Red Potions raise the intelligence of the consumer to 25 and gives a magic damage resistance of 50%, but lowers strength and wisdom to 3. This potion lasts 24 hours. This item appears in Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition. It can be bought from a merchant in one tent at the Carnival. He will try to sell this item once to the party for 50 
if buying the Violet Potion off him as well, or 40 if reusing to buy the Violet Potion which can't be bought afterwards. If the leader refuses, it can't be bought later. The merchant will only sell one potion.
In Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition it can be found on the corpse of a Sharran Crusader during the last battle of Rasaad's Journey.
Description[]
| “ | Close examination reveals this liquid to be very peculiar in nature. It could be a sorcerors dream, but that would depend entirely on who you asked. After ingesting the mixture, the drinker becomes the weakest, most unwise, yet incredibly intelligent person to have ever lived, with an innate 50% magic resistance as well. The effects remain for an entire 24 hours, so think carefully before unplugging the cork. | ” |
Usage[]
Both the Red and Violet Potion can be used without being identified.
Since this potion can be used to learn spells with 100% certainty by raising Intelligence to 25 but the potion also reduces your Strength to 3 for 24 hours — thus making you unable to move due to encumbrance — you should use this method to learn spells either directly next to a bartender or in an outside area, where you can rest without being interrupted, like Ulgoth's Beard, the outside area of the Friendly Arm Inn or the Nashkel Carnival to get rid of the malus. Alternatively you can also drink the Violet Potion afterwards, to get a boost to 25 strength for the same timespan.
External links[]
- Violet potion on the Forgotten Realms Wiki, a wiki for the Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting Forgotten Realms.