ALCHEMY

Q: What is Alchemy?
A: Alchemy is a new feature introduced in the 1.0.5 patch. Using Alchemy, you can mix new potions with a variety of effects, ranging from combat buffs to night vision to water walking to gravity control.

Q: What do I need to create alchemy potions?
A: All alchemy potions require a Bottled Water (stand in water, craft bottle) and at least one type of Alchemy Plant. Most potions also require additional materials. Finally, an Alchemy Station is obviously needed.

Non-herb materials include: Lens, Rotten Chunks, Corals, Cacti, Feathers, Shark Fins, Iron and Gold Ores, Fallen Stars, Obsidian, and Normal and Glowing Mushrooms.

Q: What are Alchemy plants?
A: Alchemy plants, or herbs, refers to the six types of plant introduced alongside the alchemy potions. Each plant grows in a specific locale and has specific "blooming" requirements.

Q: How do I collect and grow alchemy plants?
A: Every alchemy plant grows through three phases. Newly-planted/spawned herbs are tiny infant plants, and after a time grow into mature plants. Once matured, they can be harvested; however, this is usually a bad thing. Under certain circumstances, herbs will enter a blossoming phase, either changing appearance or sparkling. Harvesting a blooming herb produces not only the herb, but seeds as well. Seeds can be planted either on the herb's natural growing block type, or in Clay Pots. Remember, if you grow plants in Clay Pots, you'll have to hammer the pots down to harvest the plants.

The six herbs and their conditions are as follows:

-Dayblooms are pleasant yellow flowers that grow on plain grass, making them abundant in most worlds. As the name suggests, they bloom during the day; simply cutting them down when the sun is up is enough to get seeds. Dayblooms are used in seven potions (Archery, Featherfall, Hunter, Ironskin, Mana Regen, Night Owl and Shine).

-Blinkroots, greyish moldy-looking plants, spawn underground in natural caverns. Finding them is relatively easy, especially when they bloom and light up. Blinkroots don't have a blooming condition; they simply light up whenever they're ready to be cut down for seeds. Blinkroots are needed for seven potions (Featherfall, Gravitation, Hunter, Invisibility, Night Owl, Spelunker and Swiftness).

-Moonglows are similar yet different compared to Dayblooms; they grow on Jungle Grass, and only bloom during the night. These droopy blue flowers are used for four potions (Invisibility, Magic Power, Mana Regen and Spelunker).

-Deathweeds are a complete pain to harvest. They only grow in the Corruption, atop Ebonstone or Corrupted Grass. This wouldn't be so bad, except that they only bloom during Blood Moons. If you want to get Deathweed seeds, you'll have to take the plunge. Deathweed is an ingredient in four potions (Magic Power, Battle, Thorns and Gravitation).

-Waterleaves, ironically enough, grow in desert sands. These tiny blue herbs need water to bloom, so grab a bucket. Luckily, they bloom as soon as they come in contact with water. Waterleaf is needed for three potions (Obsidian Skin, Gills, and Water Walking).

-Fireblossom is arguably the most dangerous to obtain. Fireblossoms only grow on Ash blocks, and require proximity to Lava to bloom. You'll have to go adventuring into the bowls of hell to obtain them. Luckily, they're only called for in two potions (Gravitation and Obsidian Skin).