I always go fairies, no matter the healing amount in the respective game. It's comforting knowing that I can be as brutal as usual and then still be alive after that "final" hit. With potions, I can't stay as focused on the battle. I need to think of the best opportunity to heal, gamble whether or not to go those few extra seconds and get the maximum amount from the potion by being as close to dead as possible, unless its power is minuscule.