Q about fortify smithing potions

[Siddha]

I can brew a fortify smithing potion that says I can improve items 27% more
But in fact there is no effect at all on anything I improve
all items show the same improved stats with or without the potion

So what is going on?
Are the potions bugged or I am I missing something?

How do they work...if at all?

Thanks

[Brandybuck]

I have two guesses:

1) There are threshold numbers you have to hit for improvement, so even if you're now 27% better, you might not be hitting the next threshold. See the wiki for details.

2) If you've tried to exploit the smithing/alchemy 'sloit then you might have hit the wall of diminishing returns.

[Brandybuck]

See the section on Item Improvement: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Smithing

[Docthetwelfth]

The improvement of items comes in tiers, and the potion applies a percentage modifier to your smithing skill.
So, if your smithing was 25, x1.27 would be a bit less than 6 points for a total of 31. each grade of improvement (sharpened, epic, flawless, exquisite, legendary and such) requires a certain skill level like, say 31 for one and 41 for the next. In these situations, it is possible to get a multiplier that doesn't quite get you over the bar for the next tier of improvement, since smithing is not based on a gradient, but rather skill milestones.

[Siddha]

Thank you guys.
I understand how it works now.

Shame really that it works that way. Would be better imo if a potion gave a percentage increase to the improvements...rather than a percentage increase in the skill.

The system as is makes the potions only usefull if they push your skill up enough
Having to figure out the increments and the percentages to avail of a potion is just too much trouble imo...unless you are a math wiz.

[jreese46]

If you combine that with 1-4 pieces of smithing-enchanted gear and a restoration potion, you should see a bit of improvement.

[wowszer]

Also potions etc work on improvements of already fashioned weapons that you are trying to improve say to Legendary level. Btw, just try to increase a weapons skill, but stop before the improvement, then take a potion, equip any enhancing gear, make the weapon. Comparing the 2 improvement values will tell you how well it worked. Better to make a save if you are to fast on the trigger.

[Hamsterbytes , bits and nibbles]

Did you drink your potion? Had to ask, it sounded funny when it camne into my mind.

[Mr. Shaggnificent]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von wowszer:

[...] take a potion, equip any enhancing gear[...]Better to make a save if you are to fast on the trigger.

Does it matter what order you do it? Could you not already be wearing the gear, then take the potion?

[Delta 1038]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Hamsterbytes , bits and nibbles:

Did you drink your potion? Had to ask, it sounded funny when it camne into my mind.

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Mr.Shaggnificent:

Ursprünglich geschrieben von wowszer:

[...] take a potion, equip any enhancing gear[...]Better to make a save if you are to fast on the trigger.

Does it matter what order you do it? Could you not already be wearing the gear, then take the potion?

Better be absolutely sure you have everything ready. You'd might just get surprised by how some of the fixes can come down to "are you wearing the hat".

[jreese46]

Mr. Shag, I'm not sure about that one, but with a smithing potion I don't believe it matters. The restoration potion, on the other hand, I would take after donning your equipment. That works on the enchantments, which are considered restoration magic. If you take the potion and then put your gear on, I can't say if the system would still apply it, but I wouldn't take the chance.

What I usually do is dump everything I don't want to smith, just to make my menu easier. Put on my smithing gear and load up my materials and potions. Make whatever I want to make, as the gear doesn't affect it either way. Then, when I'm ready to temper, I'll push Adrianne out of the way, so she doesn't delay me, double check my active effects to be sure I have all the gear on, take my two potions, and sit down a the wheel. I temper my weapons as quickly as I can, worry about the numbers later, get up from the wheel and immediately point left. * at Warmaidens, anyway* where I can usually grab the bench without walking toward it. Smith the armor and then, as soon as I'm done, check the active effects again. This usually shows me 3-5 seconds remaining on the smithing (30 sec) potion, and the restoration is a 60 anyway. If I am out of time on the smithing potion, I'll usually waste another one and go back on the bench, to make sure I didn't run out before smithing something.

[Siddha]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Hamsterbytes , bits and nibbles:

Did you drink your potion? Had to ask, it sounded funny when it camne into my mind.

If you read the replies and understand how the potions work you will get it...
drinking a potion of fortify smithing will nor necessarily improve your improvements

[Siddha]

Thing is the text in the potion descrription says that ones improvents are increased by X%
...so when you use it you expect to see X% increase in the improvement....but you dont...
because the potion does not actually improve the improvement...it affects your skill...according to the replies above.

Another thing...when I look under active effects it lists the potion as active...but when I look at my smithing skill it shows no alteration...and as I said there is no effect on improvements.

[azxcvbnm321]

Smithing is OP even without potions. The easiest way is just to make 4 pieces of fortify smithing armor and jewelry and put those on. Weapons will do incredible amounts of damage after that. Plus you can enchant the weapons after smithing for even more damage. Seems like a non issue to me.

[Siddha]

Potions which claim to have an effect and yet show no effect in the game...and a player asking others why this might be is a non issue?

What an odd opinion.