How Avowed’s Wands Could Influence Hogwarts Legacy 2’s

One of the most memorable moments in Hogwarts Legacy is when players finally get their hands on their own wand. Not only does this act as an immersion agent for the player, but it opens the door for them to be able to cast spells in Hogwarts Legacy‘s magical world, even if it is just a basic attack spell that emits from the tip of their wand. However, there has been a lot of talk about how the next Hogwarts Legacy could improve its combat, particularly when it comes to its wands, and Obsidian Entertainment’s latest fantasy RPG Avowed may have the solution to that.

Avowed is an incredibly unique first-person fantasy RPG when it comes to combat, as it manages to achieve a depth that other first-person RPGs generally come short of. While it accomplishes this through its diverse array of combat options, however, its wands are arguably at the top of that list, as they make Avowed‘s combat carry just as much flash and pizzazz as it does impact. Avowed‘s wands aren’t all about looks though, with mechanics that Hogwarts Legacy 2‘s wands could benefit from if the game chose to lean into RPG a bit more than its predecessor does.

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What Hogwarts Legacy 2’s Wands Could Learn From Avowed

Avowed’s Wands Serve as One-Handed Ranged Weapons With Distinct Functions

Hogwarts Legacy‘s wands are great for the immersion and sense of fulfillment they offer, but their most significant downside is the fact that they emphasize aesthetic customization without affecting gameplay. Players can personalize their wands by choosing features like style, wood type, length, flexibility, and core material, but these choices are all purely cosmetic and don’t influence the wand’s performance or the player’s abilities in any way. In Avowed, on the other hand, integrates wands directly into its combat mechanics by offering players more functional variations and, in turn, strategic options.

Unlike Hogwarts Legacy‘s wands, which prioritize cosmetics over mechanics, Avowed‘s wands have unique attributes and effects that increase the depth of the game’s magic combat. For example, Minoletta’s Conduit increases attack damage and range, while adding shock damage to attacks. Whisper of Exiles is another great example of mechanically intrusive wands in Avowed, as it offers bonus frost damage and can freeze enemies, allowing for more strategic combat opportunities.

Avowed Includes Abilities That Directly Influence Wand Performance

As if the uniqueness of Avowed‘s wands wasn’t enough, the game also includes abilities that directly influence wand performance, making them an even more integral part of Avowed‘s magic combat. For instance, Wand Mastery, a passive skill within the Wizard class tree, increases damage dealt with wands, with incremental boosts at higher ranks. Additionally, abilities like Bounce allow wand power attacks to strike multiple enemies at once. Hogwarts Legacy offers players plenty of options in terms of abilities, but none of them directly influence their wand’s effectiveness in combat like Avowed does.

If Hogwarts Legacy 2 wants to take its combat to the next level, it should start by taking a page from Avowed‘s playbook and adding a sprinkle or two of RPG to its wands. By offering more functional variety, unique attributes, and perhaps even skill-based improvements, Hogwarts Legacy 2 could make its wands feel like true extensions of a wizard’s power rather than mere aesthetic choices. Avowed proves that wands can be both stylish and strategic, and if Hogwarts Legacy 2 embraces this approach, it could create a more in-depth and rewarding spellcasting experience.

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Released

February 18, 2025

ESRB

Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Violence

Publisher(s)

Xbox Game Studios