Potions: what to buy, where, and what it really costs

For most classes potions are a big running cost. Runs logged by a small group of players on one map, before the 30 Oct spawn change, lost about 85% of gross mesos to potions, counting drops at NPC value. You have two levers: buy the right item, and need less of it. The second usually saves more.

Short version:

• HP: buy . It is the same price per point as and heals more per press.
• MP: buy , not . Magicians should test one Lemon first, see below.
• : poor value at the NPC's 1,120. Buy from players only at 800 or less.
• Elixirs: for emergencies.
• Buffs: for bosses, not routine.

HP

Prices are shop prices from reported stock, and grocers charge the same in every town. Do not confuse them with what an NPC pays you: a Red Potion costs 50 mesos and sells for 5.

The cost per 100 HP falls into clear steps:

The rule is to use the cheapest step that still covers a hit. Move up when one press no longer keeps you alive, not before. Going from 50 to 60 costs 20% more per point.

• Meat, not Red. Same rate, 160 HP a bite against 100. Fewer presses and fewer inventory slots.
• Hot Dog beats Orange Potion at the same rate, because each bite is bigger: 300 HP for 180. You need or the . is the same deal at .
• and give 300 HP and 300 MP for 480 mesos in one press. That is exactly a Hot Dog plus two Lemons, so it costs nothing extra. Raymond sells the stew, Max the soup. The table shows them as 80 per 100, but only because they heal both bars.

MP

Lemon is the default at list prices: Blue Potion costs 10% more per MP. A Magician with should test one Lemon first. If the bonus skips fruit, which is not confirmed, Blue Potions tie at Recovery 1 and win from Recovery 2. Orange fruit is the same rate as Lemon in smaller bites.

Pure Water is the odd one. At an NPC it is among the worst buys, at 1,120 for 800 MP. At 800 mesos from another player it matches Lemon per MP and gives 800 MP in one press. Above 800 you are paying for convenience, which may still be worth it with a large bar. Check the price board for any posted price.

Spend less MP

Cheap MP matters less than wasted MP.

• Fight what you kill in 1 or 2 hits. Players report this as the biggest saver, because low mobs still drop.
• Train a little below your level. A couple of reports call this the key.
• Sit on a chair or bench between pulls. Players report it works for both bars.
• Do low quests for their potions. Seven First Greeting quests in your town pay 8 each. Two more pay 15 Blue Potions each ( and in Henesys, and in Kerning City). The quest data allows those two at 12, but reference data gates them at level 32, not confirmed in Classic World. and , at level 13, pay 10 Blue Potions each.
• Later, from 35 to 37, quests pay more. , a level 35 jump quest, pays 30 Blue Potions. 's chain pays 105 across four quests from level 37, if you can find . Only 45 come before the two steps that need from level 49 .

The MP squeeze is early. Players report it eases by about level 20 to 25, and many report a surplus between level 17 and 38 with no NX. If you are a broke level 13 mage, you are not doing it wrong.

Clerics still buy MP. Heal costs 12 to 27 MP and restores HP only.

Recovery skills

boosts HP from items by 20% at level 1 and 50% at level 15. boosts MP from items by 10% to 25%. At max, a Red Potion becomes 150 HP and a Lemon about 187 MP. A warrior's potions go up to half again as far, and that belongs in your SP plan. See the warrior and magician guides. Whether food and fruit count is not confirmed.

Elixirs

restores 35% of both bars and costs 3,000 at Raymond and Max. restores 50% MP and restores everything. Neither has a shop row. All three share a 30-second cooldown, so they are a panic button and not a way to heal. restores 40% of both, has no cooldown in the client, and no shop row either.

Free stock is worth saving for bosses:

Buffs

Durations differ. Warrior, Magic, Sniper, Dexterity and Speed potions last 10 minutes. Supreme Sniper, Supreme Dexterity, Sharpness and Destructive last 15. Drake's Blood, Fairy's Honey, Sap of Ancient Tree, Drake's Meat and Cider last 5.

Two good ones are missing from the table. gives +3% crit rate for 750 at Raymond. gives +3% crit damage for 750 at Max. Both last 15 minutes.

gives +10 attack for 500 mesos, or 3,000 an hour. That is about ten Gloves Attack Lessers of attack, rented. Whether it pays depends on your kill speed, and nobody has measured it. Use buffs for bosses, not routine.

has no shop row. Our tables show it as a reported drop from Curse Eye and as a single reward from . If you are a few points of accuracy short, buy instead: +7 for 15 minutes, 600 at Raymond. His store may need citizenship or a grade, which is not confirmed, so check before you plan on it. See Accuracy explained.

Where to buy

• Grocers: , , , and stock the basics at the same price, so there is nothing to shop around for.
• and stock food, juice and Elixirs, but no Red, White or Lemon. Either store may need citizenship or a grade, which is not confirmed. If one refuses you, try the other, and the also sells Hot Dog. Nexon lists a discount on "some general store items". One report so far says basic potions get none.
• is inside , which is easy to miss. He is the only seller of Return Scroll to Sleepywood, 600 mesos. His Unagi is 1,800 against 1,000 elsewhere.
• The in sells Hot Dog, Hot Dog Supreme, Pizza, Salad and Pure Water. It saves a town trip while you train in the tunnels.

Do not count on drops to cover your bill. Our reported tables show Red Potion on about 14 mobs and White on about 21. Nexon raised potion drops on level 10 to 30 mobs on 21 Oct, without numbers.

A simple budget

Not confirmed yet

• Whether Improved HP and MP Recovery boost food and fruit.
• Whether buff potions stack with skills.
• Which items the citizen discount covers.
• Whether Raymond and Max limit items by citizenship or grade.