redstone dust and redstone torch, first you will need to place 3 blocks of stone, the first one will be placed to the right of the double chests on the ground, the second one will be placed on the ground in the empty space below droppers 1 and 2 and the last one will be placed between dropper 1 and the dropper to the left of it. Then place redstone dust on top of the 3 stone block and the 2 droppers. Finally you can place your redstone torch to the left of dropper 1 and the button on the first stone block, when completed  it will look like this.

Now you have your very own automatic brewing station! To use this, you will first need to grab all the ingredients you will be using in order to make your potion then place them into the correct droppers. From looking at the image above you will place the nether warts on the right dropper on the top, the dropper that is above the hopper will hold the effect ingredient and the dropper to the left will hold the modifier ingredient. The fourth dropper that is beside the brewing stand will hold the blaze power that is responsible for fueling it.

After the ingredients are in their correct locations, you can press the button and it will automatically insert the ingredients in the correct order and pull out the potion when it is done being made.

If you think that pressing the button is too much work, then instead of using the button you can connect the redstone to a redstone clock that will activate the machine at a set time. Using the redstone clock is very useful if you want the machine to make potions nonstop.