Potion Tier List & Pick Guidelines [All Characters]

This article provides simple explanations and evaluations of potions, along with guidelines for when to keep or discard them.

It is aimed at beginners (no Ascension mode, A0). Feel free to use it as a companion to your runs.

Common Potions

Block Potion

Gain 12 Block.

Having this potion makes it much easier to fight Elites in Act 1, so I often save it during that act.

Especially useful for Ironclad. In Act 3, if incoming damage feels too high, I sometimes buy it from the merchant.

If your potion belt is full, the pick priority is low. Sometimes I just discard it.

Speed Potion

Gain 2 Dexterity.

A very straightforward buff, making it beginner-friendly for players still learning the game.

As you get more experienced (around 50% win rate at A0), it often feels like a drop in the bucket. Low pick priority.

That said, Silent benefits greatly from Dexterity, so I sometimes carry it all the way to the final boss.

Energy Potion

Gain 2 Energy.

If your deck’s key cards cost 2 or more, you may buy this before a boss fight.

Often discarded when potion slots are tight. Pick priority is relatively low.

Sometimes picked to help activate high-cost Defect decks.

Examples of high-cost Defect cards ▼

Explosive Potion

Deal 10 damage to ALL enemies.

Extremely strong against multi-enemy fights in Act 1 (Slimes, Gremlins). When this drops in Act 1, I get excited.

From Act 2 onward, I often use it casually and discard it.

However, I sometimes save it specifically for Byrds (enemies that halve attack damage) or Cultists (enemies that gain Strength each turn).

I’ve never bought this from a merchant.

Fire Potion

Deal 20 damage.

If all potion slots are full, I use it immediately in the current fight. With this potion, I confidently take on Act 1 Elites.

I’ve never bought this from a merchant.

Strength Potion

Gain 2 Strength.

Like Dexterity potions, it provides a very clear power boost, making it beginner-friendly. As you improve, its priority drops.

However, when playing Ironclad with a Strength deck (especially Limit Break), I often carry it as a “Strength seed.”

Even then, I rarely buy it—maybe only a handful of times over 1000 hours of play.

Draw Potion

Draw 3 cards.

Simply strong. Unless I find a potion that synergizes better with my deck, I keep this one carefully. Very low discard priority. Tier S.

Often purchased from merchants.

Weak Potion

Apply Weak (reduces enemy attack damage).

Convenient, but rarely game-changing.

I’ve bought it in Act 3 when my block feels unreliable and the boss is The Awakened One (strong multi-hit attacks).

Fear Potion

Apply Vulnerable (increase damage dealt to the enemy).

Low pick priority. If potion slots are tight, I tend to use it quickly.

Often handy for Ironclad in boss fights.

When playing Defect or Silent, I sometimes keep it if my deck lacks finishing power.

I’ve never bought this from a merchant.

Attack / Skill / Power / Colorless Potion

Add a random card of that type to your hand. That card costs 0 this turn.

Low pick priority. First to be discarded when potion slots are tight.

That said, I’ve challenged bosses with multiple Power Potions when playing Defect and having no clear win condition.

0-cost Defect powers are extremely strong. If you roll Echo Form, it’s basically a guaranteed win.

Steroid / Speed Potion

Gain 5 Strength or Dexterity. Lose 5 of that stat at end of turn.

High burst potential, so these often find use. Especially valuable for Ironclad with multi-hit attacks.

Sometimes saves you from disastrous hands. Pick priority is average.

If you have access to Artifact (negates debuffs once), I may buy it from the merchant.

Blessing of the Forge

Upgrade all cards in your hand.

Usually not picked.

From Act 2 onward, if your deck has many 2+ cost cards, you failed to gain extra energy from boss relics, and the upgrade value is huge, this can shine.

Uncommon Potions

Regen Potion

Heal HP at the end of each turn.

If potion slots are tight, pick priority is low. I usually use it immediately after picking.

It’s convenient and heals a lot, but it takes 5 turns to reach maximum value, which is the downside.

Ancient Potion

Gain Artifact (negates the next debuff).

Always indebted to you (deep bow)!

Extremely powerful in specific situations: enabling strong-but-risky buffs (e.g., Steroid Potion), or avoiding annoying debuffs (e.g., Snecko Eye confusion with 0-cost decks).

Almost never discarded. Often purchased if there’s a way to exploit it (e.g., Biased Cognition).

Liquid Bronze

Gain Thorns (deal damage back when attacked).

Very effective from Act 1 to mid-Act 2. Excellent against Hexaghost and Byrds.

Nice to have, but rarely decisive. If potion slots are tight, I use it quickly.

Gambler’s Brew

Discard any number of cards, then draw that many.

Always indebted to you (full prostration)!

Essentially a potion version of Gambling Chip.

I save it carefully for bosses or elites to prevent bad hands.

Draw-related potions are extremely strong for deck stability.

Essence of Steel

Gain 4 Plated Armor.

If potion slots are tight, I use it immediately.

Low pick priority.

However, if you’re running an offense-heavy deck and taking a lot of damage mid-run, its priority rises to average.

Honestly, if you’re relying on this potion to survive, your deck probably won’t beat the final boss.

A good “danger indicator” potion.

Duplication Potion

This turn, your next card is played twice.

Average pick priority.

If your deck revolves around power cards, I keep it until the boss. Also useful for repeatedly playing cards like Claw or Pressure Points.

In Act 3, I often buy it from the merchant—at least it feels that way.

Distilled Chaos

Play the top 3 cards of your draw pile.

Since you can’t control which cards are played, it often causes bad outcomes from Act 2 onward.

Low pick priority.

Sometimes kept specifically for Act 1 Elite fights.

Often the first potion I discard when slots are tight… though if my deck feels hopeless, I may use it as a last prayer.

Pray.

Liquid Memories

Return 1 card from your discard pile to your hand. It costs 0 this turn.

Easy to use effectively with Silent or Defect. Average pick priority.

Not flashy, but rarely useless from Act 1 through Act 3, so I often end up carrying it.

Rare Potions

Cultist Potion

Gain Ritual 1 (gain 1 Strength each turn).

Always indebted to you (catechesis).

A potion with the power to turn the tide when your attack damage feels lacking.

Often carried carefully all the way to the boss.

Fun fact: if you use this while holding the Cultist Headpiece relic, it feels amazing.

CAW CAW!

Fruit Juice

Increase max HP by 5.

Instant use, no hesitation. I have never discarded this potion.

I like fruit juice with extra mandarin oranges. How about you?

Snecko Oil

Draw 5 cards. Become Confused.

Feels like an upgraded version of Distilled Chaos.

Sometimes used as a desperate gamble when victory feels impossible.

Otherwise, rarely used. Low to average pick priority.

Fairy in a Bottle

Revive when you would die.

A safety charm potion. High pick priority.

I usually carry it until mid-Act 3. If I find a potion that synergizes better at a late Act 3 merchant, I discard it.

Very helpful in Ascension mode and secret boss fights, but often discarded in normal mode.

Smoke Bomb

Escape from combat.

Pick priority depends heavily on context.

If there’s a clearly unfavorable enemy, or your deck is weak but you must path through elites, I pick it.

Almost never bought from merchants.

Often useless in normal mode, but in Ascension mode I frequently pray for it.

Entropic Brew

Fill all empty potion slots with random potions.

I love it!

High pick priority. If there’s no specific potion my deck relies on, I carry this all the way.

Praying is fun.

 

The end.