How Recipes Work
- Found in the world — recipe books sit on tables, shelves and barrels in buildings, caves and enemy camps. Always check interiors.
- Purchased from vendors — innkeepers are the richest source of purchasable recipes.
- Improvisation — at any cooking station pick Improvise; cook a valid combo 3 times and it registers permanently.
- Once registered in the Knowledge menu the recipe never needs re-learning.
Station Types
| Station | Recipe types | Buff |
|---|---|---|
| Bonfire / Campfire | Grilled single-ingredient dishes (Grilled Meat, Grilled Fruit) | Basic healing only |
| Field Grill | Multi-ingredient grilled dishes (Battered Meat, Fish Skewers) | Fire Resistance |
| Field Pot | Soups, porridges, stews (Fish Porridge, Clear Soup) | Ice Resistance |
| Special Pot | Feast-tier recipes (Special Meal, Steamed Fish) | Strongest healing + resistance |
| Cauldron | Alchemy: elixirs, pills, wine, beverages | Stat buffs, revival, stamina |
Key Cooking Recipes
| Recipe | Ingredients | Effect | Where to learn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fish Porridge | 2 fillets + 1 grain + 1 salt + 3 water | HP++ / Ice Res Lv.5 | Renee's Request (Hernand quest) |
| Clear Soup | 1 meat + 1 grain + 1 water | HP restoration | Chapter 3 Greymane camp fire |
| Braised Ribs | 4 meat + 2 veg + 2 fruit + 3 water | Slow HP regen + fast Spirit | Hernand Castle banquet hall |
| Bird Soup | 2 bird meat + 2 veg + 1 ginseng + 1 salt + 3 water | HP + Spirit + Stamina | Pailune Inn (17 silver) |
| Steamed Fish | 2 fish + 1 fruit + 2 grains + 1 water | HP + fast Spirit | Reventine Winery (key) |
| Special Meal | 2 fruit + 3 grains + 3 skewers + 2 boiled meat | Spirit overfill | Demeniss Castle kitchen (keys) |
| Meat Skewers | 1 meat + 1 vegetable | HP + Spirit (fast to craft) | Calphade quest |
| Chewy Rice Cakes | 4 grains + 2 fruit + 2 eggs + 3 oil | HP + Spirit | Hernand house |
| Fishball Soup | Fish + grain base | HP + Ice Resistance | Hernand Guard Station table |
| Battered Meat & Fish | Meat/fish + batter | Fire Resistance | Behind Hernand innkeeper |
Alchemy: Elixirs & Pills
Alchemy happens at cauldrons found in caves, towns and your camp. Each elixir needs a reagent (plants, mushrooms, insects - decides the effect) and a catalyst (ore, spider webs, hides - decides quality). Complete the Pororin Research Institute quest to unlock all standard-tier elixir formulas (Freya's, Meliara's, Haiden's), and the Witch of Wisdom quest for a unique formula plus a huge alchemy material supply.
| Elixir tier | What it does | Unlock path |
|---|---|---|
| Lesser Elixirs | Small combat stat buffs | Pororin Forest Village quests |
| Standard Elixirs (Freya's / Meliara's / Haiden's) | Attack, defense, speed, no Spirit cost | Pororin Research Institute |
| Palmar Pills | Revival / stat boosts | Trembling Woods quest line |
| Wine & beverages | Stamina restoration | Cauldron + purchased recipes |
Meal Quality Tiers
Cooked food comes in four quality tiers — Modest, Filling, Satisfying, Hearty — decided by ingredient quality and quantity. Higher tiers give stronger healing and longer buffs. You can substitute within a category (Lean Meat → Tender/Marbled; Lentils → Oats/Barley/Wheat); higher-quality substitutes raise the tier.
FAQ
How do I learn new recipes?
Three ways: find recipe scrolls in the world, buy them from vendors (inns are best), or improvise a valid combo at a cooking station three times to register it permanently.
What's the difference between cooking and alchemy?
Cooking (grills and pots) makes food that restores HP/Spirit/Stamina with resistance buffs; alchemy (cauldron) makes combat elixirs with temporary stat buffs and revival pills.
How do I get higher-quality meals?
Use higher-quality ingredient substitutes (e.g. Tender Meat instead of Lean Meat) and more of them - quality tier (Modest to Hearty) scales healing and buff duration.