Potion

A Potion is a consumable item in the Golden Sun series. Like most consumable items, each party member can hold up to thirty potions in a single inventory slot. When used, a potion completely restores a single party member's Hit Points. They can be bought for 1000 coins and sold for 750. Also, potions are considered Artifacts, meaning they can be re-purchased if sold or dropped.

Golden Sun Potions
In the original Golden Sun game, a single potion is added to item vendors' Artifacts section the first time players visit Suhalla and Lalivero.

Potions are dropped by Ice Gargoyles and both of the Mimics in Crossbone Isle Cave. Also, two bosses drop potions: Tret, guardian of Kolima Forest, and the Tempest Lizard, found both in the Suhalla Desert and on Crossbone Isle. Finally, several of the scripted battles at Crossbone Isle reward players with a potion: Floor 2 features two Grislies and a Succubus; Floor 4 is home to a pair of Gryphons; Floor 6 is guarded by two Chimeras.

A limitless supply of potions can be won from the Lucky Wheels and Lucky Medal Fountain minigames in Tolbi.

The Lost Age Potions
In Golden Sun: The Lost Age, a single potion is added to item vendors' Artifacts section the first time players visit Champa, Shaman Village, Loho, and Prox.

Potions are dropped by Foul Mummies, Sea Hedgehogs, the Mimic of Aqua Rock, and the Mad Plant of Gaia Rock. Also, one boss, Obaba's pet Avimander, drops a potion upon defeat.

A limitless supply of potions can be won from the Lucky Wheels and Lucky Medal Fountain minigames in Contigo and Lemuria, respectively.

Dark Dawn Potions
In Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, a single potion is added to item vendors' Artifacts section the first time players visit Passaj, Ayuthay, Belinsk, Port Rago, and Champa Camp.

Potions are dropped by Raptor Seeds, Hydras, Aqua Hydras, Wyverns, Chimera Mages, and Dark Soldiers.

Analysis
Potions are the strongest single-target HP-restoring items in the Golden Sun series, making them valuable assets near the end of the games. In earlier stages of the games, however, when party members have fewer Hit Points, nuts and vials can also completely restore a character's health. These items are cheaper than potions and come in an unlimited supply. As a result, potions are better off not used until the last few dungeons, when even vials may fall short of players' expectations.

Since potions are considered Artifacts, one strategy is to sell them and use the money to buy cheaper healing items that work just as well. Even vials, the most expensive non-artifact healing item, only cost 500 coins, compared to the potion's 750 coin value. So it's possible to increase the quantity of healing items this way, assuming quality isn't an issue. Then, near the end of the game, when a player has excess money (most likely because of powerful weapon and armor Artifacts, making buying equipment obsolete), the potions can safely be repurchased.