The Witcher 3 Albedo location and uses

Where to find the Albedo location in The Witcher 3 seems like an obtuse puzzle and that’s mostly because it is. The alchemy ingredient is a vital component for some equipment recipes and can help reduce toxicity, but you (probably) won’t find the Albedo recipe at your local alchemists.

You probably won’t find the recipe in a random chest either. Or maybe you will. The trouble with this rare, highly-sought-after recipe is that finding it is entirely random, as it’s part of The Witcher 3’s pool of random diagrams that may or may not show up in a selection of chests across the map.

Once you do get Albedo, you can use it to augment some of your potions and craft some of the RPG’s high-level equipment. Here's where to find Albedo, and how to use it in The Witcher 3.

The Witcher 3 Albedo

Where to find the Albedo recipe in The Witcher 3

There’s a chance you could find the Albedo recipe early in your The Witcher 3 adventure, in one of the chests dotted around White Orchard’s battlefield. Several players over the years have reported finding it here, but as many and more – including us – weren’t lucky and got something else instead.

A few merchants could possibly sell you the recipe as well. Gremist on Skellige seems to have it in stock most of the time, though you won’t get access to him for a little while. There’s a chance the merchant at the Bloody Baron’s castle will have it in stock as well.

Should none of these methods bear fruit and you don't own the DLC, you have one more option, albeit a tedious one. The Witcher 3’s random diagram pool deposits a selection of recipes and diagrams at random (hence the name) in chests around the map. Once you clear them out, they reset after you level up, and there are never duplicates.

By around level 10 or so, you should theoretically have access to over half of the game’s full set of recipes just from these chests. So, if in doubt, level up and explore all over again. This might test your patience, but it's one of your best bets of acquiring the Albedo recipe if previous attempts haven't been successful.

How to get Albedo in The Witcher 3

Once you have the recipe diagram for Albedo in The Witcher 3, you have to actually craft Albedo. The recipe calls for:

• 1 White Gull
• 1 Crow’s Eye
• 1 Pringrape
• 1 Allspice
• 1 Beggartick Blossom
• 1 Mistletoe

You can find or buy most of these in the wild, though White Gull is another alchemy item you need to craft first. However, you can purchase the crafting ingredients for White Gull from herbalists in White Orchard and pretty much every innkeeper.

What is Albedo used for in The Witcher 3?

Albedo has two functions in The Witcher 3. One is reducing the toxicity of potions you add it to, which means you have longer before negative effects start to build up. If you frequently use potions such as Thunderbolt to augment your attack power – which you should be doing – then this is a handy additive to keep around.

The other function is as an ingredient in certain high-level alchemy recipes, including Superior and Legendary Ursine Silver Sword, Superior Draconid, and Hybrid Oils.

Whether you're just starting The Witcher 3 for the first time or need a refresh after a long time out of the saddle, check out our Witcher 3 walkthrough for all the essential info, including how to get the best ending and which quests you should actually do in the wide, open world.