A Guide to Wands for Hogwarts Legacy
05
Feb 23
The wand chooses the wizard — It's not always clear why.
Hogwarts Legacy
Continuing with our series of guides for Avalanche Software’s upcoming Hogwarts Legacy, today we will be discussing wands.
In the Wizarding World, children begin to show signs of magical power at a young age. This use of magic is mostly random, or triggered by strong emotions. As such, young children are not penalised for their uncontrolled use of magic. Once they reach the age of 11 however, things change. It is at this age that young witches and wizards begin their magical education, for those living in Europe and North America, this education involves the use of a wand. The primary function of a wand is to act as a conduit for a person's power. Spells, hexes, and curses can be focused and channelled through these objects. It is believed that this method of casting increases the potency of the magic. Though, that may simply be propaganda put out by nations that use them versus nations that don’t.
A wand is most commonly made of wood, they can be of varying lengths and flexibilities, and have a magical element at their core. The possible types of wood used to make a wand is a rather extensive list, a few examples include: Ash, Cherry, Elder, Hawthorn, Holly, and Walnut. There are just as many possible choices when it comes to the core of the wand: Unicorn hair, Dragon heartstring, Basilisk horn, or Phoenix feather to name a few. The choice of wood and core create a unique combination, as each has properties aligned with them. A wand made of Holly for example is said to possess strong healing abilities, and to repel evil.
While unable to perform magic independently, a wand is considered an almost-sentient entity, forming a strong bond with its master. However, it is worth noting that the allegiance of a wand can change, if for example your wand is removed from you by force then it may decide to serve a new owner instead. Witches and wizards who do not possess the allegiance of a wand they are using will find the magic it produces to be feeble — almost as though the wand is fighting against the user.
At present, it is not clear how much customisation a player will have regarding their wand in Hogwarts Legacy, though, I dare say the inclusion of cosmetic customisation options seems likely. The ability for Potterfans to import their wand has also been made possible by linking your WB Games account and your Harry Potter Fan Club profile.
Hogwarts Legacy Digital Deluxe Edition
This concludes our guide on wands, hopefully you learned something new and interesting to get you excited for Hogwarts Legacy — releasing the 10th of February 2023 on PC. You can also pre-order the Deluxe Edition to gain 72 hour early access starting the 7th of February.