Hogwarts Legacy Guide#
Hogwarts Legacy is an open-world action RPG from Avalanche Software — set at Hogwarts in the 1800s, you play a fifth-year student with an ancient bloodline who uncovers the secrets of ancient magic. From Hogwarts castle to the Forbidden Forest, from Hogsmeade to the Highlands — the entire wizarding world is yours to explore. This guide covers all spells and combat techniques, a full Hogwarts map guide, companion relationship quests, and a complete collectibles guide.
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch | Release date: February 10, 2023
Game Overview#
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | Avalanche Software |
| Publisher | Warner Bros. Games |
| Genre | Open-world action RPG |
| Engine | Unreal Engine 4 |
| Setting | The 1800s — 100 years before Harry Potter |
| Houses | 4 — the main story is the same, but some quests differ |
| Spells | 40+ learnable spells |
| Gear slots | 5 — headwear / facewear / cloak / handwear / outfit |
| Explorable areas | Hogwarts castle + Highlands + Hogsmeade + Forbidden Forest |
| Companions | 3 — Sebastian / Natsai / Poppy |
| Difficulty options | 4 — Story / Normal / Hard / Extreme |
Story background: You play a fifth-year student with the unique ability to sense and manipulate ancient magic. Headmaster Professor Black and Professor Fig guide you as you uncover the secrets of ancient magic, while you fight against the goblin rebellion led by Ranrok. Your choices will decide the fate of the wizarding world.
Core Features#
| Feature | What it means |
|---|---|
| House choice | Determines your common room + an exclusive side quest + some dialogue |
| Spell combos | Control + damage + force — freely combine four-spell wheels, with up to 16 spells ready to swap at any time |
| Broom flight | Once unlocked, you can fly freely — the fastest way to travel the world, with speed and handling upgrades |
| Room of Requirement | Your private base — grow plants, brew potions, raise beasts, enchant gear — fully customizable |
| Companion bonds | Three classmates can accompany you — rapport unlocks exclusive skills, appearances, and story branches |
| Wand customization | Wood + core + length — affects appearance only (no performance impact), with 30+ woods and 15+ cores to combine |
| Exploration content | Merlin Trials, astronomy tables, Snitch statues, History of Magic pages, balloons, landing platforms, and hundreds more collectibles |
| Gear transmog | Gear stats and appearance are separate — mix and match looks freely |
Getting-Started Tips#
| # | Tip | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | House choice matters little | Only the first house-exclusive side quest differs — everything else is exactly the same |
| 2 | Light Floo Flames early | Floo fast travel — the more you light, the easier map running gets; activate Floo points first in every new area |
| 3 | Prioritize the unlocking spell | Alohomora — many chests sit behind locks; level II and III require collecting Snitch statues |
| 4 | Gear stats matter more than looks | Gear appearance can be transmogged — always wear the highest stats, and salvage or sell old gear |
| 5 | Do more assignment quests | Assignment quests reward new spells — more spells mean stronger combat, and they unlock new recipes too |
| 6 | A broom is a one-time investment | Brooms are bought once and usable forever — buy early; the fastest Nimbus 2000 costs 4,500 gold |
| 7 | Talents cannot be reset | Talent points are limited (about 50 in total) — decide before spending; plan your build first |
| 8 | Potato leaf cures everything | The petrification potion grants a few seconds of invulnerability — extremely useful in combat, and even stronger combined with Madeira Pebbles |
| 9 | Make good use of Revelio | Press C to scan your surroundings — it highlights every interactable object, hidden chest, and collectible — and its cooldown is short |
| 10 | Grow your own potion ingredients | Plant potion ingredients at the potting station — far cheaper than buying; 3-5 large pots are recommended |
House Selection Guide#
| House | House trait | Common room | Exclusive quest | Unique experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gryffindor | Courage — the story plays out conventionally | Tower — lion decor + fireplace | Chatting with Nick | A conversation with Sir Nicholas — learn the story of his death |
| Hufflepuff | Loyalty — the most unique exclusive quest | Basement — next to the kitchens | Visit Azkaban | The only house that can enter Azkaban — an immersive prison experience |
| Ravenclaw | Wisdom | Tower — a gorgeous starry dome | Recover Ollivander’s memory | Explore the wandmaker Ollivander’s memory — learn the history of wands |
| Slytherin | Ambition | Lakebed — the windows look out into the lake water | Scribner’s Legacy | Explore Scribner’s Legacy — learn Slytherin history |
Recommendation: Hufflepuff’s exclusive quest is the only chance to enter Azkaban — if you want the most unique experience, choose Hufflepuff.
How the house choice affects the game:
- The main quest is completely identical — it does not affect the story’s ending
- The common room differs — you can visit yours at any time, but cannot enter the other three houses’ rooms
- Some dialogue differs subtly — NPCs react differently depending on your house
- The house-exclusive side quest only spans the first 1-2 hours — it does not affect the rest of the playthrough
Difficulty Explained#
| Difficulty | What it does | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Story | Very low combat difficulty — enemies deal very little damage | Players who only want the story / are not skilled at action games |
| Normal | The standard experience — recommended for a first playthrough | Most players |
| Hard | Tankier enemies + higher damage — you need to know your combat combos | Players with action game experience |
| Extreme | The highest difficulty — extremely high enemy damage + large health pools | Veterans looking for a challenge |
Hard mode core tips:
- Use Protego frequently — perfect blocks stun enemies
- The dodge roll has invincibility frames — safer than blocking; red-glow attacks must be dodged
- Potions are key — use Madeira Pebbles + potato leaf + Focus Potion in combat
- Build the habit of switching spell wheels — do not rely on just one set; rotate at least 2-3 sets
- Prioritize core talents — health and Ancient Magic charges are the foundation of survival
- Use the environment — explosive barrels and hanging objects in the scene can deal massive damage
Core Systems#
Wand Customization#
Chosen at Ollivanders wand shop — 30+ woods and 15+ cores to combine.
| Element | Effect | Choices |
|---|---|---|
| Wood | Appearance only — no performance impact | 30+ |
| Core | Appearance only — no performance impact | 15+ |
| Length | Appearance only — no performance impact | Several |
Woods worth collecting: holly (Harry’s), yew (the Elder Wand), elder, phoenix wood, vine, cherry.
Core types: phoenix feather, dragon heartstring, unicorn hair, thestral tail feather, Thunderbird tail feather, and more.
Broom Flight#
| Broom | Price | Notes | How to get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Arrow | $0 (quest reward) | Your first broom — free from a quest | Main quest “Flying Class” |
| Silver Arrow | $475 | Average speed | Hogsmeade broom shop |
| Starlight Broom | $975 | Mid speed | Hogsmeade broom shop |
| Night Sky Broom | $2,200 | Fast | Hogsmeade broom shop |
| Nimbus 2000 | $4,500 | Fastest | Hogsmeade broom shop — unlocks late |
Broom upgrades: from Professor Sprint’s broom flight class — each upgrade improves speed and handling, 3 upgrades in total.
Room of Requirement#
| Facility | Function | Unlock |
|---|---|---|
| Potions station | Brew 6 kinds of potions | Around hour 5 of the main story |
| Herbology station | Grow 4 kinds of magical plants | Around hour 5 of the main story |
| Enchanting station | Upgrade gear rarity and traits | Around hour 8 of the main story |
| Beast pens | 4 areas — raise 12 magical beasts | After the “elf” quest |
| Loom | Craft gear appearance upgrades | After the beasts quest |
| Wand stand | Display collected wands | Unlocked via collectibles |
Combat Core Mechanics#
| Mechanic | How it works |
|---|---|
| Shield colors | Purple (control) / red (damage) / yellow (force) — shields must be broken with same-color spells |
| Ancient Magic | Attacking fills the purple meter — when full, unleash high-damage finishers or hurl objects |
| Perfect block | Block at the instant of an attack — stuns surrounding enemies and triggers a counter |
| Dodge roll | Brief invincibility frames — red-glow attacks cannot be blocked and must be dodged |
| Combo system | Consecutive attacks stack the combo counter — some talents and gear traits depend on combos |
| Finishers | Approach a stunned enemy to trigger — a flashy takedown animation that restores a little health |
Collectibles Overview#
| Collectible | Total | Reward |
|---|---|---|
| Snitch statues | 30 | Alohomora upgrades |
| Merlin Trials | 95 | Gear capacity expansion |
| Astronomy tables | 15 | Gear + XP |
| History of Magic pages | 150+ | XP + collection progress |
| Balloons | 72 | Gear + achievement |
| Landing platforms | 15 | Broom appearance |
| Invisibility statues | Variable | Appearance collection |
FAQ#
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is the game available in Chinese? | Yes — fully Chinese interface + Chinese voiceover |
| Can you romance anyone? | No — there is no romance system, friendship only |
| Is there New Game+? | No — NG+ carryover is not supported at present |
| Can you change houses? | No — you would need a new save |
| Multiple endings? | 2 main endings — based on the final choice |
| Is there DLC? | Yes — the “Dark Arts Pack” and an “extra cosmetics pack” |
Related Games#
- Cyberpunk 2077 — a sci-fi open-world action RPG
- Baldur’s Gate 3 — a fantasy RPG dense with choices and side content
- Elden Ring — an open-world fantasy action RPG built on exploration
- Skyrim — the open-world fantasy RPG benchmark for freedom and exploration
- Skull and Bones — a pirate-themed open-world action game
Related Rankings#
Best RPGs · Best Open World Games · Best Open World Games in History
Full Guides#
In-depth sub-guides — beginner basics (house selection, character creation, opening route, interface), world and exploration, spells and combat, quests and companion relationships, gear and collectibles (wand woods, potions and plants), and the character guide — are available in Chinese on NTGame’s Hogwarts Legacy section. If you read Chinese, that section also carries achievement, boss, endings, secrets, and update-record sub-guides behind the tables above.