For some people, character customization plays an important part in the role-playing experience, particularly in games where players get to create their own custom characters. Those people should be pretty pleased with what Hogwarts Legacy has to offer, as the game gives players a surprising degree of freedom when it comes to both their character's physical appearance and the way that they dress.
Players will be given a chance to create their own character before beginning the Prologue of Hogwarts Legacy, though will soon get an opportunity to make changes if they decide that they're not happy with their original choices or just find themselves fancying a change. They'll also gain access to a wide array of Gear and outfits, which can be used not only to improve the playable character's stats but also to determine their appearance.
Updated May 6, 2023, by Tom Bowen: Those wondering how to change appearance in Hogwarts Legacy are in luck, as the process is actually remarkably simple. Whether they're simply looking to change clothes or outfits or alter the physical characteristics of the playable character, the game provides all of the tools needed for character customization. Some may wish to change appearance in order to better express themselves, while others might simply wish to switch things up every once in a while to keep things interesting. Whatever the reason may be, the game has them covered.
How to Change Outfits in Hogwarts Legacy
Players will gain the ability to change outfits during their first day at Hogwarts, after which, they can do so simply by opening up the Wizard's Field Guide and navigating to the Gear tab. From here, they'll be able to choose from six different types of gear, with three more being unlocked as they make their way through the main story. Gear comes in different rarities, with some pieces providing stat boosts and others being upgradeable.
As is often the case with RPGs, the best pieces of gear that players have in Hogwarts Legacy may not always match one another, which can sometimes result in some pretty ridiculous-looking outfits. Thankfully, players can get around this by changing the appearance of their Gear or by making it invisible, simply by hovering over it in the Gear menu and then selecting the "Change Appearance" option by pressing either the X (PlayStation) or A (Xbox) button.
How to Get New Gear in Hogwarts Legacy
Players will be able to find new Gear in chests and will sometimes receive it as a reward for completing certain side quests. Once players gain access to Hogsmeade, they'll also be able to buy new Gear from Gladrag's Wizardwear, though only after they've dealt with the troll and helped to repair the damage. Unfortunately, there is a limit on how much Gear players can carry at any given time, though it is possible to unlock new Gear slots by completing Merlin Trials. Failing that, players can sell or even destroy their unwanted Gear.
How Does Gear Rarity Work in Hogwarts Legacy?
Hogwarts Legacy has five different types of gear, each of which has its own distinct color. The weakest of these is Standard, which is displayed on a gray background, and this is followed by the green Well-Appointed gear. Next come Superb (Blue) and Extraordinary (Purple), with the gold-colored Legendary gear being the best in the game. Gear drops scale with the player's level too though, so a Standard piece of gear found at level 32 will likely be superior to a Legendary piece of gear that players acquired when they were only level 20. As such, players shouldn't worry too much about gear quality until they're approaching the end game.
How to Change Appearance in Hogwarts Legacy
As well as changing their outfits, players can also make alterations to the way that their character looks for the rather reasonable sum of twenty gold Galleons. To do so, they'll simply need to speak with Calliope Snelling, who can be found inside Madam Snelling's Tress Emporium in the center of Hogsmeade. Doing so will grant players access to the character creation tools from the start of the game, allowing them to change their character's hair, eyes, and other facial features.
Hogwarts Legacy is available now on PS5, Xbox Series S|X, and PC. PS4, Xbox One, and Switch versions are currently in development.