BG3: Craft Double Potions (Mad Scientist Hireling)

Crafting potions with your main character wastes rare ingredients. A dedicated “mad scientist” hireling can double every potion you make — turning 10 ingredients into 20 potions. Here’s the build.

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Short Answer

Hire Brinna Brightsong (a Halfling, for Halfling Luck) from Withers and respec her: 17 Wisdom, Medicine proficiency, and the Disguise Self spell. Level her Wizard (Transmutation) for the Experimental Alchemy passive (double potions), then Rogue for Expertise in Medicine, then Cleric for Guidance. Disguise as any race, cast Guidance, and craft in turn-based mode for ~99.9% double-potion odds. The best targets to duplicate are the Potion of Speed, Elixir of Bloodlust, and Elixir of Hill/Cloud Giant Strength.

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Key Takeaways

• Experimental Alchemy (Transmutation Wizard) is what produces two potions from one craft.
• Halfling Luck drops the failure odds from 1-in-20 to 1-in-400.
• Stack Medicine proficiency + Expertise to pass the DC 15 Medicine check every time.
• Guidance (+1d4) and a disguise push success to ~99.9%.
• Optional: the Shapeshifter’s Boon ring (found with the Strange Ox) adds even more.
• Best potions to mass-craft: Potion of Speed, Elixir of Bloodlust, Giant Strength elixirs.

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How Do You Build the Mad Scientist?

Hire Brinna Brightsong and multiclass her Wizard → Rogue → Cleric. Go to Withers, hire the Halfling hireling Brinna Brightsong, add her to your party, then ask Withers to change her class and respec:

1. Respec base: set 17 Wisdom (clear all, dump into Wisdom incl. the +2; rest into Constitution, then Int/Cha as you like), take Medicine proficiency, and pick Disguise Self as a spell.
2. Level 2 — Wizard (Transmutation): unlocks Experimental Alchemy, the passive that crafts two potions instead of one.
3. Level 3 — Rogue: choose Expertise in Medicine (requires a difficulty above Balanced to multiclass freely).
4. Level 4 — Cleric (Life domain): grants Guidance for a +1d4 to crafting checks, plus some durability.

Optional ring: the Shapeshifter’s Boon ring (found alongside the Strange Ox) further boosts ability checks — send it to Brinna. You don’t need it, but it helps.

How Do You Actually Craft Double Potions?

Disguise, cast Guidance, then craft in turn-based mode. Use Disguise Self to appear as any race, cast Guidance on yourself, and enter turn-based mode before crafting. With Halfling Luck, Medicine expertise, and Guidance stacked, you’ll sit around 99.9% to succeed — and each success yields two potions from one set of ingredients.

Which Potions Should You Duplicate?

Focus on the three biggest power spikes.

Potion	Why it’s worth mass-crafting
Potion of Speed	Extra action, +2 AC, double movement — overpowered in Honor Mode
Elixir of Bloodlust	On a kill: +5 temp HP and an extra action (not limited to one attack); lasts until long rest
Hill/Cloud Giant Strength	Sets Strength to 21/27 so you can dump STR and pump Dexterity + Constitution

Tip: one potion can buff your whole party — throw it on the ground so the splash hits all four characters at once. Don’t waste them one at a time.

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FAQ

How do you craft two potions at once in Baldur’s Gate 3?

Build a Transmutation Wizard with the Experimental Alchemy passive. Each successful craft then yields two potions from a single set of ingredients.

Why use Brinna Brightsong for the alchemy build?

She’s a Halfling, so Halfling Luck lets you reroll natural 1s — dropping potion-craft failure odds from 1-in-20 to roughly 1-in-400.

How do you guarantee the potion craft succeeds?

Stack Medicine proficiency + Expertise, cast Guidance (+1d4), and add a disguise/ring bonus. Combined with Halfling Luck this reaches ~99.9% to pass the DC 15 Medicine check.

What are the best potions to craft in BG3?

The Potion of Speed, Elixir of Bloodlust, and Elixir of Hill/Cloud Giant Strength are the top three power spikes worth duplicating.

Do you craft with your main character?

No — use the hireling “mad scientist” so you don’t waste rare ingredients. Only the Experimental Alchemy build doubles your output.

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Related Guides

• Rob Every Merchant with 0% Risk — fund the ingredients (and everything else) for free.
• How to Feed Gale Magical Items — keep your resident Wizard of Waterdeep happy.

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Sources

• You’re Crafting Potions WRONG in Baldur’s Gate 3 — original video walkthrough by Fusion Thunder.