If fans have forgotten just how much of a teenage meat grinder Hogwarts is, Hogwarts Legacy is there to remind everyone once again. Because as always, mere underaged students are being pitted against the literal serial killers and mass murderers while adults are busy applying the bureaucratic red tape. It's up to teenagers to save the world once more.
And in true Harry Potter fashion, plenty of enemies in Hogwarts Legacy are deadly. Some are excruciating to deal with despite the game being generally considered easy by open-world veterans. The following enemies are the worst offenders, and it's simple enough to get rid of them, unlike that Floo Flame Lady.
8 Troll
Trolls were introduced early on and seeing as how the enemies in Hogwarts Legacy scale with the players' level, they can become tough spell sponges later on, especially the Armoured variants. Players will be pleased, however, to know that they're incredibly useful once Imperio is available. They might even wipe out the whole enemy squad before the curse expires. After that, it's just a matter of Avada Kedavra for the stragglers.
If players are too much of a Hufflepuff to resort to Dark Arts, then there are some efficient spell alternatives. Chinese Chomping Cabbages deal massive damage against them, especially in multiple numbers and if players have item buffs. Otherwise, simply reserve the Ancient Magic blast for these Trolls.
Also, hitting a Troll with its own boulder will stun it and leave it vulnerable for a short moment, though this requires more precision than other methods.
7 Ashwinder / Poacher Executioner
Executioner enemies are rather tricky since they're mostly immune to control and force spells. They also have a ton of HP and can deal some devastating damage. That's where Expelliarmus comes in. This spell, which is not really that flashy or damaging compared to other damage spells, can give Executioners a taste of their own medicine.
If players see an Executioner channeling their lightning or fire spell, they can cast Expelliarmus against them and this will not only disarm the target but also reflect whatever they're casting back to them. Oftentimes, this can even result in an instant kill or incapacitation.
6 Dugbog
Dugbogs are yet another tough enemy type in Hogwarts Legacy that requires more than just a generous volley of red sparks and damage spells. Their backs are tough, so players need to flip them over, leaving open their vulnerable underbellies for attacks.
To do this, force spells are mandatory. Flippendo, Accio, and Depulso are the primary tools for defeating Dugbogs and humiliating their entire species. Players can even take the Depulso talent upgrade for area coverage. Do bear in mind that Dugbogs are only susceptible to flips after their unblockable charge attacks. If players don't want to wait for such an opportunity, then the good old Crucio chain spread (using the Crucio talent upgrade) followed by an Avada Kedavra (with the talent upgrade) ought to drive them to mass extinction.
Players can also use Levioso against them if their mouth is open to suspend them in the air, leaving them open for attacks.
5 Poacher Animagus
Poacher Animagus enemies are more annoying than hard since they practically have two health bars. Once they transform, players will need to force them out of their Animagus form by attacking them. This is where control spells like Arresto Momentum or Glacio come in handy.
Casting those against Animagus who haven't transformed yet and then killing them in quick succession will do the trick. If they have transformed, then the Transformation spell should change them back to their human form. It's also worth noting that players can leverage the transformed Animagus with Imperio, letting them wreak havoc against enemy groups.
4 Loyalist Assassin
Loyalist Assassins are sneaky Goblin enemies whose attacks most often cannot be blocked since their attacks can penetrate shields. So players will want to be careful of these particular enemies since they tend to sneak up and strike rapidly. It doesn't help that they also move fast.
Control spells that cover areas work well against them. An upgraded Accio, Depulso, or Glacio (all with area or chain effects) can stop them in their tracks, leaving them open to basic casts since they're not really tough or durable. Meanwhile, an upgraded Incendio is a good panic button against them.
3 Pensieve Protector
The Pensieve Protector is among the toughest construct enemies in the game. Their size and massive health bar make them a pain to deal with, especially if there are minions or multiple of them. Players are advised to keep their distance since the Pensieve Protector's attacks can be treacherously slow and a poorly timed Protecto can lead to defeat.
As for defeating them, the slow and safe way is to keep using Expelliarmus and then chipping away at their health bar. But of course, there's always the Ancient Magic blast and the trio of Dark Arts curses that can make quick work of them.
2 Acromantula
The Acromantula is one of the biggest spider enemies that players will face (though they're technically not spiders). These ferocious beasts will usually come at players with minions, typically smaller regular spiders that can easily swarm the players. An Edurus Potion helps immensely here in shrugging off the smaller ones.
But for offense, players are better off wiping out the smaller ones using an upgraded Incendio with area damage. This will not only kill most of them, but the stragglers will also panic, leaving the Acromantula alone. After that, fire spells will make quick work of this hairy monster.
1 Inferius
Upon encountering an Inferius for the first time, the experience can be nerve-wracking since most spells (even the curses) don't work against these zombies. Players will initially be confined to using fire spells like Confringo, Incendio, and Bombarda. It's better if all of those are upgraded in the talent tree.
Players only have to perform those spells once. Afterward, the Inferius will be vulnerable to other damage spells with higher outputs such as Diffindo (with the talent upgrade). Cursing them with Crucio before burning them all is also advised here, especially if players deal higher damage against cursed targets.
Hogwarts Legacy is available now on PS5, Xbox Series S|X, and PC. PS4, Xbox One, and Switch versions are currently in development.