Magic in Hogwarts Legacy: What We Know So Far

In any discussion about a game set in the Harry Potter universe, the question of magic is going to be a big one. In a game that puts the player in the role of a student at Hogwarts, it may very well be the question. While there were certainly many magical happenings in the recent trailer, it didn’t give much concrete information on what kinds of spells we can expect to cast in Hogwarts Legacy, nor did it reveal anything about how the player would actually use spells in-game.

However, the leaked trailer from 2018 included what was almost certainly gameplay footage. In that footage, we get to see a number of different spells equipped throughout the video. We also see a handful of combat mechanics, including destructible environments and dodging.

Based on the footage from the 2018 leak as well as the official reveal trailer, these are some of the spells in Hogwarts Legacy:

• Alohomora (Unlocking charm)
• Depulso (Banashing charm)
• Expelliarurmus (Disarming charm)
• Expulso (Explosion curse)
• Levioso (Levitation spell)
• Lumos (Wand-Lighting charm)
• Protego (Shield charm)
• Reparo (Mending charm)
• Stupefy (Stunning spell)

There are a few other interesting tidbits we can glean from the footage in the leak. At one point, we see the player character appear to move pieces of paper around the room using the Levioso spell. In another scene, the player reassembles a broken stone bridge with the Reparo spell equipped. This seems to suggest that we will be able to use spells not just for combat, but for environmental puzzles as well. This would make a lot of sense, especially given that much of the problem-solving in the Harry Potter books involve the characters using magic and their wits, rather than violence, to overcome obstacles.

The leak footage also shows us a bit of in game footage of combat with magic. The player character side-steps a spell cast by an NPC, and then targets and destroys a barrel with a spell. The more recent official trailer revealed a bit more in regards to combat magic, showing us a Hogwarts student trading spells with a masked figure; this scene reveals that the player and enemies can likely use the Protego charm. We also see enemies being levitated, and a spider being hit with what might be an Incendio charm.

Something else to note is that there are only ever three spells that appear on the UI at any one time. Whether those are part of a spell-wheel that can hold more than three spells at once is uncertain. Considering that a variety of spells appear to be necessary in order to solve puzzles and progress, it wouldn’t make sense to only have three spells available at a time. The spells appear to be mapped to different buttons, so perhaps the player can go into a menu and assign spells they have learned to one of the various spell-casting buttons.

Hogwarts Legacy looks to have a lot to offer all sorts of Harry Potter fans, whether they prefer Alchemy, Quidditch, or casting charms. We can only hope that the game ends up turning out as magical as the world it is based in. What kind of spells are you hoping end up making it into the game?