Early on in Hogwarts Legacy you will gain access to the game’s version of a skill tree, referred to as Talents. These Talents provide bonuses like better versions of spells you might already have or improved healing from health potions. Many of these Talents are very beneficial, but it’s important to understand which ones will provide the biggest benefits, especially early on in the game. Here’s everything you need to know about the Talent system in Hogwarts Legacy.
How Talents Work
The Talent system is unlocked fairly early on in your time at Hogwarts. It is unlocked once you reach the Map Room, which will be fairly obvious once you reach it. When the Talent system is unlocked, you will receive one Talent point for each level starting at level 5. It’s important to know that there are more talents than you will earn talent points, so an important part is picking which ones are most appealing to you, although there are a few that are must-haves. Some Talents are level-gated as well.
There are five categories of Talents; Spells, Dark Arts, Core, Stealth, and Room of Requirement. Spells increase the power or effect of normal spells and Dark Arts increases the power of dark magic and adds dark magic effects to some normal spells. Core covers the basics, like healing, basic attacks, and dodging. Stealth improves stealth spells and the Room of Requirement improves the effects of plants and potions.
Important Talents to grab early
When it comes to picking out Spells, Dark Arts, Stealth, and Room of Requirement Talents, it’s going to come down to personal preference. You will likely want to improve the spells you find yourself regularly using. However, in the Core category there are a few must-have Talents that will be important.
The important Talents to grab are Wiggenweld Potency and Spell Knowledge. Wiggenweld Potency increases the amount of health the healing potions restore, which is very useful, especially early on in the game when you have a limited amount of resources to make healing potions. As for Spell Knowledge, it allows you to have another set of four spells you can preset and switch to during gameplay. This will lessen the amount of time you spend pausing to swap out spells based on the situation. You can have up to four sets of four spells if you unlock the multiple tiers of Spell Knowledge, which can be a huge time saver and allows you a larger variety of spell combos in combat.
Another great Core Talent to pick up early is Protego Absorption. This talent grants Ancient Magic Meter build whenever you use Protego to defend yourself successfully. This one is great since you are likely using Protego in combat pretty frequently anyways and Ancient Magic attacks deal a ton of damage, so getting to use them more frequently is a big bonus.
All Talents
Spells
Level 5
- Incendio Mastery – Casting Incendio unleashes a ring of flame around you.
- Accio Mastery – Enemies near a target summoned by Accio are also pulled to you.
- Levioso Mastery – Enemies near a target levitated by Levioso are also levitated.
- Confringo Mastery – Confringo impacts produce fiery bolts that seek enemy targets.
- Depulso Mastery – Casting Repulso releases an additional blast directly around you.
- Diffindo Mastery – Diffindo casts slice through impacted enemies to strike additional targets.
Level 16
- Bombarda Mastery – Bombarda causes an explosive blast with a massive area of effect.
- Descendo Mastery – A Descendo slam creates a damaging shockwave around your target.
- Glacius Mastery – Striking an enemy frozen by Glacius blasts damaging shards outward from the target.
Level 22
- Transformation Mastery – Enemies struck with the Transformation spell transform into explosive objects.
Dark Arts
Level 5
- Stunning Curse – Stupefy has the same effect as a curse on enemies. Cursed enemies take increased damage.
- Blood Curse – Dealing damage to a cursed target inflicts damage to all cursed targets.
- Knockback Curse – Flipendo has the same effect as a curse on enemies. Cursed enemies take increased damage.
- Disarming Curse – Expelliarmus has the same effect as a curse on enemies. Cursed enemies take increased damage.
Level 16
- Slowing Curse – Arresto Momentum has the same effect as a curse on enemies. Curse enemies take increased damage.
- Enduring Curse – A cursed effect remains on an enemy for a longer period of time.
- Imperio Mastery – An enemy under your control with Imperio curses other targets with each successful strike.
- Crucio Mastery – Striking an enemy cursed by Crucio releases a projectile that curses a nearby enemy.
Level 22
- Avada Kedavra Mastery – Killing an enemy with Avada Kedavra kills all cursed enemies.
- Curse Sapper – Defeating a cursed enemy restores some of your health.
Core
Level 5
- Basic Cast Mastery – Basic Cast impacts reduce spell cooldowns
- Protego Absorption – Successful Protego blocks will contribute to the Ancient Magic Meter. Perfect Protego blocks contribute even more.
- Ancient Magic Throw Expertise – Ancient Magic Throw catches and throws disarmed enemy weapons.
- Swift – Holding down Dodge allows you to vanish quickly and reappear nearby.
- Spell Knowledge I – Use the D-Pad when holding the Spell button to swap to a new spell set.
- Spell Knowledge II – Use the D-Pad when holding the Spell button to swap to a new spell set.
- Wiggenweld Potency I – Wiggenweld heals you to a greater effect.
Level 16
- Basic Cast Airborne Absorption – Basic Cast impacts on airborne enemies contribute more to the Ancient Magic Meter.
- Protego Expertise – Blocking a spell with Perfect Protego will send two projectiles back at enemies.
- Revelio Mastery – Increases the range of Revelio
- Evasion Absorption – Successfully evading an unblockable attack with Dodge contributes to the Ancient Magic Meter.
- Stupefy Mastery – Enemies struck with Stupefy remain stunned for a longer period of time.
- Spell Knowledge III – Use the D-Pad when holding the Spell button to swap to a new spell set.
- Wiggenweld Potency II – Wiggenweld heals you to a greater effect.
Level 22
- Protego Mastery – Perfect Protego releases a damaging blast that breaks enemy shields.
- Stupefy Expertise – Stupefy deals direct damage on impact.
Stealth
Level 5
- Sense of Secrecy I – Enemies’ ability to detect you is reduced.
- Human Demiguise – Allows you to Sprint while using Disillusionment.
Level 16
- Sense of Secrecy II – Enemies’ ability to detect you is reduced.
Level 22
- Petrificus Totalus Mastery – Petrificus Totalus emanates an area of effect that can impact nearby enemies.
Room of Requirement
Level 5
- Edurus Potion Potency – Edurus Potion makes you invulnerable and deflects projectile attacks back to enemies.
- Invisibility Potion Potency – The Invisibility Potion’s undetectable effect lasts for a longer period of time.
- Fertiliser – For each Chinese Chomping Cabbage thrown, a second Chomping Cabbage is generated and released at no cost.
Level 16
- Maxima Potion Potency – Maxima Potion causes attacks to have additional increased damage and break enemy shields.
- Headache – The damage and duration of the incapacitating effect of Mandrakes are increased.
Level 22
- Thunderbrew Potency – The range and damage of the potion effect are greatly increased.
- Focus Potion Potency – The duration of the Focus Potion’s effect will be extended when any spell from the Spell Set is cast during its use.
- Noxious – Venomous Tentacula attacks deal additional damage and break shields.
Hogwarts Legacy is developed by Avalanche Software, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. The game has been embroiled in controversy due to transphobic remarks from Harry Potter author JK Rowling. Although she is not personally involved with its development, she stands to profit from its success. For more, read our in-depth article on how Rowling’s comments have impacted the trans community. In this article, you will also find links to trans creators you can support, as well as charities you can donate to.
