Red Potion

The Red Potion is a recurring Potion in the series used to replenish Link's health. However, the amount of health the Potion recovers varies from game to game.

Inception and Early Usage
Prior to the Potions, the early games had introduced Water of Life. In, the red Water of Life could purchased by various Old Women after receiving the Letter from an Old Man in a cave in northeast Hyrule, and then showing it to them. Once the Letter is delivered, the blue and red Water of Life will become available for Link to purchase, costing 40 and 68 Rupees, respectively. The red-colored Water of Life works like a blue Life Potion, except that it holds two doses. When used the first time, it turns into a normal Life Potion, which will disappear as normal when it is consumed as well. The red Water of Life returns in, where Link finds it in a cave in the Moruge Swamp. However, instead of restoring Link's health, it is given to an Old Woman in the Harbor Town of Mido, who has a sick daughter. In exchange, she invites Link inside her house where an Old Man teaches him the Fairy Spell.

Commonality and Prevalence
The Red Potion debuted in, in which it similarly replenishes all of Link's hearts, a property which it maintains in most subsequent games, including , , , and. Like the Green and Blue Potions, Link needs an empty Bottle to carry it in. In, SS undefined, and however, the Red Potion only recovers eight hearts, while in  and , it only recovers six. Also, in Skyward Sword, the Red Potion is known as the Heart Potion and can be Upgraded to both the Heart Potion+ and the Heart Potion++, recovering all hearts and, the latter, having two servings.