During your time as a fifth-year student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, you’ll encounter many enemies – both human and non-human. Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts fans will be familiar with many of these unfriendly creatures of the Wizarding World, and it’s fascinating to see how the developers at Avalanche Software have brought the creatures from the novels to life. However, even an action RPG like Hogwarts Legacy has constraints, and they can’t include everything from the get-go. If you’ve been wondering if Dementors exist in Hogwarts Legacy and if you can learn the Patronus charm to defend yourself against one, this guide will help you find out!
Are There Dementors in Hogwarts Legacy?
The short answer to that question is, well, yes and no. Let me elaborate.
We know that Dementors are these wraith-like, terrifying, soul-sucking fiends that are native to the wizard prison of Azkaban. They served as the prison guards of Azkaban under the British Ministry of Magic until they switched over to Lord Voldemort’s side. Because Hogwarts Legacy takes place before the time of Voldemort and his Death Eaters, Dementors are still Azkaban’s guards – for the time being, at least. So it’s not entirely surprising that you can’t spot a single one despite scouring every nook and corner of the Forbidden Forest.
Now for the question at hand. Given that you are a Hufflepuff student, you do (technically) encounter Dementors early in the game, albeit in a single cutscene during a Hufflepuff-exclusive side quest. The quest, ‘Prisoner of Love,’ brings you to the eerie prison of Azkaban, where you confront these ghastly creatures immediately after apparating. Fortunately, Madam Thistlewood, an ex-auror and your companion during this stage of the quest, takes care of them right away by using the Expecto Patronum spell. This is the only moment in Hogwarts Legacy, at the time of writing, that you may witness Dementors and the Patronus charm in action.
What About the Patronus Charm?
No, Madam Thistlewood does not teach you the protective Patronus charm (Expecto Patronum) after or during the quest, and neither do any of your Hogwarts professors after finishing any story quest, side mission, or assignment. Not being able to summon a powerful patronus, like Harry Potter’s Stag patronus from the films, may be frustrating for many fans. But it is also not entirely unwarranted because, well, Dementors (or Lethifolds, for that matter) are not a serious danger in Hogwarts Legacy – at least not yet! Plans for a future DLC, perhaps?
The amount of content Portkey Games has bundled with this magical RPG is a pleasure for any Potter lover, and it is not an underwhelming experience. There is plenty to keep you occupied, and I hope you will quickly forget about the lack of Dementors and Patronuses as you soar over the lovely sky and explore the well-designed landscape on your broom and hippogriff!
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Hogwarts Legacy is available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC; and scheduled for release on April 4, 2023, on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and July 25, 2023, on Nintendo Switch.