In Hogwarts Legacy, as in other role-playing games, there are of course talent points to be earned, which can be used to unlock new abilities or improve existing spells. In the following, we will give you an overview of all talents, what effect they have and provide helpful tips on the right skill.
At what point in the game can I invest talent points?
When will the talents be unlocked? At the start of Hogwarts Legacy, the talents are not yet available to you. Only when you have successfully completed the second quest from Professor Hecat, in which you learn the spell Expelliarmus, will the mission Jackdaw’s final resting place appear in your mission overview. At the end of this task, you will finally gain access to the skill tree and can award talent points.
How do I earn talent points? Each time your character levels up, you will receive additional talent points, which you can spend on one of five categories and a total of 48 talents. However, you should think about the direction in which you want to skill your character beforehand.
There are 5 categories in which you can invest:
- Spells: These talents help to improve your magic.
- Dark Arts: These talents increase your skills in the dark arts.
- Main talents: These talents improve your overall effectiveness.
- Sneaking: These talents improve your ability to sneak around.
- Room of Requirements: These talents improve your use of potions and combat plants.
Different talent levels: In all five categories, the various talents are once again linked to specific levels. For example, some skills can be learned from level 5 of your character, while others are only unlocked from level 16 or even level 22.
Can I reset talents?
Once talent points have been invested in “Hogwarts Legacy”, they can no longer be retrieved or redistributed! You should therefore think carefully in advance about which talents and improvements you want to invest your earned points in.
Overview of talents in the category Spells
If you want to run offensively through the game world and rely on powerful spells, then this is the category for you.
We found the Accio spell to be particularly useful, as it can be used to summon not only items, such as important items, but also enemies. If you improve Accio from level 5, enemies in the vicinity of a target summoned with Accio will also be pulled towards you. This is useful as you can then cast your spells, such as Incendio, to fight all enemies around you with a ring of fire.
This combination helped us a lot when fighting the countless spiders in the Forbidden Forest, as the eight-legged creatures rarely appear alone and can therefore be fought directly together. As they also have a weakness to fire, we were able to clear entire nests of the creepy-crawlies in no time at all.
From level 5:
- Diffindo Mastery: Use Diffindo to slice through affected enemies to hit additional targets. Useful if you have to deal directly with several enemies.
- Depulso Mastery: Depulso triggers an additional, powerful explosion in your immediate vicinity.
- Confringo Mastery: Confringo hits create small fiery projectiles that aim at enemy targets. A very useful spell, as you can use it to fire at objects (Merlin’s trials) or enemies from quite a long distance.
- Incendio Mastery: Using Incendio unleashes a ring of fire around you. Although this spell has a very short range, it does a fair amount of area damage and is perfect for fighting fire-sensitive enemies such as spiders.
- Accio Mastery: Enemies near a target summoned with Accio are also pulled towards you. This is very practical as it allows you to pull several enemies towards you to cast area spells such as Incendio.
- Levioso Mastery: Enemies in the vicinity of a target levitated with Levioso are also levitated. Not only useful for items. Enemies hang motionless in the air and are the perfect target for further spells. The standard spell Stupor does additional damage when enemies are levitated by Levioso.
From level 16:
- Bombarda Mastery: Bombarda hits trigger a powerful explosion with a huge area of effect. This is great for blowing open doors, for example.
- Decendo Mastery: Descendo hits cause a shockwave that deals damage around the target.
- Glacius Mastery: Hitting an enemy frozen with Glacius causes damaging shards to be ejected from the target.
From level 22:
- Transformation Mastery: Hits with the transformation spell transform enemies into explosive objects.
Overview of talents in the Dark Arts category
In this category you will find various curses, i.e. evil spells that turn some spells into curses, for example.
From level 5:
- Disarming Curse: Expelliarmus has the same effect on enemies as a curse. Cursed enemies take increased damage.
- Knockback Curse: Flipendo has the same effect on enemies as a curse. Cursed enemies take increased damage.
- Stunning Curse: Stupor has the same effect on enemies as a curse. Cursed enemies take increased damage.
- Blood Curse: When damage is dealt to a cursed target, all cursed targets take damage.
From level 16:
- Crucio Mastery: Hitting an enemy cursed with Crucio releases a projectile that curses a nearby enemy.
- Imperio Mastery: An enemy under your Imperio control curses other targets with each successful one.
- Slowing Curse: Arresto Momentum has the same effect on enemies as a curse: Cursed enemies take increased damage.
- Enduring Curse: A curse effect sticks to an opponent for longer.
From level 22:
- Avada Kedavra Mastery: Killing an enemy with Avada Kedavra kills all cursed enemies.
- Curse Sapper: When you defeat a cursed target, a portion of your health is restored.
Overview of talents in the main talents category
Here you will find your main talents, which you should always gradually improve. The three levels of spell knowledge are particularly practical, as you unlock a new spell set for each level. One is available to you right at the start of the journey, the other three you have to earn first. Ultimately, you have four spell sets at your disposal, each of which can hold a total of four different spells.
This allows you to place up to 16 spells in Quick Access so that you can react to the respective situation at any time in battle. As there are numerous different spells in the game and there are other important abilities that make perfect sense in Quick Access, you should definitely unlock all four spell sets very quickly.
The talent Nimble is also very helpful for difficult fights. This allows you to get out of dangerous situations more quickly and put distance between you and your opponents. This is particularly useful in battles with lots of enemies or very strong enemies, such as a troll.
From level 5:
- Basic Cast Mastery: Basic spell hits reduce the cooldown of spells.
- Protego Absorption: Successful Protego spells increase the Old Magic Gauge. Perfect Protego spells increase it even more. This is also a very useful enhancement, as it is advisable to parry or counter a lot anyway. At the same time, your Old Magic automatically recharges, allowing you to perform your special attack faster to deal devastating damage.
- Swift: Press and hold Dodge to suddenly disappear and reappear nearby. Very useful in combat with many or very strong opponents. Every budding wizard or ambitious witch should know this move.
- Spell Knowledge I: A new spell set is added. Hold down R2 and tap the directional pad in one direction to switch to an unlocked spell set. Our absolute recommendation, as this gives you more space for your spells in the quick access menu.
- Spell Knowledge II: A new spell set is added. Hold down R2 and tap the directional pad in one direction to switch to an unlocked spell set.
- Wiggenweld Potency I: The Wiggenweld Potion has a better healing effect. Very useful, especially in the longer battles that await you later in the game.
- Ancient Magic Throw Expertise: The Ancient Magic Throw catches and throws the weapons of disarmed opponents.
From level 16:
- Basic Cast Airborne Absorption: Basic Spell hits against enemies in the air increase the Old Magic Gauge more.
- Protego Expertise: If you block a spell with a perfectly matched Protego, you send two projectiles back at your opponents. Another recommendation on our part, as you should be blocking a lot in the game anyway and can therefore counter twice to inflict damage.
- Evasion Absorption: Successfully dodging unblockable attacks increases the Old Magic meter. This is also useful, as you should of course dodge such attacks with a roll and automatically fill your Old Magic meter.
- Stupefy Mastery: Enemies hit by Stupor remain stunned for longer. Since Stupor is your standard spell and you will be using it frequently, this is a definite recommendation.
- Wiggenweld Potency II: The Mega Power potion has a better healing effect. A better effect of the health potion can never harm you.
- Revelio Mastery: Increases the range of Revelio. This allows you to make items further away visible. Very useful if you don’t want to miss any treasures etc. in your vicinity.
- Spell Knowledge III: A new spell set is added. Hold down R2 and tap the directional pad in one direction to switch to an unlocked spell set.
From level 22:
- Protego Mastery: A perfectly coordinated Protego spell unleashes a powerful explosion that breaks enemy shields. Of course, this is also a recommendation that can sometimes save your life.
- Stupefy Expertise: Stupor hits cause direct damage. It is essential that you upgrade your much-used standard spell as soon as possible.
Overview of talents in the category Sneaking
If you’re more of a quiet person, then this category is perfect for you. The ability to camouflage yourself even better can be particularly useful. With the Petrificus Totalus spell, you can even take out enemies unnoticed without drawing attention to yourself.
From level 5:
- Human Demiguise: You can sprint while using Disillusionment. Great if you want to move a little faster.
- Sense of Secrecy I: Enemies are less able to detect you. Useful for remaining undetected.
From level 16:
- Sense of Secrecy II: Enemies are less able to detect you.
From level 22:
- Petrificus Totalus Mastery: Petrificus Totalus covers an area of effect that can hit nearby enemies.
Overview of talents in the category Room of Requirement
The fifth and final category deals with plants and potions that you can plant and brew in the Room of Requirement. We particularly liked the Fertilizer talent, as it doubles the amount of Chinese Chewed Cabbage you throw. These plant creatures are a perfect distraction and support in battles.
From level 5:
- Invisibility Potion Potency: The effect of the invisibility potion lasts longer.
- Fertiliser: For every Chinese Chewy Kale thrown, a second Chewy Kale is created and released free of charge. We recommend this, as the chewy cabbage can be a great help in battles and also attracts the attention of enemies.
- Edurus Potion Potency: The Edurus potion makes you invulnerable and reflects projectiles back at enemies. If a fight is very difficult, using the Edurus potion will help. If you want to be on the safe side, improve this potion as quickly as possible.
From level 16:
- Maxima Potion Potency: The Maxima Potion also gives attacks increased damage and the ability to break through protective spells.
- Headache: The damage and duration of the combat incapacitation effect of mandrakes are increased.
From level 22:
- Focus Potion Potency: The duration of the effect of the focus potion is extended if a spell of the spell set is executed during use.
- Noxious: Attacks by the Venemosa Tentacula cause additional damage and can break through protection.
- Thunderbrew Potency: The range and damage of the potion effect are significantly increased. A very powerful potion that surrounds you with lightning and can hit many enemies at once. This improvement allows you to inflict damage in a large radius and thus quickly decide a battle in your favor.
Which spells should I use and improve?
In “Hogwarts Legacy”, there are numerous different spells that make more or less sense depending on the opponent you are fighting. Enemies’ shields can only be broken with the appropriate spells, which is why you should definitely take a look at the various enemy descriptions in the menu (Collections -> Enemies). This will explain the strengths and weaknesses of all enemies.
In the course of many fights, we have found a certain combination of spells to be very useful. For example, it is useful to draw one or more opponents in with Accio and then inflict a lot of damage on them with Incendio, which is especially helpful with spiders!
Unsurprisingly, the Unforgivable Curse Imperio, which you learn in the middle of the storyline and allows enemies to fight alongside you temporarily, is worthwhile. Try to pick the strongest enemy around you and place the curse on them. This will attract the attention of the other enemies and, in the best case scenario, also deal a lot of damage.
If you have learned the death curse Avada Kedavra, you should of course also use it. However, as the cooldown time is quite long, you should only use it on the strongest opponents if possible. After all, one hit is enough to kill the opponent instantly!
Confringo is one of our favorite spells because we have a very long range with it. Enemies hit with fire attacks take further damage for a few seconds. During this time, collisions lead to outbreaks of fire. Perfect for use in combination with Incendio. Bombarda complements this dream team with heavy damage. When the spell hits, it causes an explosion that can even hit nearby enemies.
Arresto Momentum is the perfect choice for slowing down opponents. This gives you extra time to fire more spells, catch your breath or take a little distance.
This is just a small selection of spells that we used frequently during the course of the story. There are of course numerous other combinations that can work well. We also want to mention the three combat plants Venemosa Tentacula, Mandrake and Chinese Chewed Cabbage as well as the various potions. This gives you further opportunities to better control the action in battles and decide in your favor.
