What's In The Witcher's Drink And What Does It Actually Do?

A Witcher's job is to slay monsters. Whether that monster is a werewolf, a bruxa, or even a kikimore, they all fall within a Witcher's purview. And to ensure the best results, as well as that sweet, sweet coin, Witchers enter each contract fully stocked with an arsenal of magical and alchemical items. Chief among these is Blizzard, a potion that makes any impending battle easier for the monster slayer in question.

In "The Witcher," Netflix's live-action adaptation of Andrzej Sapkowski's high fantasy novels, it's likely that Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill) consumes Blizzard and gets to showcase some of its effects in Season 3, Episode 2 ("Unbound"). Its superficial abilities are enough to cause concern, as Geralt's eyes turn pitch black, as well do his veins, which stand out in stark contrast against his pale skin. But the internal changes that it causes are far more interesting.

According to the Book of Swallow, an expositional tome found in the video game series based on Sapkowski's work, consuming Blizzard immediately improves the user's reflexes and reaction time. More specifically, Blizzard functionally slows down the passage of time so that its user might better respond to any given action. And when every single Witcher contract comes with the risk of death, a few extra seconds of response time can be the difference between another day and an early grave. 

For the curious, the scientific reason for the nightmare eyes is that Blizzard causes hyperdilation, so Geralt's eyes don't change color in "Unbound." They literally become voids to consume visual data more quickly. It's also worth mentioning that the name is something of a misnomer, as Blizzard has nothing to do with frost. The most logical explanation here is that the name is symbolic of how the potion slows down time in its own roundabout way.

So, if Blizzard is so effective, why is it that only Witchers seem to use the potion? Well, that's an easy one. Almost every single concoction that Witchers consume to better do their job is lethally toxic to normal humans. Remember, Witchers are genetically modified fighters. Geralt of Rivia might have been born human, but he's much more than that now. And even with all of his enhancements, consuming too many potions like Blizzard can still be dangerous for him. Even preparing for victory leaves him mildly poisoned.

Let's say that a normal human in the world of "The Witcher" wanted to make some anyway; they would need to get their hands on some seriously difficult ingredients. This isn't the kind of stuff one can purchase at the local Redanian Wal-Mart. First, and most easily, Blizzard requires Dwarven spirits — and by spirits, we mean alcohol, which is fairly important to point out because ghosts very much exist in "The Witcher." Second, Blizzard needs five petals from the White Myrtle flower. Simple enough. But it's the last bit that causes the most hiccups. Blizzard cannot be made without the heart of a golem. Yes, as in the heart of an enchanted, sentient rock monster ... still want to give it a try?