Well, now my sister (Day 4) finally received her Welcome email (ETA: and so did my friend Iggy! SQUEEEEEE!), so it’s time to give the people inside Pottermore a place to post their impressions, questions, comments, complaints, tips, and hints. This post is about you and your thoughts.
But first, a brief update:
There are now 319,337 334,681 349,223 366,406 374,782 390,321 students inside the Great Hall. And it appears that the site downtime during the weekend occurred in order to make some rather significant changes.
Previously, all Potions were worth 5 points. You could lose 5 points if you blew up your cauldron, and you could gain 1 point for trying but ultimately failing the Potion.
With the update, there is now a scale of points for the various Potions. You can still lose 5 points for a cauldron explosion, but you apparently can no longer gain 1 point for a minor fail.
Here is the new Potions scale:
Cure for Boils: 3 points
Antidote for Common Poisons: 7 points
Wideye or Awakening: 9 points
Herbicide: 9 points
Forgetfulness: 9 points
Sleeping Draught: 11 points
It looks like I’m going to be branching out now beyond the Cure for Boils, so I (in particular) am looking for Potions tips.
If you have tips or hints on anything – from how to brew a Potion to how to cast a spell, to how to find your shopping list – feel free to use the Comments thread to let us know.
If you just have some impressions that you’d like to share about the site – including complaints – feel free to use the Comments thread to let us know.
If you’d like to use the Spoiler GIFs in your Comment, you can find the code for them at the bottom of the right-hand sidebar, underneath the Slytherin House Crest. All you need to do is copy/paste the code, and you’re good to go.
ETA: Apparently, I’m the only one who can post the Spoiler GIFs in the Comments section at the present time. So if you want to indicate that you’re writing a spoiler, just write SPOILER at the top. I can insert the GIFs.
Have fun!
Here’s a totally awesome and amazing Potions Study Guide that someone shared with the world in Google Docs.
Sorry that this is off-topic, but has anyone else been able to get on Pottermore? I just got my letter on Sunday, and I have yet to be able to get on. It keeps telling me it is too busy or unavailable.
I did just get in. It’s been acting up for a few days now and usually takes some persistence.
I am posting from my mobile, so I will not post any spoilers since I can not copy and paste. I just gained access Saturday, but I am absolutely loving it! A little embarrassed not to have more house points, but I definitely need to practice my potions!
My whole comment is probably a spoiler so there it goes:
Some potions are so hard to brew! I keep failing other that cure for boils but I will learn lol :) adding fluids to cauldrons is hard :) I just keep open those chapters that I know renew my potion ingredients and keep hitting “back” when I know I messed up too much. Don’t want to melt cauldrons! :D Luckilly, just for failing potions you can’t loose any points. God I’m loving it anyway. I just got in on Sunday, and I’m hooked. Just wish it was a bit more interactive/had chat for adults/ had music. But it’s great :D
PS – I copy/pasted the code… but I see it didn’t work.. sorry about it!
(please remove both messages or insert spoiler gif if you can… sorry…)
That’s weird. Am I the only person who can post GIFs in the Comments? I’ll have to check my settings. Thanks for the heads-up.
Woo Hoo!! I’m finally in.. Took your advice (more or less) and concentrated on just forging ahead to the Diagon Alley and the Sorting Ceremony.
As expected, I’m a Hufflepuff. (What else would a gardener, crafter, competitive but not super-competitive witch be? Not to mention my profession as social worker.) OTOH, Don’t mess with us Hufflepuffs ;-))
Don’t get the wand selection, because it doesn’t really seem quite like me.. Hornbeam, Unicorn Core, Rigid, 11 1/4″
Love Hornbeam (beautiful tree) Don’t know much about it’s traits as a wand though. Happy about Unicorn Core. I suppose the hardenss of the tree makes this rigid. OTOH, I see that a Hornbeam wand binds the wand more closely to the witch. That’s cool. (Does that mean my spells will go the way I want them to?)
Gotta stop playing now. I have at least one friend – my Slytherin Sis. Will go back later and visit the Hufflepuff Hall and make some friends, go out to look for some chocolate frogs, and maybe try to brew up a potion.
OwlSun126
When I saw your wand, the first thing I thought was: either Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff.
You obviously read about your wood, so you know that Hornbeam is the wood for Ollivander’s own wand. And Ollivander is a Ravenclaw. The only other people I know who have that wood are Hufflepuffs and other Ravenclaws.
I’m Maple – one of my favorite trees – and as soon as I read up on the wood, I thought: I’m not going into Ravenclaw after all, am I? I’m going into Slytherin. LOL.
It’s a wood for adventurous high achievers. And I got Unicorn too. Maybe Unicorn runs in the family. Oh… and you had that horse obsession when you were 12, right? So definitely Unicorn! :)
Interesting. After we talked last night I got to reflecting on whether there were factors in Wand Selection that could make it go toward “rigid” You suggested having some arcane knowledge, which I would definitely agree with. But how would the wand know? This is what I came up with.
During the Wand Selection process, there was a question about artifact selection. I believe that this may have something to do with it. I selected the Dusty Bottle, because of its mystery. You can’t get much more arcane than what is inside a dusty bottle.
OwlSun126
Argh, Spoiler thingy didn’t work around my observation.
Do you remember the different bottles? I don’t remember the questions/possible answers in the wand selection process.
Question was (in Wand selection section), “Which artifact would you choose”
Choices were: Silver dagger, red glove, gold key, jewel, ornate mirror, silver dagger, and dusty bottle.
I selected: Dusty bottle.
I think I selected dusty bottle too, come to think of it. What was your greatest fear? I chose fire.
My second choice would have been: Silver dagger
I, too, selected fire as my greatest fear.
Hey… I gave a friend of mine your wand characteristics, and here’s what she came up with for your answers:
She couldn’t figure out your fear. But how did she do on the rest of them? I know she got the bottle right, and we talked about our eyes and decided that both of us have blue/green. I know your birthday is even. But I don’t know which path you chose or what characteristics you prize most.
OMG. This is Scary! She was right on Everythng except for path to the forest. I went left to the sea. Despite my having said I would always go right, I picked left to the sea, because going right toward that castle made me feel claustrophobic and an open sea felt free. The forest was not in play. But, Everythng else was right.
OwlSun126
I’m in I’m in I’m in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SQUEEEEEEEEEE
Yay! Congratulations! So much fun!!!
I friended you on Pottermore, btw, but accidentally deleted your username. Can you tell me who you are (minus numbers) so I can give you a nickname?
howljinx :) It’s been fun so far!
Gotcha! Thanks! And glad you’re having fun. My sister is in your House. :)
Hey Sis,
Did my comment get trapped in your spam filter again?
I’m in!!!! I’ll SQUEEE! Too!!!!!
Hufflepuffs, as expected. I like the idea. I’ll get used to the badgers, tenacious souls that they are. Love the yellow and black!
OwlSun126
Yes. It got trapped, but I dug it out. :)
So glad to see that you’re finally in! My friend Iggy got in today too… and she got Ravenclaw.
….and I am still waiting for my owl 8-(
Don’t worry – you’re not alone! I’m still waiting for Errol to figure out where he’s supposed to be going with my welcome email… He’ll sort it out, though :)
It will happen. It really will.
I’ve been having a laugh about my email not being here, actually – my current joke is that Errol may have gotten lost on an island somewhere (seeing as I’m very nearly on the opposite side of the world from “home”). I’ve found it pretty funny, at least! I hope he’s enjoying the sun B-)
Errol on vacation! On a tropical island maybe! Yeah… sounds like fun, for him at least. :)
Glad you’re taking it so well.
NightWing and I are still waiting but that’s okay. Following the comments here and there, I feel Atticus would have gotten frustrated with the early problems and possibly discouraged. So, we wait. But while we wait, we play Lego Harry for the one millionth time and share some Ben & Jerry Strawberry Cheesecake yummmmmmy ; )
Also, congrats on your site’s continued success. Good things come to good people. You give Slytherin class.
Thanks for a great site,
DragonProphecy
Oh yes, poor Nightwing probably would get sooooo frustrated with all the trouble we’ve been having. During the past few days, the site has been down a lot. So keep playing Lego Harry and eating the Ben & Jerry’s! :)
And thank you for your comment about the site and giving Slytherin class. *blushes*
See you in Pottermore – hopefully when the site gets its troubles sorted out.
Hufflepuff and proud, although deeply irritated by my fellow students who call us ‘puffs’ I mean WTF??
SPELLS deeply irritating and I doubt many people will do much there until they sort out the instructions (unintelligible) and the speed (stupidly insane). I mean I just sit there and think ‘Why Bother” it’s not even fun……
However, tips general POTIONS
POTIONS Keep trying, keep trying KEEP TRYING. I managed a complex potion at an early stage but YouTube is helpful * wink *
Do NOT close your potions window by clicking back. THis does not work unless they have sorted it out. If they have fine……. I lost good potions that way. Don’t try speeding your computer clock up (it works but not much)
If I get it wrong in Potions, I just reload and keep going :-)
Fluids – Balance the bottle on the edge of the cauldron and tip gently.
Hey… Puff is an OLD fandom nickname, and it’s usually said affectionately. Here are the standard House nicknames: Gryff (or Gryffie), Ravie, Slythie, and Puff.
Wizard Duel was very popular before they took it offline. So I think spells will be popular again when Wizard Duel comes back. I’m using a graphics pen for spells – and also for potions. ;)
I’m currently brewing my first attempt at the Antidote to Common Poisons. Wish me luck! It’s my first try… and I got it all the way to brew. Now let’s hope I can get the proper amount of Mistletoe Berries in the cauldron when I reach that stage.
I tried this one today, without success. Those darn mistletoe berries were really hard to tip into the caldron. I wasted two batches, before I decided I don’t have time for another one. The whozie whazit was pricey too. LOL
I did it successfully! I heard that you need to lift bottles by the top of the bottle and hold to the side of the cauldron before tipping in. I miraculously tipped in precisely 2 mistletoe berries. The hard part was getting it to stir counter-clockwise.
As for the ingredients themselves… mistletoe berries and bezoar can both be replenished in the story. You don’t need to buy them. When you run out, just go back to where you initially found them and find them again. Mistletoe berries are in the Christmas Feast, and bezoar is in the Hospital Wing.
Ooooh, thanks for the great tip about going back to where I found them in the story. Coolness. I wonder how often they will let you do that though?
I found it hard to stir counter clockwise as well. Clockwise was a cinch, but not counter clockwise.
I already messed up that potion once today, so I now have a potion for boils brewing.
They will apparently let you replenish those ingredients an infinite number of times… unless they change the rules at some point. But really, they have no particular reason for making you spend galleons, since you didn’t have to spend hard cash in order to purchase galleons.
I messed up the potion tonight. I tipped in 3 mistletoe berries, and then closed the tab when I saw the counter. I don’t think you blow up cauldrons or lose points at that point in the potion, but I didn’t want to take any chances. :)
Hope your Cure for Boils came out okay.
I think you only ‘explode’ the cauldron when you let it go into red temperature and not close the window or refresh. Otherwise you just fail to brew and waste ingredients ;)
Limonali,
Thanks for that tip. I just exploded a cauldron last night. Good to know I should refresh before the temp gets too high.
OwlSun126
Oh and in spite of adding the spoiler graphics – they didn’t work. Maybe it is just the Great Panjandrum who can do it.
Apparently so. :(
Wand
Length:
10 3/4 in
Wood:
Pear
Core:
Unicorn
Flexibility:
Quite Flexible
Definitely does not sound Slytherin to me…
Are you a Slytherin? Mine is apple wood – highly loved and charming & Unicorn hair. And guess what I am a Slytherin and feel I fit right in. After witnessing the real team spirit I can believe Slytherins CAN BE loving and cunning at the same time lol ;) we need all sorts of folks to achieve greatness ;)
I am Slytherin. Pear just sounded very dull and is not a very powerful wood. I guess i expected more power and potential from a wand for a Slytherin student. I love the Slytherin house as much as I love Hufflepuff. I am pleased to have made one of my two top choices. :D
Well-respected could be a Slytherin thing. Ollivander also indicates that its magical powers are strong. So it could be Slytherin. Anyway, it sounds like you are a Slytherin who won’t turn to the Dark Arts! :)
No dark arts for me even if I wanted it seems. It reminds me of myself – I could not do evil or harm to another as it contradicts all I believe in. I think the respect thing is why I am always sorted in Slytherin. :)
LOL. Well, the “No Dark Arts” thing happens to the best of us. :) My wand wood is not especially anti-Dark Arts, but I have a unicorn core. Ambitious on the outside, pure on the inside. I can live with that. And yes, doing evil or harm contradicts all I believe in too.
I agree. I love being in Slytherin. I love the team spirit. And cool about the apple wood! :)
Yay!
I Finally got the Potion For Boils to brew correctly. Two previous attempts, the wand got stuck and didn’t work. This time…Success!! And House Points
OwlSun126
I solved Snapes Logic Puzzle without your notes (At least as far as I could go without seeing the bottles. However I did use the notes to confirm my solution (Pretty much the same reasoning, though not as elaborate.).
Got it right when I got inside!! SQUEEE!!
OwlSun126
The only reason my notes are so elaborate is that I was writing them to be read, so I tried to make them as airtight as possible – particularly since they were completely theoretical when I wrote them. We never saw the Logic Puzzle in the movie, so nobody had a clear idea on how the bottles were supposed to be laid out.
Anyway, I’m glad you figured out the solution and got it right! SQUEEEEE!!! :D
Well this whole post is a spoiler.
Anyway, I can’t “re-find” things when I explore moments. I’ve tried logging out and back in but to no avail…? Is this normal or no?
You can’t re-find things if they are in your trunk or your potions stores. Once you have used certain potions ingredients, you can find them again. I hear the same is true about gifting items in your trunk, but I haven’t managed to gift all my supply of a specific item yet so I’m not entirely sure. :)
Shhhh shhhh sss fellow ssserpentsssss.
There’s an unofficial Slytherin Common Room on Internet, started by one of us – Raven. She will only accept people that sign in with their Pottermore Slytherin nick, if you want me to send you a link to that place send me an email kimonik@gmail.com :)
Finally we will be able to communicate and store all our experience and tips and guides and what not! :)
Hey! I found it! :)
Thanks for letting me know about it. I also saw your post in the Common Room about googling it.
I tried the FB group, but they never responded to my inquiry. Kinda weird.
I found you there and said hello :) there’s 222 Slytherins at present, hope it grows :)
Thanks for the shoutout there! :)
Just brewed Antidote to Common Poisons successfully and got Congratulations message just after, but then Notifications said potion failed to brew. Grrrrrrrrr!
Potions has been Very glitchy since last night.
Trying it again. I think I may have left that area too soon. I also think that when brewing, you may need to hit the “come back later” button to be able to leave that area to go do other stuff without losing your work. Or is that just my paranoia.
OwlSun126
I always hit the “Come back later” button.
Finally got Antidote to Common Poisons to brew correctly!! After several tries. And that was even with my losing the internet connection when potion was about 95% done. Fortunately was able to re-establish the connection and Pottermore had Not booted me out. SQUEEE!!
I definitely will hit the “Come back later” button from now on. I think that was part of my problem last night and this morning.
Let me know what ingredients you need. I am just doing the Cure for Boils at the moment as I am terrible so far at potions. I sent some your way since I know the ingredients will help Slytherin. :D
Thank you so much for the ingredients! I sent some other ingredients to you just for fun. :)
Cure for Boils is a great place to start. I brewed that thing a lot of times before I moved on to my next potion.
A lot of ingredients are available in the story. Right now I’m working on Antidote to Common Poisons. And when I cross 200 points, I’ll move on to the 9 point potions – and that’s where I will really need ingredients because some of the Antidote ingredients can be replenished in the story. :)
Just let me know what you need. :) I plan to get to 100 and then try for a harder potion. I love that every little bit counts.
Thanks for the ingredients. I’m brewing an Antidote to Common Poisons right now. :)
I’ll go for my next harder potions once I get to 200. Since we’re neck-and-neck with Ravenclaw, I feel less inclined to experiment and more inclined to brew potions that I probably won’t mess up.
Moving along. Made it with Forgetfulness Potion after several fails. Yay! Will try it again tomorrow before trying the next.
OwlSun126
Have fun! I’m working on perfecting my current potion before moving on to the next. ;)
Did Forgetfulness Potion again just fine, and it’s brewing again right now.
Moved on to next (Herbicide) and promptly blew up my cauldron at the very end. I don’t know why, temp was showing in the green. None of the tutorials I found for it were very good. Not fond of blowing up cauldrons, but I had one other idea which I will try tomorrow.
OwlSun126
Sorry I couldn’t help you on this potion. I’ve never tried to brew it. :(