 New Year, New You?: Potions for a New Perspective
by drziggs
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It’s the end of the Y26 and you look back at all your glorious accomplishments: gold game trophies were won, you took a dip in the Fountain Faerie's pool, and you saved up a nice sum in the bank without spending it all (you did do that, right?). Everyone typically has the same goals every year. Reach that Food Club goal, read so many new books to increase that intelligence stat, and obtain that elusive and expensive paintbrush. However, something seems to be missing – you don't want to go through the same old year with the same old goals and perspectives as the average Neopet, right? Are you looking for something new this year? Maybe a different perspective and some little (or big) changes will help you start the new year in a new way. We've all been to Kauvara's Potion Shop to jealously eye those morphing potions – beautiful, swirling concoctions that promise the grass is always greener on the other side. What about that stock of unique Battledome potions at Kayla's Potions in Meridell? You're so tempted to take a swig and see if you feel more powerful, more intelligent, or more swift. Every time you visit the Healing Fountain, you can't help but look over the huge stock of beautiful glass bottles that the Healing Faerie is hoarding. After a few rounds in the Battledome, nothing feels better. From basic health potions for the Battledome to entire body morphing liquids, magic potions in Neopia offer many different advantages to the average Neopian. There's no better way to change your perspective than changing your entire body! Why don't you start the new year with a completely new outlook by trying one of many potions available across Neopia?  
Healing Potions These are the gold standard of potions and the most commonly encountered potions in all of Neopia. Visit the beautiful flowing pools of the Healing Spring of Faerieland for a chance to obtain one of these healing potions from the Healing Faerie. She very generously donates these to any Neopian in need, and she sells them as well. Many Neopets take a pilgrimage to this site following a rough patch in the Battledome – these potions restore the hit points of Neopets that may be low. There are 22 different Healing Potions that are ordered numerically, with higher numbers healing more hit points. The colours come in a rainbow of mostly pastel shades, ranging from peach to yellow to green to blue. Despite the colour differences, all Healing Potions are scented faintly of citrus, and even just smelling these concoctions starts to make you feel better. The Healing Faerie even offers a special version called the Super Strength Healing Potion, which heals an amazing 225 hit points! The colour of this potion is a more shocking orange and blue, indicating its increased potency. The scent is reminiscent of oranges with a hint of blueberry. Every Neopet suffers reduced hit points at some point, Battledome veteran or not. After all, someone has to try stealing a treasure from the Snowager! Use those potions to feel in tip-top shape again. 
Laughing Potion This rare potion was only available from the Advent Calendar in Y14, and is not sold in any shops. It has a strange shape with a grin in the bottle – the liquid contents tend to get stuck in either the upper or lower part due to its shape. The solution is bubbly with carbonation and when you open it, the bubbles make tickle the nose of especially sensitive Neopets like Lupes. Its origin is from Meridell, so we can only assume this is one of Kayla's creations. Taking a gulp will certainly brighten your mood and give you the giggles. After a few sips, you feel lighter than air and laughter comes very easily to you. Drink the whole bottle and you may be laughing for days, so proceed with caution. This potion is recommended for Grey Neopets that may need some cheering up. If you would like a change in mood level, the Laughing Potion is your best bet. It's great to start the new year with, as it will give you a more positive perspective on things, which is great for starting goals and New Years' Resolutions. 
Sparkle Potion With a concoction originating from Kayla's Potions in Meridell, it's no surprise that the primary effect is to increase intelligence, as Kayla is well-known for her academic achievements. This beautiful potion has swirling pink and blue components that never stop moving in the bottle. The liquid also has a glittery effect that catches the light, making it irresistible to many Neopians. It's contained in a very tall bottle, so be careful to not knock it over! It sparkles so brightly that even the outside of the glass seems to glitter. Drinking this pretty potion will increase intelligence from 0-3 points. If reading books it taking too much time, you can try taking the shortcut by downing some of these potions. Of course, there's also the chance that it has no effect at all! Regardless of what happens, Neopets that take this seem to at least always feel smarter. When opened, it has the scent of the pages from an old book. 
Altador Strength Potion This rare potion bestows extra strength on the Neopet who imbues it. They even say that you will obtain the strength of King Altador – others say you will gain 5 strength points. Same thing, right? This concoction is difficult to find and was only obtainable following the events of the Faeries' Ruin, as its not sold in any shops - not even in Kayla's. The glass container has extra thick walls and it feels heavy when picking it up. The intricate gold and silver design on the bottle indicates it was crafted with care, as someone must have spent a lot of time brewing and designing it. It has a red fabric tie that reminds one of King Altador's cape – it bestows a kingly essence on the bottle. The liquid inside is a deep purple that faintly glitters, and it is held in place with a standard cork stopper. When you remove the cork, the potion is scented like warm sunshine with a faint hint of charcoal. 
Brilliant Sun and Moon Potion Another rare brew is found in the Brilliant Sun and Moon Potion, which was only obtainable from the Games Master Challenge in Year 15. This difficult-to-find potion was awarded to the winning team after the challenges were over. Team options were Team Sun or Team Moon, which influenced the design of this item. Not surprisingly, the potion will increase your intelligence stat by 7 points – a pretty significant increase that will have you rivalling Triple-A in no time! This is a hefty bottle that is square-shaped, with dazzling sun and moon motifs trapped inside. These tiny celestial beings are bathed in a swirling purple liquid that gently changes shades as you swirl it. It's as if a small galaxy were contained in this bottle, as the contents gently shimmer. It's a lot to drink, but doing so will definitely expand your mind (maybe even to the edges of the galaxy?). The contents have a faint lavender scent mixed with the smell of old textbook pages. 
Potato Potion This is a very odd potion found from Kayla's Potions in Meridell. Although Kayla is a genius of a Zafara, she also has a mischievous streak, it seems. Drinking this strange concoction will have body-altering effects, so be aware! The Potato Potion will change any Neopet into a Brown Kiko and increase their weight to boot! There's no quicker way to change your perspective, that's for sure. If you aren't fond of Kikos (or the colour brown), perhaps stay away from this particular potion. However, it may be useful to understand a Kiko's perspective – they are quite close to the ground, after all. And they aren't always the most popular Neopet – maybe this change will make you realize something special about Kikos. Try walking a mile in someone else's shoes (or claws?). The Potato Potion is quite rare and difficult to find. Unsurprisingly, it is potato-shaped with a hefty base. As you lift it, it is surprisingly heavy. When uncorked, the liquid smells of earthy soil. 
Potion of Strategic Maneuvers Another Games Master Challenge reward, this potion will increase your stats for the Battledome. Drinkers of this concoction report increases of strength and movement stats by 2 points – maybe now you can dodge that Chia Clown's pies in the Battledome? If you are feeling a bit weak and unprepared in fights, this potion may do the trick. This unique potion was a reward in Year 15 for both teams who completed the challenge of playing five of the top ten most popular strategy games. It was designed by Triple A and purportedly concocted by Kayla herself in Meridell.
This potion is designed to lay on its side and contains a neatly designed written plan somehow contained inside the glass. It's reminiscent of a ship in a bottle – how did they get that paper inside? The delicate paper is suspended in a clear blue liquid, suggesting a treasure map in the middle of the ocean. The detailed plan must imbue the potion with magic properties. The bottle is lighter than you expect it to be, and the liquid smells of a crisp, cool morning. After drinking this, you're ready to tackle that big problem you've been putting off. 
Rainbow Swirly Potion Ooooh, pretty... The Rainbow Swirly Potion has absolutely tantalizing colours in a uniquely shaped bottle that represents the arc of a rainbow. This concoction can be bought at Kauvara's Magic Shop given you're fast enough at restocking. Otherwise, you may have to pay a hefty price for it on the Shop Wizard. This potion is recommended for Neopets who would like to experience a little physical change without a huge commitment. Don't worry, you won't change species or sprout new body parts with this potion. It can only change a Neopet's colour to blue, green, yellow, or red. If you are already a basic colour, this potion is great for switching things up. When opened, this potion has a unique combination scent. You can smell ripe blueberries, fresh cucumber, a squirt of lemon citrus, and juicy strawberries all at once, like a delicious fruit cocktail. It's said that the last scent you remember will correspond to the colour you change to. 
Flask of Rainbow Fountain Water Ready to take a bigger risk? This flask contains a scoop of water directly from the Rainbow Fountain in Faerieland. At the Fountain, Neopets can be painted (almost) any colour they desire, so the possibilities are endless. Normally the water contains ever-changing swirls of all the potential colours, but when left to settle, we see that the different colours will separate out from each other in layers – just like oil and water. I suppose some colours like Woodland or Relic are heavier and sink to the bottom layers. Perhaps Faerie and Water colours are lighter and rise to the top. No matter how they settle, you can't predict what colour you will end up in after drinking this. Whatever happens, it's likely to be something different than you were before. There's the potential to sprout sparkling fins and gills if you take a swig of some Maraquan paint water, or beautiful wings and antennae if it ends up being Faerie paint water. You could change to a more subtle colour, such as Camouflage or Speckled. Or you could end with more extreme changes – care to change out your body for metal casings? Robot is one of the more drastic options. Of course, basic colours such as blue are also a possibility, so it's hard to know for sure. It's said that the scent of this flask is difficult to describe. Every Neopet smells something different: freshly mowed grass, the salty ocean, a campfire, and a chilly, open night sky have all been described by different individuals. Interestingly, this rare flask can only be obtained by hooking it up from the Fishing Vortex – who keeps dropping these flasks in there? 
Strange Potion This potion will give you a new perspective for sure. Originating from the Lab Ray Scientist himself, you know this potion has to cause some drastic changes. While the Lab Ray is famous for altering many aspects of Neopets, especially their colour, it can also change a Neopet's gender randomly. This potion takes that concentrated power into one flask, allowing you to change gender whenever required. As it was originally created by the Scorchio mad scientist, you may encounter this when fighting him as an opponent in the Battledome. It also can be rarely found in Kauvara's Magic Potions. It has an innocuous colour and shape, superficially resembling Healing Potions with its pastel colour. Any Neopet that mistakenly drinks this will be in for quite the surprise. However, many Neopets seek this potion on purpose to get the desired effect. When uncapped, the Strange Potion reveals a scent associated with a positive memory of the Neopet drinking it.   
Morphing Potions When a paint brush isn't enough, Morphing Potions will hit the spot by changing a Neopets' species AND color. Sometimes easier to obtain than an expensive paint brush, depending on the species, this can be the preferred option for many Neopets. After all, there's no faster way to change your outlook than by changing your species. These come in all different types of species and colour combinations, with some rarer than others. By and large, they are found in Kauvara's Magic Potions, and are typically the most sought-after items there. There are many ways to use Morphing Potions to change your outlook on life, sometimes literally. Feeling a bit overlooked? Take a Grarrl Morphing Potion and tower above the rest – no one will block your view at the cinema now! Feeling a little earthbound? An Eyrie morphing potion will get the wind under your wings and leave you soaring to new heights. Want to feel the soil under your paws and the wind in your fur? A Lupe morphing potion will have you howling at the moon on nightly hunts. Aside from basic colour morphing potions, there are many Paintbrush colour potions as well. Not only will you be able to headbutt opponents with your new Ixi horns, you'll be jingling all the way as you do it, with a Christmas Ixi Morphing Potion. Feel like scaling the walls with your new Techo sticky feet? Now your razor-sharp spikes won't let anyone bully you if you take a Darigan Techo Morphing Potion. The possibilities are really endless, so if you're stuck in a rut in the new year, I highly recommend changing your perspective with a new potion.   
Transmogrification Potions This is the ultimate change for Neopets with no fear of the unknown. While Mutant is a colour that many despise or disdain, the socially aware Neopet understands that this is just a colour like any other. Mutant Neopets are not especially different from any others, other than just appearing a bit physically different. While these potions originate from the nefarious Dr. Sloth, many Neopians have come to understand Mutant as just another type of Neopet. These potions are extremely rare and are typically only handed out during an encounter with Dr. Sloth himself, making them difficult to come by. Taking one will transform the Neopet into a Mutant, which typically involves a lot of morphology changes, and this can be painful to some. However, many Neopets are very proud of their Mutant colour. Transmogrification Potions result in the most extreme changes of any of the potions covered so far, even more so than changing species in some cases. Many Mutant Neopets have extra appendages, tentacles, or eyes, so be prepared if you are ready to sip this extreme potion. While this is rare nowadays, some Neopets view Mutants with some degree of discrimination. However, I would argue that transmogrifying into a Mutant will give you the greatest perspective of all. You can't understand a Mutant's perspective entirely until you've been one, right? Mutants also possess some of the most unique senses of all Neopets, such as having extreme strength, extra limbs to grab onto things, additional spikes, scales, and horns for protection, and additional eyes for increased eyesight and vision effects. For a truly out-of-body experience, commit to a Transmogrification Potion that will change your perspective on life. Have you decided which potion is for you? If you're making a list of New Year's Resolutions, add 'obtain a new perspective' to it before chugging one of these recommended potions, and then experience the rest of your year in a slightly new form! After all, you could always change back later – that's the magic of living in Neopia.
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