Summary

  • Hogwarts Legacy tests players' puzzle-solving, spell-casting, and combat abilities in four Keeper Trials in an open-world action RPG.
  • Each Keeper Trial features different enemies and builds up to a final boss battle, including challenging puzzles and tests of talents like stealth.
  • Some Keeper Trials are more memorable than others, with unique features like difficulty, Harry Potter references, and memorable design.

Hogwarts Legacy tests players' puzzle-solving, spell-casting, and combat abilities in four Keeper Trials across the main story in the open-world action RPG. Keeper Trials are tests set by the game's mysterious Keepers, whom players learn more about in Hogwarts Legacy's unfolding story. Their role becomes clearer as players learn more about their unique ability to wield Ancient Magic, which helps the game's combat feel unique.

Hogwarts Legacy Hardest Missions, Ranrok, Hall Of Herodiana, and Soloman Sallow
Hogwarts Legacy: 6 Hardest Missions

These Hogwarts Legacy missions are bound to cause problems for some players.

Each Keeper Trial tests players' abilities in various ways, including different kinds of enemies. Despite their differences, each trial tends to build up to a final boss battle. They include some of Hogwarts Legacy's best puzzles, which might leave some players scratching their heads. Players will also face tricky tests of talents like stealth. Although there are only four Keeper trials in Hogwarts Legacy, some are undoubtedly better and more memorable than others.

Updated January 14, 2025, by Gemma Johnson: Hogwarts Legacy includes several Keeper Trials that test a witch's and wizards' skills in spell casting, combat, beast taming, and more. Set by the mysterious Keepers, each Hogwarts Legacy Trial challenges players differently, whether needing to master specific spells to overcome boss fights or perfect mechanics like stealth. Some players working their way through the main story may also wonder how many Trials are in Hogwarts Legacy and how they can begin them. While there are only a handful of Keeper Trials in Hogwarts Legacy, and fans of the game will no doubt have their preferences, some arguably stand out above the rest regarding things like design, lore, and difficulty. This list updates the current entries with additional information about each Keeper Trial in Hogwarts Legacy.

4 Keeper Trial 1: Percival Rackam's Trial

A Worthy Trial Taster If Not The Most Difficult

How To Start

Key Features

Access by completing the main story quest called 'Complete the First Keeper Trial.'

Some tricky puzzle platforming involving portals, but otherwise straightforward. Fairly challenging Pensieve Protector boss battle.

The first trial is set by Percival Rackham, the first Keeper players come across. Although it's an early trial in the game, some of the platform and portal puzzles in Percival Rackham's Trial are challenging and test players' knowledge of spells like Accio to solve them. However, most are relatively straightforward. In addition to the puzzles, players must fight Pensieve Protectors and Pensieve Sentinels, which are similar statue-like foes to the statue Guardians seen in the game's opening quest.

hogwarts-legacy-best-talent-builds
Hogwarts Legacy: Best Talent Builds

Acquiring Talents in Hogwarts Legacy can unlock some pretty handy abilities, but some Talent builds are better than others.

At the end of Percival Rackham's trial, players come across a gigantic Pensieve Guardian for the first time, which can seem like a tricky boss fight at first. However, as soon as players know how to master the required spells, they can learn how to break Hogwarts Legacy's Pensieve Guardian Orbs and win the battle pretty quickly. Using the right spells to match each orb color enables players to shatter them before they can do any significant damage, turning the tide on their foe. At the end of the trial, players view a cutscene through Percival Rackam's memories in the Pensieve.

Altogether, Percival Rackham's Keeper trial is a great introductory challenge, with a formidable boss battle at the end that sets the tone for the second trial. However, it's understandably not the most memorable test of skill and is one of the easiest of Hogwarts Legacy's trials, placing it in the lowest position on the list. Of course, this makes sense considering its role as an introductory trial.

3 Keeper Trial 2: Charles Rookwood's Trial

Portal Gates And Pesky Pensieve Foes Aplenty

How To Start

Key Features

Interact with the Charles Rookwood painting at Rookwood Castle after completing 'Back on the Path.'

Similar in design to the first trial. Higher difficulty, with some challenging portal gate puzzles and more Pensieve enemy battles in restricted spaces. Final Pensieve Guardian boss.

Hogwarts Legacy's second trial belongs to Charles Rookwood. Some of Charles' puzzles are much more challenging compared to the first trial, with more tricky portal gate and platform puzzles that can seem confusing at times. For instance, there is a tricky order in which players must rotate archways to change their color and move objects using particular spells, like Winguardium Leviosa.

pensieve in hogwarts legacy
Hogwarts Legacy: All Charles Rookwood Trials Guide

Similar to the first trial, Charles Rookwood’s trial is full of tricky puzzles and difficult enemies in Hogwarts Legacy.

There are also more challenging battles with Pensieve Protectors along the way, which are some of Hogwarts Legacy's hardest non-boss enemies. Battles with Pensieve Protectors and Guardians in Rookwood's trial can feel more intense than the first trial, and the combat difficulty bar also leans higher with some invisible enemy varieties. As before, players see another cutscene at the end through the Pensieve, but this time of Charles Rookwood's memories.

That said, Charles Rookwood's Trial is similar to Percival Racham's in some ways with several repeated mechanics, which could make it feel a bit repetitive for some players. However, the overall difficulty level is a bit harder. Some players might feel relieved that the remaining two challenges break away from this trial format, with the third and fourth trials offering several different features.

2 Keeper Trial 4: San Bakar's Trial

Tame And Ride A Mighty Graphorn, The Lord Of The Shore

How To Start

Key Features

In the 'Prepare for your O.W.L.S' quest line, return to the Map Chamber after beating the main quest 'Lodgok's Loyalty.' Afterward, head to the Cragcroft Shore Floo Flame to meet Professor Fig.

A stand-out, challenging fight to tame a Graphorn, followed by a thrilling ride across land. A player-choice moment where players choose where to kneel or attack the Graphorn. One of the shortest trials.

The fourth and final Keeper trial is a thrilling ride that narrowly misses the top spot among Hogwarts Legacy's best trials. San Bakar's Keeper Trial quickly takes players into a boss battle with a mighty Graphorn called the Lord of the Shore, one of Hogwarts Legacy's strongest beasts. It's a reasonably tough fight, and players will need all their skills to come out on top.

best spell loadouts in hogwarts legacy
Hogwarts Legacy: Best Spell Loadout

Proper composition of spell loadout in Hogwarts Legacy will allow players to deal large damage effortlessly.

Players must fight the Graphorn to tame it and decide whether to kneel or attack it. Either way, players unlock the Graphorn mount and are in for an exciting ride back, using one of Hogwarts Legacy's best mounts to roam the land. It's arguably one of the game's most spectacular moments, as players ram through blockades of Dark Wizards with ferocious ease. It's only a shame that the trial is over somewhat too quickly. However, it is still a welcome break from the similar style of the first two trials.

1 Keeper Trial 3: Niamh Fitzgerald's Trial

Magical Nod To The Deathly Hallows And A Unique Monochrome Design

How To Start

Key Features

Speak with Niamh's portrait in the Headmaster's Office in the 'Stop Ranrok and Rookwood' questline, after completing the main story quest 'The Polyjuice Plot.'

A test of stealth against patrolling AI, including a giant Death figure. A lengthy, arena-style battle against multiple enemies using the Elder Wand, making it the most difficult trial.

In many ways, The Third Keeper Trial stands out above all the Hogwarts Legacy trials for its engaging take on Harry Potter's Deathly Hallows Tale, which many players will no doubt recall from the Harry Potter books and movies. It stands out for its stunning, creative monochrome visual style as if players just stepped into the pages of the tale itself.

Additionally, the art style used in Niamh Fitzgerald's Trial is reminiscent of the animated The Tale of the Three Brothers story told in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, originally told in The Tales of Beedle the Bard, which features the invisibility cloak, the Elder Wand, and the Resurrection Stone. In an adventure similar to the story, players must locate three items to complete the trial: the mysterious cloak, mysterious wand, and mysterious stone. Using the Mysterious Wand is also a highlight, giving a feeling of absolute power and mastery of the craft.

Hogwarts Legacy: Best Side Quests
Hogwarts Legacy: 6 Awesome Side Quests You Should Not Skip

These side quests are some of the best non-main story adventures Hogwarts Legacy has to offer.

By 

When considering all the Hogwarts Legacy trials, Niamh Fitzgerald's contains the most varied balance of gameplay with a strong visual style, making it stand out above the rest. Players must use stealth carefully to hide from creepy, deadly shadow creatures with clever timing, not to mention the looming presence of Death. There's also plenty of satisfying combat as Hogwarts Legacy's most difficult trial. Harry Potter's Elder wand is incredibly overpowered and fun to use in an intense battle scene with Death's minions in several waves of enemies, creating a challenging but satisfying conclusion.

Rating block community and brand ratings Image
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Legacy Tag Page Cover Art
Hogwarts Legacy
Display card tags widget Display card system widget
Display card community and brand rating widget
9 /10
Display card open critics widget Display card main info widget
Released
February 10, 2023
Display card main info widget end Display card media widget start Display card media widget end

WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info

Developer(s)
Avalanche Software
Publisher(s)
Warner Bros. Games
Genre(s)
Action, RPG
OpenCritic Rating
Mighty