Welcome to What talents should you pick in Hogwarts Legacy! The talent system can be confusing, and, at the same time, it’s important to spend the points wisely.
Talent points you can spend starting from level 5. Those talents increase your character’s power and can upgrade some spells your character has already learned. Talents are split into five categories, each with different perks.
Hogwarts Legacy is an immersive, open-world action RPG set in the world introduced in the Harry Potter books. It’s quite easily one of the 2023 most highly-anticipated games. The game takes place at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the 1800s. Players can create their own Wizard or Witch and explore the magical open world, attend classes, fly on magical creatures, fight casting spells, make potions and much more.
What talents should you pick in Hogwarts Legacy?
Your primary build goal is to decide on a direction. TLDR on Hogwarts Legacy builds, Spells + Gear + Talents = builds AKA direction. Go with a Dark Wizard, you’ll spec heavily into Dark Arts talent. Want to use consumables like the Witcher, focus heavily into Room of Requirement. You get the idea here. My recommendation to you is this, focus on some early talents (level 5) especially in the Core Talent Tree. These will make you quicker, more defensible and your gameplay experience will be MUCH better if you have high survivability. In harder difficulty, you’ll be using Protego and dodge roll quiet often to avoid one shots. Yes, spells look great and flashy, but you can’t cast them if you’re dead.
On the offensive spectrum, you want a balance of single target (one enemy) and multiple or AoE area damage. Moreover, your spell loadout will need different color of spells in order to break shields especially at end game. This is why having multiple spell slots with Spell Knowledge Talent is perfect for any build. below are my recommendations are play testing various builds. Don’t feel like you need to spend all of your points in one tree you can hop around and pick the best from each and wait until you reach various levels to take more powerful talents.
Dark Arts
- Disarming Curse talent (required level 5) – Expellarmus has the same effect as a curse on enemies. Cursed enemies take increased damage. Your entire build for Dark Wizard or Witch is curse targets to do increased damage and additional effects. This makes a very early in games spell, Expellarmus incredibly powerful early on and throughout end game. Curse, increase damage, and eventually heal!
- Imperio Mastery talent (required level 16) – an enemy under your control with Imperio curses other targets with each successful strike. If you combine Expellarmus with this talent, you’ll now have a cascading effect with multiple mobs being cursed and taking damage!
- Curse Sapper talent (required level 22) Dark Arts Talent Tree – defeating a cursed enemy restores some of your health. This a must have end game Dark Wizard or Witch Talent. Why? Because you restore health when cursing targets something you’re going to be doing a lot anyways. This will allow you to throttle down on damage while maintaining a massive amount of healing and health coming in. Lord Voldermort would be proud!
Room of Requirement Talent Tree
- Edurus Potion Potency talent (required level 5) Room of Requirement Talent Tree – Edurus Potion makes you invulnerable and deflects projectile attacks back to enemies. This makes you completely venerable to attacks along with reflecting projectiles. Plus you access this early on in the game for a super defensive-able talent using potions, not spells!
- Maxima Potion Potency talent (required level 16) – maxima potion causes attacks to have additional increased damage and break enemy shields. This will make your consumables even stronger, specifically maxima potion. Your build will now have two extremely strong consumable potions, defensive and offensives along with the ability to break enemy shields. This is a great setup when tackling a tough boss or when your spell loadout is limited.
- Thunderbrew Potency talent (required level 22) – the range and damage of the potion effect are greatly increased. If you’re going the consumable potion route, consider taking this perk. It will make everything you do much stronger. Sure consumables require material, but you’ll need every advantage outside of spell casting and this will be a huge one!
Spell Talent Tree
- Incendio Mastery Talent (required level 5) Spell Talent Tree – casting Incendio unleashes a ring of flame around you. Consider this a must early on in the game for massive area damage. This is an ideal skill for controlling massive amount of mobs especially at level 5. Incendio is one of the earliest and most powerful spells right away and can be used with a quick cooldown. The downside, you’ll need to be in close range so make sure to get up close and personal before launching this spell.
- Confringo Mastery (required level 5) – confringo impacts produce fiery bolts that seek enemy targets. This spell is great for two reasons. One, it tracks like a heat seeking missile a target. Two, upon explosion it does area damage to multiple enemies. This is a great way to take out multiple shields or multiple enemies at range.
- Bombarda Mastery talent (required level 16) – bombarda causes an explosive blast with a massive area of effect. If you thought Increndio was big AoE, this thing will clear out the room full of enemies. Combine this spell and consider it your mid to late game AoE, area damage talent.
Core Talent Tree
- Spell Knowledge Talent I, II (required level 5) and III (required level 16) Spell Talent Tree – a new spell set is added. Hold R2 (on PlayStation) and tap dpad in direction to swap to an unlocked spell set. This talent is a must, because you’ll to to quickly access multiple sets of skills. What this will do is give you a second diamond of skills, allowing you to swap between say a long cooldown diamond/bar or a shield breaker bar or utility. The more skills you unlocked, the more you need to access variety on the fly consider this an early game must have.
- Basic Cast Mastery (required level 5) Core Talent Tree – basic cast impacts reduce spell cooldown. Your entire arsenal revolves around high octane spells which in turn have a much longer cooldown. This is an S Tier talent early on because it opens up the use for using spells (more damage/protection/utility) quicker. Combine this with Spell Knowledge talent and you’ll be swapping quickly. Consider these two synergist talents.
- Protego Absorption (required level 5) Core Talent Tree – successful protego blocks will contribute to the Ancient Magic Meter. Protego is your main source of protection throughout the entire playthrough of Hogwarts Legacy. Not only does it nullify a lot of damage, but you can reflect and stun opponents. Any talent that makes this better will be a must on harder difficulty. Also, ancient magic is your burst source of damage, and getting it quicker means more damage, less danger.
- Swift talent (required level 5) Core Talent Tree – Holding down dodge allows you to vanish quickly and reappear nearby. Mobility is everything in combat. And in Hogwarts Legacy, you don’t have stamina resource to balance with dodging. This is a vital tool to create space, gather your thoughts and strike opponents at a distance. This is your secondary form of protection but can also be used to close the distance in get in range for a big melee range spell like Incendio.
- Protego Expertise (required level 16) Core Talent Tree – blocking a spell with perfect protego will send two projectiles back at enemies. As stated previously, Protego is your main sources of protection in the game. Add this talent later in the game to reflect damage back an enemies while protecting yourself!
- Evasion Absorption (required level 16) Core Talent Tree – successfully evading an unlockable attack with dodge contributes to the ancient magic meter. This is a synergist talent with Swift, which increases your dodge. Combine these two for super fast evading along with increasing your ancient magic meter. Now you’ll have your defensive mechanisms feeding into your main damage source, ancient magic. Consider this a must later game talent for end game.
- Protego Mastery (level 22) Core Talent Tree – perfect protego release a damaging blast that breaks enemy shields. This late game talent makes Protego even stronger. If you took the two previous talents Protego Absorption, Protego Expertise, then you’ll reflect damage, increase your ancient magic and now break shields. This will be the ultimate powerhouse defensive talent tree loadout for harder difficulty.
Stealth
- Sense of Secrecy I (required level 5) and Sense of Secrecy II (required level 16) – Enemies’ ability to detect you is reduced. Consider these a must if you like playing a sneaky rogue assassin type.
Max Lexel and Talenst Cap
When the player reaches level cap – 40, there will be no more talents to gain, meaning talents are also limited to 35 talent points to spend. Unfortunately, players can’t invest in all perks and bonuses from talent trees since there are 48 in total. In the Hogwarts legacy are five talents trees, each with different bonuses. As a result, players need to spend their points wisely if they want to be the most powerful witch or wizard in the school, maybe even the world.
When Do You Unlock Talents?
Talent’s will be unlocked after progressing the main story and the completion of Jackdaw’s quest. This can take anywhere between 5-10 hours depending how much focus you give the main story quest vs side quest. My first playthrough, I was at level 10, around 6 hours. At that time, I immediately had 6 points to spend but was clueless on what to do. Thus I created this guide to help you.
What Talents Can You Use in Hogwarts Legacy?
You want to match your talent choice to your play style. For example, If you want to play as a Dark Wizard or Witch, spending many points in the Dark Arts talents category is a good idea. As a result, it buffs your spells, and you can become an even more powerful Evil character. There are five different Talent Trees which will be shown below, Spells, Dark Arts, Core, Stealth and Room of Requirement. Each will have level requirement for talents which entry level being level 5, and max being level 22. After about 5-7 hours, I was able to have 6 talent points just playing through the main story at a leisurely pace. Don’t overlook the lower level talents, these are some of the strongest in the game and you can spread your points throughout various trees and still be powerful.
Can You Respec or Change Your Talents?
You can’t respect your talent points, as seen in the picture above. The tooltip from the game says, “Choose wisely: Talent Points may only be spent once, so the number of talents you acquire will be limited.”
Dark Art Talents
Avada Kedavra Master talent (required level 22) – killing an enemy with Avada Kedavra kills all cursed enemies.
Curse Sapper talent (required level 22) – defeating a cursed enemy restores some of your health.
Imperio Mastery talent (required level 16) – an enemy under your control with Imperio curses other targets with each successful strike.
Crucio Master talent (required level 16) – striking an enemy cursed by Crucio release a projectile that curses a nearby enemy.
Enduring Curse talent (required level 16) – striking an enemy cursed by Crucio release a projectile that curses a nearby enemy.
Slowing Curse talent (required level 16) – Arresto Momentum has the same effect as a curse or enemies. Cursed enemies take increased damage.
Knockback Curse talent (required level 5) – Flipendo has the same effect as a curse on enemies. Cursed enemies take increased damage.
Disarming Curse talent (required level 5) – Expellarmus has the same effect as a curse on enemies. Cursed enemies take increased damage.
Blood Curse talent (required level 5) – Dealing damage to a cursed target inflicts damage to all cursed targets.
Stunning Curse talent (required level 5) – Stupefy has the same effect as a curse on enemies. Cursed enemies take increased damage.
Room of Requirement Talents
Focus Potion Potency talent (required level 22) – the duration of the focus potion’s effect will be extended when any spell from the spell set is cast during its use.
Noxious talent (required level 22) – venmous tentacula attacks deal additional damage and break shields.
Thunderbrew Potency talent (required level 22) – the range and damage of the potion effect are greatly increased.
Headache talent (required level 16) – the damage and duration of the incapacitating effect of Mandrakes are increased.
Maxima Potion Potency talent (required level 16) – maxima potion causes attacks to have additional increased damage and break enemy shields.
Invisibility Potion Potency talent (level 5) – the invisibility potion’s undetectable effect lasts for a longer period of time.
Fertiliser talent (required level 5) – for each chinese chomping cabbage thrown, a second chomping cabbage is generated and release at no cost.
Edurus Potion Potency talent (required level 5) – Edurus Potion makes you invulnerable and deflects projectile attacks back to enemies.
Spell Talents Tree
Level 22 Spell Talents
Transformation Mastery talent (required level 22) – enemies struck with the transformation spell transform into explosive objectives.
Bombarda Mastery talent (required level 16) – bombarda causes an explosive blast with a massive area of effect.
Descendo Mastery talent (required level 16) – a descendo slam creates a damaging shockwave around your target.
Glacius Mastery talent (required level 16) – striking an enemy frozen by Glacius blast damaging shard outward from the target.
Diffindo Mastery talent (required level 5) – diffindo casts slice through impacted enemies to strike additional targets. Must be able to cast diffindo to Unlock this Talent.
Depulso Mastery (required level 5) – casting depulso releases an additional blast directly around you.
Confringo Mastery (required level 5) – confringo impacts produce fiery bolts that seek enemy targets.
Incendio Mastery Talent (required level 5) – casting incendio unleashes a ring of flame around you.
Accio Mastery (required level 5) – enemies near a target summoned by Accio are also pulled to you.
Levioso Mastery (required level 5) – enemies near a target levitated by levioso are also levitated.
Core Talents
Level 22 Core Talents
Protego Mastery (level 22) – perfect protego release a damaging blast that breaks enemy shields.
Stupefy Expertise (required level 22) – stupefy deals direct damage on impact)
Wiggenwled Potency II (required level 16) – wiggenweld heals you to a greater effect.
Stupefy Mastery (required level 16) – enemies struck with stupefy remain stunned for a longer period of time.
Evasion Absorption (required level 16) – successfully evading an unlockable attack with dodge contributes to the ancient magic meter).
Protego Expertise (required level 16) – blocking a spell with perfect protego will send two projectiles back at enemies. Must be able to cast protego to unlock this talent.
Basic Cast Airborne Absorption (required level 16) – basic cast impacts on airborne enemies contribute more to the ancient magic meter.
Spell Knowledge III (required level 16) – A new spell set is added. Hold R2 and tap dpad in a direction to swap to an unlocked spell set.
Revelio Mastery (required level 16) – Increases the range of Revelio.
Level 5 Core Talents
Wiggenweld Potency I (required level 5) – Wiggenweld Heals you to a greater effect.
Spell Knowledge II (required level 5) – Hold R2 and tap dpad in a direction to swap to an unlocked spell set.
Swift talent (required level 5) – Holding down dodge allows you to vanish quickly and reappear nearby.
Basic Cast Mastery (required level 5) – basic cast impacts reduce spell cooldown.
Ancient Magic Throw Expertise (required level 5) – Ancient Magic Throw catches and throws disarmed enemy weapons.
Spell Knowledge talent (required level 5) – a new spell set is added. Hold R2 (on PlayStation) and tap dpad in direction to swap to an unlocked spell set.
Stealth
Petrificus Totallus Mastery (required level 22) – Petrificus Totalus emanates an area of effect that can impact nearby enemies.
Human Demiguise (required level 5) – Allows you to sprint while using disillusionment.
Sense of Secrecy I (required level 5) – Enemies’ ability to detect you is reduced
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Important information
Don’t forget you can now determine your character wand and Hogwarts house! Also, you can unlock some free accessories in Hogwarts Legacy right now, including a stylish new robe, mask and more!
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