Underwater exploration doesn't come up too often in Skyrim, but when it does, it can pose a hefty challenge (except, of course, for Argonian Dragonborn). When players need to retrieve a magic quill at the bottom of a lake, break into a ship from an underwater hatch, or survive when a room is filling with water, these potions are a godsend.
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There are a few ways to stay safe underwater, from Alteration magic to enchanted gear. Additionally, alchemically-inclined players can whip up a brew to let themselves breathe like a fish. Here's how to make these potions.
Diving underwater works a little differently in Skyrim than it does in its predecessor. In Oblivion (and many other games with underwater swimming mechanics) the player has a meter measuring their oxygen capacity, indicating when they will need to come up for air. In Skyrim, the player's health bar will begin to rapidly decrease after a certain amount of time spent underwater.
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Drinking a Potion of Waterbreathing prevents this health decrease from occurring. When the player sees their HP bar start to drop, it's time to resurface (or drink another potion). The higher the creator's alchemy level, the longer their Waterbreathing potion will last.
There are only a few reagents in Skyrim that boast the Waterbreathing effect, so be sure to keep them on hand just in case. Players can purchase most of these from alchemy shops. They can also be gathered around the map, but many of them take some effort to find.
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- Chicken's Egg: These can be found around various farms and homes across the world. If the player has the Hearthfire DLC, they can purchase chickens for their home who will produce eggs regularly.
- Hawk's Egg: Exclusive to Hearthfire, players can find these eggs by searching for hawks' nests on the roofs of their homesteads.
- Histcarp: Players can catch these fish in lakes, ponds, and streams. The Riften Fishery and Lake Ilinalta are good places to look.
- Nordic Barnacle: These are common on rocky shores, or in underwater. Shipwrecks, such as The Silvermoon near the Lady Stone, are good places to stock up.
- Salmon Roe: Another Hearthfire ingredient, gamers can find salmon roe by catching salmon that are jumping up waterfalls. Players who have purchased Windstad Manor can build a fish hatchery. Breed salmon in the hatchery to gather roe.
Potions in Skyrim that contain more than one effect are always more valuable, and therefore raise the Alchemy skill more when crafted. Chicken's Egg and Hawk's Egg share the same four effects, meaning that these two ingredients can be combined into a highly valuable (albeit not particularly useful) potion.
For a more practical mixture, players can combine Salmon Roe and Histcarp, which adds the Fortify Magicka effect. Adding Purple Mountain Flower to this recipe will add a Restore Stamina effect as well.