Elden Ring: Should You Drink Thiollier’s Concoction In Shadow Of The Erdtree? (2024)

One of the strangest new items introduced in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is Thiollier's Concoction , a consumable that, by all indication, will kill the Tarnished the moment they drink it. Players first receive this item during Thiollier's questline in Shadow of the Erdtree. After they've met Thiollier the poisoner for the first time near the Pillar Path Cross Site of Grace, then returned to speak with Moore, the latter merchant will ask them to deliver a pot of Black Syrup. Bring that back to Thiollier, and he'll share some of his concoction by way of thanks.

The flavor text for Thiollier's Concoction makes it clear enough: "for an ordinary mortal, a single sip would assuredly result in swift and certain death." But the Tarnished is arguably no ordinary mortal, and there's no other immediately apparent purpose for this item. Moore wants nothing to do with it, it doesn't have any stated buffs in combat, and it doesn't even sell for all that much. Even so, despite the lack of an obvious use for Thiollier's concoction, there is a way to make it work in the Tarnished's favor - they just have to discover it.

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First and foremost, players shouldn't actually drink Thiollier's Concoction in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. Thiollier advises them only to use it if they're weary of the world, and neither he nor the flavor text are lying: drink it, and the Tarnished will die immediately. It won't be any different from dying to a high fall or one of Elden Ring's hardest boss battles, but it will be a waste. The player can still go and pick up their lost runes when they respawn - most likely right next to where they died at Pillar Path Cross - but they will have squandered an opportunity to use the item to their own benefit.

For most of Elden Ring's DLC, there's only one bottle of Thiollier's Concoction that players receive for free after doing a favor for Moore - the rest require payment. The concoction has no immediate benefit to the player, but it can be used to complete another quest for the Dragon Communion Priestess further down the line. However, that gets infinitely harder if the player decides to test Thiollier's Concoction on themselves.

The only way to obtain a second vial of Thiollier's Concoction is by buying one from Thiollier at 30,000 runes. But if the player has already completed his tasks, they can also find more via Moore's questline, which can take a long time and send the player up against some pretty tough bosses.

After making the delivery, the player will have to gather as many of the Forager Brood Cookbooks as they can, then continue the main quest until receiving the message that "a Great Rune has broken" in Shadow of the Erdtree. When they return to Moore, they'll have two dialogue options: "put it behind you" or "remain sad forever." Choose the first, and Moore will appear in the eventual boss fight against Needle Knight Leda at Enir-Ilim; the second, and he'll be found dead behind the Church of the Crusade.

Either option will eventually net them Moore's Bell Bearing, which they can give to the Twin Maiden Husks at Roundtable Hold to unlock Thiollier's Concoction for purchase. But even then, it costs 30,000 runes a pop, which is nothing to sneeze at, even at the high levels required by Shadow of the Erdtree.

Should You Give Thiollier's Concoction To The Dragon Communion Priestess In Elden Ring's DLC?

Pros & Cons Of Using Thiollier's Concoction In Shadow Of The Erdtree

It's abundantly clear that drinking Thiollier's concoction is not only deadly, but also a huge waste of time. But what is the Tarnished actually supposed to use it for? As it turns out, there is another way to employ it: the Dragon Communion Priestess, located aptly next to the Grand Altar of Dragon Communion, also has a use for Thiollier's Concoction. Players must meet her before defeating Bayle in Shadow of the Erdtree; most are likely to encounter her sometime after meeting Igon and before taking on Ancient Dragon Senessax. Speak to her on any normal day, and she'll regale the Tarnished with tales of powerful dragons. She also gives them the option to devour draconic essence in Shadow of the Erdtree.

But talk to the Dragon Communion Priestess at night with Thiollier's Concoction in hand, and the player can useThiollier's Concoction. It won't kill her like it will the Tarnished, but it will put her into a deep slumber. The player will have to pass two in-game days, then return and speak to her again. After defeating Bayle, they'll receive two rewards: the incantation Dragonbolt of Florissax , which summons red bolts of lightning, and, if they admit to poisoning her, the Dragon Communion Priestess herself as a Spirit Ash summon.

However, this is a pretty nasty trick, and a terrible story outcome. By poisoning the Priestess into a deep sleep, the Tarnished is effectively breaking her vow to Dragonlord Placidusax. Her deity then abandons her, and, none the wiser, she believes the whole affair is her fault.

As an alternative, if the player declines to use Thiollier's Concoction on the Dragon Communion Priestess, they can receive a different set of rewards after defeating Bayle. If the player returns under these conditions, they'll find the Dragon Communion Priestess gone. She has, however, left behind two other items: a Flowerstone Gavel and the Priestess Heart .

The former is just a decent hammer, but the latter is more interesting: once used, it'll transform the Tarnished into an ancient dragon. If they use it again, it'll boost the power of their dragon incantations. This is one of the more fascinating new items in Shadow of the Erdtree, and can unlock an entirely new gameplay style. As a result, it's best to leave Thiollier's Concoction unused, unless the Dragonbolt of Florissax and Priestess summon sound completely irresistible.

So, while Thiollier's Concoction isn't totally useless, pretty much everyone is better off if it just rots in the player's inventory. That said, it can be used for some alternate quest outcomes, even if the results are unpleasant and the rewards relatively uninteresting. Ultimately, it's up to the player what they choose to do with Thiollier's Concoction in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

Players venture into the shadowed realm of the Land of Shadow to confront new biomes, dungeons, and formidable bosses. Guided by the enigmatic Miquella, they face the terrifying Messmer the Impaler and uncover the dark secrets shrouded beneath the Erdtree's influence, featuring new weapons, magic, and challenges​.