Restoration loop is broken and we're all just pretending it isn't

[DragonbornVet]

So I'm on my 4th playthrough right now and I just realized—the Restoration glitch has been patched for like a decade, but there's an entire legitimate loop nobody talks about that's basically just as stupid.

If you stack Restoration perks the right way (the one that boosts potion potency, plus the perk that lets you make potions stronger), then combine it with any crafting loop gear enchanted for Alchemy, you can make healing potions so absurdly powerful that you're basically unkillable. Like, we all know Alchemy is broken, but Restoration potions specifically are the thing that breaks the game harder than anything else because they're always available and scale infinitely.

My question is: why does everyone talk about Necromage exploits and enchanting loops but nobody mentions that you can just... make yourself invincible with healing potions? You don't need Restoration magic at all. Just potions. And unlike actually using Restoration as a spell (which is slow and costs magicka), chugging potions mid-fight is instant and unlimited.

Am I missing something or is this just the thing nobody wants to admit makes the game trivial on any difficulty?

 

[WhiterunModder]

I think you're conflating two different things here. Yeah, Alchemy is absurdly strong—that's not a secret, it's just accepted as "this is how Skyrim works." But the reason people talk about Necromage and enchanting loops way more is because those require actual setup and knowledge. You need to know the exploit exists. Alchemy breaking the game is just... playing the game normally if you invest in it.

The thing about healing potions specifically though—and this is where I'd push back a bit—is that it's only "invincible" if you actually use them. Like, the game doesn't force you to chug ten grand-level potions mid-fight. You can just... not do that. Necromage actually breaks the math in a way that makes everything else trivial whether you want it to or not. Alchemy requires you to actively participate in the cheese.

That said, yeah, if you're min-maxing Alchemy with gear and perks, you can make potions that heal way more than any reasonable damage intake. But that's kind of the point of Alchemy as a skill tree—it's the one crafting discipline that actually scales into endgame. Smithing caps out, Enchanting caps out, but Alchemy just keeps going. Is it balanced? Absolutely not. But it's been that way since Oblivion.

If it bothers you, honestly just don't make super potions. Or cap how many you carry. Lots of people do self-imposed rules on Alchemy specifically because the vanilla balance is just broken. That's probably why "nobody mentions it"—because the fix is just restraint, not an actual exploit that needs discussing.