Herbalism — Picking a patch

Patches grow outside towns. You can gather at any hour when enemies are not nearby, you are not fully encumbered and you are not at sea.

Look at a patch and its list names the herb (Pick Green Leaves, say) and offers Search with the Basket if you carry one. The Up arrow steps between them, or you can use the Sickle or Basket from your hotbar. Then press Interact (E). What happens next depends on the herb.

A common herb comes up in under a second, with nothing to time.

Uncommon and rare herbs require a Sickle. Hold E while the meter fills and keep still.

A bruised herb does not count as unbruised when used in a brew.

With the Basket, press attack while each of three successive glints is visible. Pressing before a glint wastes that find.

Intelligence increases movement tolerance during herb picking and the time available for each Basket glint. A patch disappears for you after both its herb and food are taken, returning the next day.

Gentle work on the Professions page prevents bruising and gives ordinary results without clean bonuses.