The announcement of Hogwarts Legacy provoked excitement from fans of the license, and the seemingly endless possibilities of its source world has led to many theories. From the famed Triwizard Tournament to the unpredictability of Polyjuice potions, developer Avalanche Software has a huge toy box of Harry Potter lore to explore, but there are a handful of expectations that come with the property. Wands are one of them, and as no two are exactly alike, it would be a welcome inclusion to see that they have in-depth customization options to further the game's role-playing element.
Avalanche Software has confirmed a character creator feature, and while this is critical to ensure players feel like they are making their mark on the history of the prestigious school, wand customization could advance the same philosophy by ensuring that each players' experience is wholly unique. The allure of role-playing in such a densely packed fictional world cannot be understated, and while character creator is crucial, the Harry Potter connection means that crafting a wand is equally important.
The Wand Chooses the Wizard
Like Luke Skywalker and his lightsaber or Link and his Master Sword, wands are critical to the identity of many Harry Potter characters, so it's important that Hogwarts Legacy implements them well. Each is unique, featuring crooked handles, curious design quirks, and a whole host of ingredients like dragon heartstring, phoenix feather, jackalope antler, and basilisk horn. This makes them personal to the wizard that wields them, and if players are given the freedom to customize their character's looks, it would be even more exciting to do the same with wands.
From crafting one that prioritizes the effectiveness of the killing curse for a less-than-lawful playthrough to one that is efficient at healing, fixing, or correcting obstacles, wands in Hogwarts Legacy have so much potential. It's likely that character customization will only be aesthetic, unlike games like BioMutant or Dark Souls, so the ability to craft a wand that operates differently could be a more significant step toward making each new game feel fresh. The amount of atmosphere that different wand options would bring is enough of a reason to include a customization feature.
Weapon Customization in Gaming
Based on promotional material it doesn't look like Hogwarts Legacy will feature a repetitive loop of combat grinding, but weapon modification can make the experience feel personal, as games like Dying Light 2 and Payday 2 benefit from the ability to change the way weapons look, feel, and act. It can tailor an experience to how the player wants to approach each situation, and adds a layer of strategy to the encounter instead of mindlessly mashing the attack button.
Wands in Harry Potter aren't just used to inflict damage, though; they offer many more functions to make the students' time at Hogwarts efficient. This could make for an experience that feels more tailored to players' interests than the aforementioned shooters, and with the possibility of Hogwarts' four houses offering unique elements, no two Hogwarts Legacy playthrough would be the same, increasing the game's replay value.
Hogwarts Legacy has the capability to answer many looming questions from Harry Potter lore, but one thing it should bring over from the books and films is varied wands, both in terms of appearance and functionality. The inclusion of a character creator is a huge step toward making Hogwarts Legacy a successful role-playing game, but if it doesn't allow players to customize their own wand, it's only done half a job.
Hogwarts Legacy launches holiday 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.