Stuck in the school’s grounds and not sure what you’re looking at? Chances are, it’s one of the Hogwarts Legacy Merlin Trials scattered across the map, just waiting for you to figure them out. The story goes that Merlin, the famous wizard himself, created the trials when he was a student at Hogwarts. Here, we’ll explain what these fantastic Merlin Trials are and where to find them.
If you’re not sure where to go next in the wizarding world, try our Hogwarts Legacy classes guide for ideas on what to study, or Hogwarts Legacy potions to try making something new.
What are Hogwarts Legacy Merlin Trials?
The Merlin Trials are fun little puzzles scattered across the Hogwarts Legacy map. They unlock new gear slots when you reach certain tiers – which you will need for all your ingredients and clothing. There are, in total, a whopping 85 trials to complete, and you can find them by looking for the feather-shape icon on the map or wandering the overworld and looking for swirl-patterned stone circles on the floor.
When do I unlock Hogwarts Legacy Merlin Trials?
To start ticking off these trials, you first need to locate NPC Nora Treadwell, who gives you the ‘Trials of Merlin’ quest, which involves completing the first trial. After this, you’re free to go and explore for more.
How do I do Hogwarts Legacy Merlin Trials?
When you find one of the circular stone areas, you need to activate them with Mallowsweet Leaves. You should have some from completing the Trials of Merlin quest, but if you run out, you can buy more in Hogsmeade or grow them. Find out more in our Hogwarts Legacy plants guide.
There are nine different types of trials, which all require some quick thinking and the use of Hogwarts Legacy spells. The object(s) you must interact with get highlighted, you just need to figure out which spell is best to complete the task. Usually, more than one type of spell can do the trick.
Here are all the different types of puzzles:
- Roll a large stone ball with spells into a bowl-shaped hole.
- Roll a few small stone balls into bowl-shaped holes using spells.
- Use your basic cast spell – nothing fancy – to hit nine stone balls on top of pedestals.
- Turn the puzzle blocks so that the symbols match the pedestals.
- Light the braziers with Incendio (quickly, or they’ll go out!).
- Hop across the platforms in wizard parkour style.
- Lead the nearby moths to three statues using Lumos.
- Destroy the stone pillars marked with green dots. Revelio reveals their location, and Confringo breaks them.
- Repair the statues that break when the trial starts with Reparo.
And there you have it – you’ll be flying through these Merlin Trials in no time. For more help at Hogwarts, here is our guide to Hogwarts Legacy companions and Hogwarts Legacy beasts.
Hogwarts Legacy has drawn considerable criticism during its development, largely due to the fact that the creator of the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling, has made a number of transphobic remarks on social media in recent years.
While Avalanche has confirmed that J.K. Rowling is not “directly involved” in the development of Hogwarts Legacy, it is working with “her team” and Portkey Games, a Warner Bros. label dedicated to launching new experiences inspired by J.K. Rowling’s original stories. It is currently unclear whether she will earn any royalties from the game’s sale, but it is likely given it is based on her original body of work.
If you would like to learn more about transgender rights or lend your support, we’d encourage you to check out the National Center for Transgender Equality in the US and Mermaids in the UK.