Hogwarts Legacy is quite an impressive product despite a number of flaws. Its thick, appropriate atmosphere and fantastic translation of many iconic Harry Potter spells makes it a dream come true for fans of the Wizarding World, and it sets a solid foundation for a sequel to build upon.

And build upon it shall, as Hogwarts Legacy 2 is almost certain to release at some point in the coming years. While there are a lot of problems with the first game that its follow-up could remedy, such as the poor implementation of Unforgivable Curses and a notable lack of true RPG elements, some of its strengths may actually pose a challenge as well. For example, Hogwarts Legacy's world is stunning, but a sequel sharing the same setting could feel like retreading old ground, ultimately feeling underwhelming or dull. There could be a similar issue with the sequel's approach to spells.

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Hogwarts Legacy 2's Approach to Spells Could Be a Tightrope Act

Hogwarts Legacy 2 Needs New Spells

The first Hogwarts Legacy boasts a wide assortment of spells, including powerful and instantly recognizable ones like Avada Kedavra and more obscure selections like Glacius. This massive selection isn't perfect—many spells are remarkably similar to one another, for example—but the breadth offered to players feeds into the game's overall immersion and sense of fantasy fulfillment. In other words, having access to so many spells helps elevate the feeling of being knee-deep in the magical world of Harry Potter.

But this catalog of spells can't remain unchanged in Hogwarts Legacy 2. With spell-casting forming the backbone of both combat and puzzle scenarios in-game, it will be of paramount importance for the sequel to expand the player's arsenal, giving them new tools with which to solve various problems. This is a little tricky, though, as Hogwarts Legacy's already-substantial assortment of spells could be difficult to expand further, and Avalanche Software may be tempted to cull a few of the less impactful spells to keep the selection from being too overwhelming, and to minimize overlap. Then, there's the issue of where to look for new spells.

Harry Potter's Lore Only Allows for So Many New Spells

Hogwarts Legacy already features dozens of spells, including the Unforgivable Curses, which would perhaps have been the most substantial abilities to introduce in a sequel, from both a gameplay and narrative perspective. Another weighty spell is Expecto Patronum, which could very well appear in Hogwarts Legacy 2, but its limited use case and connection to the Dementors means that it wouldn't have a lot of flexibility from a mechanical perspective.

This speaks to a broader issue of the Harry Potter canon potentially holding Hogwarts Legacy 2 back when it comes to spells. The existing Harry Potter lore offers a finite number of spells to adapt, including several that were invented long after the events of the game, further restricting the franchise in this regard.

The next Hogwarts Legacy could jump forward in time, thus opening the door to spells like Sectumsempra, which was invented by Severus Snape.

The most obvious way to work around this roadblock would be to simply invent new spells for the game. The first Hogwarts Legacy introduced the concept of Ancient Magic, so it's clear that Avalanche Software isn't too concerned with amending Harry Potter lore, but everyday, syndicated spells could be a bit trickier to manage. For example, if the player-character were to learn newly-invented spells in class, which is how they learn most of their spells in the first game, then it would raise questions about why such spells were never present in the later books and films. Thus, a deft hand, and possibly some clever reinvention, will be key to keeping spell-casting fresh and exciting in Hogwarts Legacy 2.