Quick Links
Combat remains a crucial piece of Hogwarts Legacy, as the forces of the dark arts assail the player and encourage them to master a variety of spells while utilizing incredibly potent items simultaneously to overcome any antagonistic force in the vast Wizarding World. Players can equip a set of spells they've learned from the main story and an Ancient Magic gauge that unleashes a powerful attack after some time. With different buffs or advantages also coming from various potions and plants, players have many options at their disposal when initiating any fight in the game.
There are multiple mechanics that reward players for waiting until their opponent makes a mistake, either through a Perfect Protego or allowing their Ancient Magic gauge to fill up completely for a special attack. Another overlooked tool in the gameplay of Hogwarts Legacy comes from stealth, which helps players dominate combat situations without ever engaging in a full fight. The Disillusionment Charm, an Invisibility Potion, or even the Petrificus Totalus spell all provide players with methods of sneaking through regions with otherwise challenging foes that would be tedious to defeat in any other circumstance.
Timing a Perfect Protego
In the main story quest, "The Path to Hogwarts," players learn perhaps the broadest defensive magic for combat through the Essential type Protego spell. Unlike most combat spells that players would expect to deal some damage, typically divided into the Force, Control, and straightforward Damage categories, Protego simply puts up a shield that resists the impact of enemy attacks. A special feature of this spell in Hogwarts Legacy comes from a Perfect Protego, which players accomplish by timing the cast of this magic right as an opponent's strike is about to land.
There are immediate benefits from mastering the timing for a Perfect Protego, the first of which is seen from a degree of damage rebounding toward melee attackers. Foes whose projectiles are perfectly parried will see two blasts of magic reflected right back toward them, sometimes even breaking their defensive shields. There are not too many deviations in how enemies attack, so players are incentivized to practice the timing for a Perfect Protego whenever they can to cause this effect in every combat situation.
The Best Spell Combos
As players learn new spells throughout the narrative or during several side quests, they experience the different natures that are tied to Essential, Utility, Transfiguration, Force, Control, Damage, and even Unforgivable Curse arcana types. The best spell combos in Hogwarts Legacy help to take down enemies with unparalleled consistency, as players can equip four significant pieces of magic in a set, but specific charms and incantations work in tandem better than others. For example, the Control spell Accio pulls enemies to the player, working with the Damage spell Incendio as the latter magic sets the region in front of a character on fire for foes to be dragged into.
The Best Examples of Good Spell Combos
|
Spell 1 |
Spell 2 |
How Magic Works Together |
|---|---|---|
|
Depulso |
Confringo |
Players are able to push enemies and objects back from their space with the Force spell Depulso, then strike with heavy-ranged magical attacks through the Damage spell Confringo as a follow-up. |
|
Levioso |
Descendo |
Levioso raises foes into the air through its Control magic in Hogwarts Legacy, while Descendo uses Force to deal heavy damage to enemies that are slammed into the ground from the air, supporting an unorthodox but easy-to-understand combination. |
|
Glacius |
Diffindo |
The Control spell Glacius lets players slow down their enemies with colder magic, giving them enough space to cast Diffindo as a highly effective long-range Damage spell right after freezing their opponents. |
|
Arresto Momentum |
Bombarda |
Similar in nature to Petrificus Totalus, Arresto Momentum uses its Control magic to slow down objects and enemies, giving player enough time to wind up an explosive Damage spell called Bombarda against foes from afar. |
|
Stupefy |
A quick cast of the Essential spell Stupefy by players leads to a stunned opponent without much damage, which becomes an easy matter to inflict with the Unforgivable Curse Crucio, which deals a high amount of torturous damage over time while foes are vulnerable. |
The Best Potions and Plants
Plants can also be essential to combat, as players should be willing to take any help against tougher bosses or higher-level creatures they encounter. For example, the Chinese Chomping Cabbage follows enemies around on the battlefield, damaging them through their pursuit until their target is destroyed, allowing players to focus on a particularly dangerous target. Mandrakes and Venomous Tentacula are incredibly useful as well, as the former has a chance to stun enemies through its scream, while the latter spews venom at enemies when players decide to deploy them.
Even though players have to obtain the right schematics in Hogwarts Legacy to grow these combat plants on Potting Tables, they must also embark on a similar endeavor to gain ingredients for various potions combined at a Potion Station in the Room of Requirement. While potions such as the Wiggenweld Potion are always useful due to it's ability to restore health to the player when consumed, the best potions for mastering combat are the Maxima, Endurus, and Focus Potions. Each of these brews bolsters some aspect of moment-to-moment mechanics in combat, seen through boosted spell damage, general defenses, or a reduced spell cooldown.
The Best Spell Sets
|
Spell Set Build |
Best Spell Selection |
|---|---|
|
Long-Range Combat |
|
|
Close-Range Combat |
|
|
Exploration & Utility |
|
|
Stealth |
|
|
Unforgivable Curses |
|
Players close to mastering combat will eventually find that switching spells of their four into a particular set gives them much more flexibility when approaching different areas, whether they intend to explore or fight. Additionally, depending on the preferred style of the player's magic, the best spell sets evolve the spell combos mentioned previously. An excellent recommendation to assist in the player's decision-making on this subject would be to combine at least one Damage type spell with a Control or Force magic, keeping a diverse selection at hand throughout their adventures to master combat in Hogwarts Legacy.
Editor’s Note: Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling has been accused of transphobia by those in the LGBTQ+ community. Although not directly involved in the development of Hogwarts Legacy, Rowling does stand to earn royalties from the game. We would like to reiterate our support for trans rights and that trans identities are valid. Support services are listed below for trans people impacted by discussions of transphobia.
In the USA:
- Trans Lifeline: (877) 565-8860
- The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386
In Canada:
- Trans Lifeline: (877) 330-6366
- Youth Line: 1-800-268-9688
In the UK:
- Switchboard: 01273 204050
- Mermaids: 0808 801 0400
-
Hogwarts Legacy
- Released:
- 2022-02-10
- Developer:
- Avalanche Software
- Genre:
- Adventure, Action RPG, Open-World
- Platform:
- Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows, Steam
- Publisher:
- Warner Bros. Games
- ESRB:
- T
- Franchise:
- Harry Potter
- Mode:
- Single-Player
- Platforms:
- Xbox One
- Release Date :
- February 2023
- Rating:
- T
