Alchemy, might be wrong.

[rasereiamok]

I just started alchemy. I did the quest without realizing you can get 40 skill points for free. Anyways, are basic solvents the only way to get those EYE symbols for crafting? In other words, do I need to spend 9silver everytime I want to try and make a potion?

Any tricks?

[peasantnaze]

Just one. If you were an Alchemist for the last 3 months and diligently did the tedious daily rep grind quest, as well as farmed over 400 gold in that time, you could take Alchemy as your second profession and then all the training herbs would give you ?,?,?, Blinding Agent. Alas, these herbs are bound to the Herbalist, so you can't get them for Alchemy unless you're both.

Given Allods is only a week and a half into Open Beta, this is, of course, impossible.

It'll be costly, but you have little choice. You might be able to make Speed Potions, and those only require one solvent and one herb, so going to your Herbalist supplier could help save costs, but it'll still cost you.