Summary

• Deciding the ending in Hogwarts Legacy doesn't have a significant impact, but it sets the fate of the protagonist and the wizarding community.
• Choosing to use the Unforgivable Curses of the Dark Arts in the game has more pros than cons.
• The biggest choice in Hogwarts Legacy is which House the player joins, as it determines quests, roleplay opportunities, and unique content.

Hogwarts Legacy is a massive open-world action RPG where players can make many of their own choices that lead them through their time as a fifth-year student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Although many small decisions such as how to respond in a conversation with someone won't change very much, others can lead to serious consequences. It isn't always very obvious which of these points will have the power to have a lasting effect on the characters and ending of the game, so knowing which choices matter is crucial.

[Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Hogwarts Legacy.]Compared to other RPGs, surprisingly few choices in Hogwarts Legacy have much of a meaningful impact. There are indeed plenty of decisions for players to make, ranging from dialogue options, wand composition, character appearance, and style. Even some of the more uncomfortable moral dilemmas, such as opting to ask for more money after side quests are surprisingly benign and merely present chances for roleplaying. These can cause a false sense of safety, however, when players are then faced with other inevitable choices that can alter the outcome of the game itself if players are not cautious.

4 Choosing The Path That Leads To The Desired Ending

Three Possible Outcomes For Hogwarts Legacy

Unsurprisingly, one of the biggest choices in Hogwarts Legacy is which ending players pick - however, its impact isn't as great as some might expect. This unfortunate truth is made apparent from the game's lack of a morality system; no matter how kind or how evil a student is in their day-to-day actions, they'll still have access to all three of Hogwarts Legacy's endings. Furthermore, no real opportunities for a diverging storyline present themselves during the game's main quests. While there may be some different dialogue options, they don't affect the student's actions, NPC relationships, or the direction of the mission.

That being said, choosing an ending in Hogwarts Legacy is still a major decision, as it sets in stone the theoretical fate of the protagonist and the wizarding community around them. Players don't get to see their choice fleshed out in-game sadly, but the implications are enough to warrant some considerable thought. While attempting to avoid the most serious of spoilers, the main choice comes down to what the character will do with the repository.

Whether players select the good or the evil ending, they'll still have the chance to earn Hogwarts Legacy's true ending, which sees the student pass their O.W.L.s and end the term by winning the House Cup. This is technically the game's canon ending, which remains unaffected by the previous outcome. Nonetheless, deciding whether to close off the repository or to siphon its power is naturally one of the biggest Hogwarts Legacy choices, as it cements the student as either a good or an evil character - which could be further explored in a Hogwarts Legacy sequel.

3 Whether To Use The Unforgivable Curses Of The Dark Arts

Giving In To The Dark Side Has Fewer Consequences Than One Would Think

Spending time with Sebastian Sallow opens the door for players to be faced with the option to partake in the dark arts. In Harry Potter lore, using any of the three Unforgivable Curses could end in a lifelong Azkaban sentence, and so, this is undeniably a significant decision in Hogwarts Legacy which should not be made lightly. Ironically, in the RPG, there are more pros than cons when it comes to dark magic; Crucio, Imperio, and Avada Kedavra are each invaluable during combat, imparting special status effects and breaking through protective barriers of any color. Also, players will not be sent to Azkaban for using these spells in the game.

Still, there are some consequences of becoming a dark witch or wizard at Hogwarts. Despite the absence of a morality system, the student can still develop a bit of a reputation for using the Unforgivable Curses. When using these spells in the vicinity of one of the main character's friends and classmates; Poppy Sweeting, Natsai Onai, Amit Thakkar, and Ominis Gaunt, they will react negatively to dark magic (with Sebastian being the obvious exception). Sometimes, even enemies will openly express shock and disgust at the use of the Unforgivable Curses.

2 Deciding Sebastian Sallow's Fate

A Classmate's Life Is In The Player's Hands In Hogwarts Legacy

While the protagonist has the luxury of plot armor and can't get sent away to Azkaban, the same doesn't apply to Sebastian, whose future lies entirely in the hands of the player and is thus one of the biggest choices in Hogwarts Legacy. During "In The Shadow Of Fate," one of the last missions in his quest line, the student will be faced with a particularly difficult decision - to turn in Sebastian after he uses the Avada Kedavra curse or to let him get away with it and remain at Hogwarts. Unlike most choices in Hogwarts Legacy, this one will have a lasting impact on the game.

By opting to alert the authorities of Sebastian's actions, the Slytherin will be expelled and sent away to Azkaban, never to be seen or heard from again. Since Ominis will take his place in the post-ending scene, Sebastian will never get to learn the truth about his sister Anne. Plus, players will lose the opportunity to learn any Unforgivable Curses they hadn't already acquired, locking them out of the dark wizard path.

1 Picking A Hogwarts House To Join

The Chosen House Leads To Quests And Roleplay Chances

Though it may not seem so to Sebastian, the biggest choice for players in Hogwarts Legacy is which House the student will join. This is chosen early on in the game during the Sorting Ceremony and depends on how players answer questions from the sorting hat. Whether someone wants to align their character with Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin will provide many differences in gameplay. This can include things such as the color of their robes and outfits, which classmates they meet first, and, of course, which common room they call home.

More notably, however, there are unique house-exclusive quests that will only be available for players of that house, which leads to a lot of replayability for those wanting to see all four bits of exclusive content. They all end up with the same conclusion and carry on with the main narrative of the game, but seeing the differences that they each have can add a lot of lore to the game, and Hufflepuffs will even be able to visit Azkaban for their adventure. Having a direct influence on these quests and the player's experience as a whole with roleplaying and colors, picking a House is the biggest and most important choice 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