How to Gain The Herbalism Skill in The Sims 4

The sims 4 herbalism is a skill that came to the game with The Sims 4: Outdoor Retreat.

This skill has your sims spending tons of time in Granite Falls looking for plants and insects to turn into herbal remedies.

What is the Herbalism Skill Good For?

Herbalism is a weird skill to gain because all you can really do with it is make herbal remedies that you can use to do things like remove anger moodlets or increase the ability to have twins.

How to Gain The Sims 4 Herbalism Skill

To start gaining the herbalism skill you can go to Granite Falls and start harvesting unidentified plants around the world.

You won’t gain the skill just from this, you’ll need to go into your sim’s inventory and choose to attempt to identify to gain the first level of this skill.

Once you have the first level of the skill you have the option to go ahead and start making herbal remedies. You can do this in Granite Falls on a grill outdoors or in a kitchen on a stove if you’re fancy and didn’t just rent a camp site.

You can also learn this skill by talking to the hermit about it, but this isn’t reliable or quick.

The final way to gain this skill is through skill books. You might honestly want to buy these books from the bookcase and start reading them before you head to Granite Falls.

I’d want the skill before heading there because the higher the skill you have, the better the chance of actually being able to identify different plants.

With skill books you’ll start with the first volume and read that until you reach level 4, then move onto volume 2 until level 7, and then read volume 3.

Pro Tip: If you have The Sims 4: City Living installed you can add the peace and quiet lot trait to your sim’s lot to read books and gain those skills more quickly.

How to Cheat The Sims 4 Herbalism Skill

There are cheats for every skill in The Sims 4 and you are welcome to use these whenever you want! If you want to gain the skill without the effort you’ll need to know stats.set_skill_level major_herbalism 10 to max the skill.

If you want a different level of the skill you’ll want to change the 10 to another level of the skill instead!

Ideal Mood for Herbalism

Emotions were a huge selling point for The Sims 4 and they can have a big impact on your sims, especially in earlier packs like Outdoor Retreat. If you have a sim that wants to gain the herbalism skill you’ll want them to be feeling focused when brewing their herbal remedies!

Best Traits for Herbalism

The traits you give your sims can have a big impact on how they gain skills and the mood they’re in when gaining them. There are two traits I’d give my sims if I want them to get the herbalism skill:

Loves The Outdoors: Herbalism will have your sims spending so much outside looking for insects, plants and more so you’ll want to make sure that they actually enjoy spending time outdoors!
Genius: Since the best mood for this skill is focused you’ll want to be a genius because these sims will get random focused moodlets more often.

Levels of the Sims 4 Herbalism Skill

Skill Level	Unlocks
Level 1	Sims can attempt to identify unidentified plants.
Level 2	Sims can now brew deodorizing cream remedies.
Level 3	Sims can now brew soothing skin balm.
Level 4	Sims can now brew de-stressing decoction remedies.
Level 5	Sims can now brew tummy therapy remedies.
Level 6	Sims can now brew clear mind distillation and fire leaf extract remedies.
Level 7	Sims can now brew natural herbicide oil remedies.
Level 8	Sims can now brew energizer infusion remedies.
Level 9	Sims can now brew rage-relieving salve remedies.
Level 10	Sims can now brew elixir of fertility remedies.

Types of Herbal Remedies

There are 13 herbal remedies that you can make in The Sims 4: Outdoor Retreat. You’ll be able to do things like removing negative moodlets or even improving likelihood of having multiple babies with these interesting remedies.

Insect Repellent Liniment

You can make this insect repellent immediately after learning herbalism. This is great if you’re going around trying to catch bugs because this will stop you from getting bug bites! You’ll need these to make it:

2 Noxious Elderberry
- Found in Granite Falls National Park
2 Basil
- Can Be Purchased at Ranger Station
- Found Near Hermit’s House

Sadness Alleviation Lotion

You can make this recipe immediately after learning herbalism. You’ll want to use this lotion any time your sim is feeling extra sad to eliminate those sadness moodlets. To make it you need:

2 Elderberry
- Found in Granite Falls National Park
1 Firefly
- Found Near Hermit’s House in Deep Woods

Deodorizing Cream

This recipe will unlock at level 2 of the skill and is great for stinky sims. If you’re unable to get your sims to a shower or bath you can use the deodorizing cream to fill your sim’s hygiene bar. You’ll need:

1 Elderberry
- Found in Granite Falls National Park
1 Strawberry
- Found Near Campgrounds
- Found Near Hermit’s House
- Found in Granite Falls National Park
1 Parsley
- Found Near Hermit’s House
- Can Be Purchased At Ranger Station

Soothing Skin Balm

This recipe unlocks at level 3 of the skill. When you’re in granite falls trying to catch bugs you’ll get lots of bites and uncomfortable moodlets, using this skin balm can reduce the duration of these. You’ll need:

2 Chamomile
- Found in Granite Falls National Park
2 Basil
- Can Be Purchased at Ranger Station
- Found Near Hermit’s House
1 Locust
- Found Near Campground or Forest

De-Stressing Decoction

This recipe will be unlocked when your sim reaches level 4 of the herbalism skill. You’ll want to drink this any time your sims are having tense moodlets that are making them feel stressed. You’ll need these items:

2 Chamomile
- Found in Granite Falls National Park
2 Muckleberry
- Found in Granite Falls National Park
1 Walking Stick
- Found Near Wild Garden in Deep Woods Near Hermit’s House

Tummy Therapy

This recipe will be unlocked for your sims at level 5 of the herbalism skill. You’ll want your sims to drink this any time they have an upset stomach from eating bad food or other sources and it’ll go away completely! You’ll need:

2 Huckleberry
- Found in Granite Falls National Park
2 Sage
- Found in Granite Falls National Park
1 Termite
- Found Near Campgrounds
- Found in Granite Falls National Park

Clear Mind Distillation

The clear mind distillation is unlocked at level 6 of the herbalism skill. This potion will give your sims a +2 focused moodlet so it’s great to drink right before a long gaming session or before playing chess. You’ll need:

2 Toxic Chamomile
- Found in Granite Falls National Park
2 Huckleberry
- Found in Granite Falls National Park
2 Parsley
- Can be Purchased at Ranger Station
- Found Near Hermit’s House

Fire Leaf Extract

This recipe unlocks at level 6 of the herbalism skill. This isn’t necessarily something you even want to consume, it doesn’t do fun things to your sims. Your sims are going to get an uncomfortable moodlet called unrelenting itch, ew. You’ll need these items:

2 Poison Fire Leaf
- Found in Granite Falls National Park
2 Morel Mushrooms
- Found Near The Hermit’s House
1 Fire Ant
- Found Near Campgrounds or in Forest

Natural Herbicide Oil

This recipe is unlocked at level 7 of the herbalism skill. This is a gardening concoction that you use when a plant needs to be weeded. You’ll use this on a plant and the weeds will disappear and not reappear for a few days. You’ll need these items:

2 Toxic Chamomile
- Found in Granite Falls National Park
3 Fire Leaf
- Found in Granite Falls National Park
1 Stink Bug
- Found Near Campgrounds

Energizer Infusion

This recipe is unlocked at level 8 of the herbalism skill. It’s a concoction that will give your sims a +2 Energized Moodlet that will last four hours, so drink this before you want to exercise. You’ll need these items:

3 Muckleberry
- Found in Granite Falls National Park
1 Dragonfly
- Found in Granite Falls National Park
- Found Near Campground
2 Poison Fire Leaf
- Found in Granite Falls National Park

Rage Relieving Salve

This recipe is unlocked at level 9 of the herbalism skill. If your sim has any anger moodlets that are bothering you, you just drink this and it will eliminate them. You’ll need the following to create it:

2 Fire Leaf
- Found in Granite Falls National Park
1 Tomato
- Found Near The Hermit’s House
1 Rainbow Firefly
- Found Near The Hermit’s House
3 Noxious Elderberry
- Found in Granite Falls National Park

Elixir of Fertility

This recipe is unlocked when a sim maxes out the herbalism skill. The purpose of this recipe is to have a sim take this while pregnant and it can increase the chance of your sims having twins or triplets. Your sim will need these items to make it:

1 Bee
- Found in Granite Falls National Park
1 Will-O-The-Wisp
- Found Near The Hermit’s House at Night
2 Sage
- Found in Granite Falls National Park
4 False Morel
- Found in Granite Falls National Park

Fungal Infusion Fertilizer Recipe

This recipe isn’t gained through gaining the skill, this one is learned from becoming friends with the hermit you can find in a brush hole in the side of a mountain in the national forest.

This recipe is a really great fertilizer that will make your plants have higher quality, sell for more and be able to evolve faster. To make this recipe you’ll need:

3 Morel Mushrooms
- Found Near The Hermit’s House
2 False Morel Mushrooms
- Found in Granite Falls National Park
1 Blackberry
1 Dust Spirit