“Alchemical Ascension” is the keystone event of Genshin Impact version 4.5, prompting you to mix herbs together to make potions that follow news trends.
Completing the event will also reward a plethora of goodies: furniture, Primogems, a Crown of Insight, and a special weapon that you can only get from this event. The weapon, “Dialogues of the Desert Sages,” is a polearm that benefits healers, like Mika and Yaoyao. Again, you can only get this weapon (and its refinement material) from this event, so make sure to grab it before it’s gone.
As usual with Genshin events, “Alchemical Ascension” is split into three parts that are time-gated. Phase one started on March 14, phase two started on March 16, and phase three started on March 18.
You may be worried about messing up your potions early on, but don’t fret too much. As the event progresses, you’ll eventually be able to keep making potions and spamming cycles infinitely, so you can just keep making potions and earning revenue with no worry.
Regardless, we explain how to become a potion expert, potion recipes, and how market news works below.
How to make potions in Genshin Impact’s ‘Alchemical Ascension’ event
As of the first part of the event, you have 10 cycles to make potions. You can only make one potion per cycle and you can end the cycle by talking to Lisa. Throughout different cycles, the market news will tell you what people are into, and thus what potions will sell better.
Each potion is made up of different ingredients. You unlock more as you level up and you can grow them in pots at the potion making area. Each ingredient correlates to a specific efficacy: strength, constitution, dexterity, charisma, wisdom, or balanced. They also each have a different characteristic: endurance, warm, steadying, fragrant, healing, strengthening, relaxing, perception, focus, or technique.
The goal is to place the ingredients, like a puzzle, on to the grid in a way that creates a potion with specific stats and characteristics, leaving as few gaps open as possible.
As you place pieces, you can see how your potion will turn out on the left side of the screen. Hovering over the ingredient on the right side will also say what it adds to the potion. You’ll just need to keep adding the correlating plants until you get the desired result.
After selling the potions, you can buy upgrades (like a better cauldron or more planting pots) from a woman nearby. Your plants will also upgrade as they get used, unlocking more shapes to use during the puzzle portion of the event. You will also unlock the ability to combine ingredients to level them up, which we do recommend doing before you hit Sucrose’s expert exam, since this will let you craft better potions.
After cycle 10, you’ll be able to purchase bigger upgrades for your shop, like the ability to sell more potions at once. After you unlock enough slots, you ideally just want to stock your shop with high-level potions that cover all the different efficacies and characteristics. This way, you won’t really even have to pay attention to the market news to get rich.
You will eventually be able to buy out the shop’s upgrades completely, so after doing this, you can invest money into enhancing your potions at the cauldron.
Market news requirements, explained
Every couple of cycles, a new newspaper will get delivered to you, talking about the latest trends. As expected, we have to analyze these trends to make potions that suit whatever trend is occurring. However, the game doesn’t directly tell you which efficacy or characteristics are needed per trend — you kind of just have to guess. But you don’t actually, because we list out all the news and their related demands below, along with what cycle they appear in.
Note that in cycles eight through 10, you will get two random trends out of the four we list. From cycles 11 to 22, you’ll get a random group of two from the list every few cycles. From cycle 23 onward, the market news will be randomized from the marked entries below, and they will eventually begin to repeat.
There also appears to be some elements of RNG with what traits get associated per trend, according to both our experience and a few other guides. Each trend can have up to three traits, so if our table has more than three, you’ll have to guess and check. Have no fear, though, as the market news screen will confirm which efficacies and characteristics you got right. As mentioned above, though, you don’t have to stress about getting all the potions perfectly, as you’ll have an unlimited amount of cycles to play though in the end.
Genshin Impact ‘Alchemical Ascension’ market news efficacy and characteristics
| Cycle | News | Efficacy | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cycle | News | Efficacy | Characteristics |
| 2-4 | Good Hunter is coming up with new dishes for adventurers who love battling. | Constitution, Strength, Dexterity | None |
| 2-4 | The owner of a Mondstadt flower shop is looking to have their fresh flowers grow more lushy and extend the time they are in bloom. | Constitution | Endurance, Steadying |
| 5-7 | Draff of Springvale is recruiting hunters to hunt an exceedingly speedy Boar King. | Strength, Dexterity, Wisdom | Endurance |
| 5-7 | A scholar from Mondstadt has unearthed an ancient stone tablet and is currently trying to decipher the information on it. | Wisdom | None(?) |
| 8-10 | A bard in Mondstadt hopes to reliably to put on a good show in their performances and attract a larger audience. | Charisma, Wisdom | Technique, Steadying, Relaxing |
| 8-10 | The Cavalry Captain of Knights of Favonius is leading a squad that aims to clear out bandits skulking outside the city. | Strength, Dexterity | Endurance, Strengthening |
| 8-10 | The Dragonspine Exploration Team is preparing supplies to ensure that its members remain in good condition. | Constitution, Strength | Warm, Endurance |
| 8-10 | Makeup is fashionable amongst the young girls in Mondstadt. | Charisma | Fragrant, Technique |
| 11-22 | Akademiya students are busy composing final theses and are under significant stress. Some are currently seeking a means to calm their spirits and let them focus on search. | Wisdom | Steadying, Focus |
| 11-22 | The Director of the Yun-Han Opera Troupe is preparing to purchase a batch of makeup products for their performances. | Charisma, Wisdom | Fragrant, Technique |
| 11-22 | Recently, the number of people injured by monster attacks is on the rise, and Deaconess Barbara is looking to replenish the medecine stocks of the Church of Favonius. | Constitution | Healing, Steadying, Strengthening |
| 11-22 | The captain of a Liyue ship wants to improve the constitution of new sailors and ameliorate the effect of seasickness. | Constitution | Healing, Relaxing, Endurance |
| 11-22 | Yae Publishing House is holding a light novel contest, and authors are searching for inspirations. | Wisdom | Focus, Technique, Perception |
| 11-22 | There have been frequent disturbances in the desert lately, and the Guardian of Aaru Village is leading the other guards in the defense against monster attacks. | Wisdom, Constitution | Endurance |
| 11-22 | Rare, swift-swimming fish have been spotted in Mondstadt’s waters! Enthusiasts are eager to have at them | Dexterity, Wisdom | Focus, Technique |
| 11-22 | The Millelith are currently clearing out monsters in order to protect miners. They want to remain calm as they do so and end the battle quickly. | Strength, Dexterity | Strengthening, Steadying |
| 11-22 | An exhilarating Pankration Tournament is underway in the Fortress of Meropide, and it is said there’s someone(s) looking to buy a way to boost their physical capabilities no matter the price. | Dexterity, Constitution, Strength | Technique |
| 11-22 | Some of the Qingce Village elders are in poor health, and they hope to find in a way to extend their lifespans. | Constitution | Strengthening, Endurance, Healing |
| 23+ | An Inazuman Doushin is pursuing a swift and unpredictable ronin. | Constitution, Strength, Dexterity | Perception |
| 23+ | A certain Fontainian celebrity is currently getting ready to host a social ball, and all the invited ladies and gentelmen are preparing themselves. | Charisma | Technique, Fragrant, Relaxing |
| 23+ | The Fontaine Apparel Association is preparing for a fashion show, and many models are hoping to make their mark and leave a deep impression. | Charisma | Techinque, Fragrant |
| 23+ | Some prisoners in the Fortress of Meropide are looking to earn Credit Coupons quickly. They want to be able to process widgets more effeciently by having more strength. | Dexterity, Strength | Strengthening, Technique |
| 23+ | Fontainian reporters need to spend lots of time investigating stories, and they hope to find a way to quickly replenish their stamina while on break. | Constitution | Endurance, Strengthening |
| 23+ | The number of foreign visitors to Sumeru has been increasing recently, and with it, cases of individuals not being acclimatized to local conditions and food, so Bimarstan is buying a batch of medicine to relieve physical discomfort. | Constitution | Strengthening, Healing |
| 23+ | Fontaine’s Maison Gardiennage is conducting tactical training, and the Gardes are hoping to improve their performance in the stimulated pursuit. | Dexterity, Strength | Technique |
| 23+ | Fontainian divers are salvaging a batch of cultural relics. They wish to move more swiftly underwater so that their work can proceed more efficiently. | Dexterity | Perception, Endurance |
| 23+ | Some Grand Narukami Shrine shrine maidens are feeling unwell due to the winds at night being too cold. | Dexterity, Constitution | Warm, Healing, Strengthening |
| 23+ | Liyue’s Ministry of Civil Affairs has been terribly busy of late. A clerk wants to focus harder and clear work more quickly. | Dexterity, Wisdom | Focus, Relaxing |
Special customers and orders
Starting in cycle eight, you’ll get some special orders from visiting NPCs. Some may have just straight up requests, whereas Sucrose may appear with more specific requirements to pass a potion-making exam. Everyone’s requests are the same across the board, so there’s no need to worry about an RNG element to get in your way. However, Sucrose’s potions may have different puzzle boards, with the blocking squares in different locations.
Beidou’s potion request
Beidou wants a constitution potion with relaxing characteristics. You can make this by using Calla Lilies and Dandelions. You can use mushrooms and berries to fill in any extra gaps to get those extra points, but don’t use too many. You don’t want their characteristics (endurance and warm, respectively) to overtake the relaxing characteristic.
Sucrose’s beginner alchemy exam
Sucrose wants an intermediate potion with a constitution efficacy. We used tons of Calla Lilies and Sweet Flowers to pass her test.
Diona’s potion request
Just like Beidou, Diona will eventually show up asking for a potion. She wants one with a wisdom efficacy or one that has steadying characteristics. You can use Qingxin or Windwheel Asters for the wisdom effect or Calla Lilies for the steadying effect.
Sucrose’s intermediate alchemy exam
The second time around, Sucrose will want an intermediate potion that has both strength and dexterity efficacies. We specifically used Jueyen Chilis and Horsetails to pass her test, but you can also use Flaming Flowers, Mist Flowers, and Dandelions.
Diluc’s potion request
Diluc wants a potion with both Constitution and Wisdom efficacy or one with Focus and Relaxing characteristics. You can use Calla Lillies, Sweet Flowers, Violetgrass, Qingxin, Windwheel Asters, or Lumidouce Bells if you’re focusing on the efficacies. If you’re focusing on the characteristics, you can use Berries, Zaytun Peaches, or Dandelions to help with that.
Sucrose’s advanced alchemy exam
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Image: Hoyoverse via Polygon
For your third exam, Sucrose will ask for an advanced potion that has Wisdom. This shouldn’t be too hard, but to complete the optional objectives (that reward coins), you’ll want to make sure that you fill in as many squares as possible, use five different ingredients, and make sure the potion has the Fragrant characteristic.
We used a mix of Lumidouce Bells, Windwheel Asters, and Qingxin for the Wisdom efficacy, and threw in three Sumeru Roses to give it the Fragrant characteristic. We also used Berries and Mushrooms to fill in the gaps.
Gorou’s potion request
Gorou just wants something that either has a Strength efficacy or an Endurance characteristic. By this point, you should have a ton of potions in your inventory that can probably fulfill his needs.
If you don’t, you can brew one by using Jueyen Chilis, Flaming Flowers, and Mist Flowers.
Sucrose’s expert alchemy exam
Sucrose’s final exam will require you to make an expert potion with a Charisma efficacy. You’ll also want to have Perception and Steadying characteristics to get that additional coin bonus.
We flooded our board with Sumeru Roses, Glaze Lilies, and Marcottes to get the Charisma stat. The Glaze Lilies added Perception, but we threw in some Calla Lilies for the Steadying stat.
Note that if you’re not getting an expert potion from using these ingredients, you may need to level up your ingredients more. Our main Charisma ingredients were all maxed level to make an expert potion.
Traveling merchant distribution strategies
Starting in the third phase of the event, you’ll unlock Atefeh, a traveling merchant who will sell your potions in Sumeru. You’ll need to give her potions that meet her required efficacies and also pick a specific distribution strategy. You can also unlock a Liyue merchant named Deyou by purchasing the “sales expansion contract” in the NPC shop for 600,000 coins.
Both of these merchants will request random efficacies, which you should be able to fulfill from what you just have in your inventory. However, both of the merchants have individual correct distribution strategies. For Atefeh, you want to use “Akademiya Certification” and “Celebrity Endorsement.” For Deyou, use “Free Sample Delivery” and “Hundred-Fold Guarantee.” Using these will net you the highest bonuses per sale.
