Who Can Wild Brew and How?

During a long rest, an adventurer can choose to concoct a magical potion at the Narrator’s discretion. To do so, they must meet the following requirements:

• Possess and be proficient with alchemist’s supplies, brewer’s supplies, or cook’s utensils.
• Possess at least one primary ingredient (see below).
• Have either the Spellcasting or Pact Magic feature.
• Those who have similar features from archetypes, such as Avantist Magic from “Exemplars of the Academy” in Gate Pass Gazette Issue #12 or Tertiary Spellcasting from “Tertiary Casters” in Gate Pass Gazette Issue #13 or may be able to use these mechanics at the Narrator’s discretion.
• Have at least 3 levels in a qualifying class to brew using acid, and at least 5 such levels to brew using unstable arcanum. Potions crafted using wild brewing techniques are inherently unstable and ferment into useless sludge if not consumed within 24 hours.

Starting the Brew

A the beginning of a long rest , the brewer must start by selecting the potion’s base: a Supply’s worth of water, 25 gold worth of acid, or 120 gold worth of unstable arcanum. A potion’s base determines its upper limits.

•  A Supply-based potion starts with a 1d4 roll with a maximum final result of 8.
• An acid-based potion starts with a 1d6 roll with a maximum final result of 12.
• An unstable arcanum-based potion starts with a 1d10 roll with a maximum final result of 20.

To brew with acid or arcanum, the spellcaster must meet the level requirements (see above). Barring unexpected results, a brewer still benefits from the long rest, though they can’t use any other features that take place over the course of a long rest. The level restrictions, ability score limitations, and consequences here only apply to a single 5 brewer who is designated when the brewing begins. While other adventurers can physically add ingredients, this provides no bonus.

The potion’s primary ingredient determines which table the brewer rolls on. Such ingredients and their costs are listed on the Primary Ingredients table below. This ingredient is consumed in the brew.

Refining the Brew

Once the brewer has rolled on their ingredient’s brew table, they can attempt to refine the potion by mixing in herbal ingredients to change the current result as per the Refining Ingredients Table below. A potion can be refined up to a number of times equal to the brewer’s spellcasting ability modifier. Any ingredients added are consumed by the brewing process. If the adventurer can no longer refine their brew, but the result currently has no magical properties, they can store it for later brewing using a jug or similar container. However, it no longer has the effect of the base ingredient. For example, an acidbased result could still be used for an acid-based brew, but could not be used to inflict damage.

If refining a brew would yield a result higher or lower than the base’s maximum, it yields that maximum instead. For example, an water-based potion has a maximum result of 8, so a die roll or refinement effect that would result in a number higher than that counts as 8 instead.

Diluting the Brew

Many brew results are failed brews that will result in useless sludge if steps are not taken. If a brewer rolls one of these results they can salvage it by quickly diluting it with more of the potion’s base. Doing so requires another potion’s worth of the base. When a potion is diluted, the current result is immediately halved (rounded down), rather than the current result. A potion can only be diluted once and any attempts to dilute it further yield a useless failed brew.

Finishing the Brew

Once the brewer is happy with the result of their brew or can’t refine it further, they must finish it by bringing their concoction to a boil and making a tool check using their spellcasting ability modifier and the tool they brewed with. The brewer makes this check at disadvantage if they diluted their brew. The DC for this check is determined by the rarity of the potion brewed, as listed on the table below.

On a failed check, the potion is highly unstable and must be consumed within 1 hour (starting at the end of the long rest it was created during) to gain its benefits. On a success, the potion is created, and if the result exceeds the DC by 5 or more the brew yields 2 uses instead of 1. These resulting brews degrade to sludge after 24 hours. Potions and poisons created via this process can be found in chapters 8 and 6 in Trials & Treasures, respectively. Otherwise, a brew’s effects are listed on the tables below. As this is a prolonged process, a brewer can’t benefit from shorter duration spells guidance or the Help action.