How Long Does It Take to Unlock Avada Kedavra in Hogwarts Legacy?
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Unlocking the Avada Kedavra curse, the infamous Killing Curse, in Hogwarts Legacy is a significant milestone for many players. However, it’s not simply handed to you on a silver platter. It requires navigating a specific questline and making some crucial choices. So, the direct answer to how long it takes is: it’s not about time, but about reaching level 28 and completing a series of side quests related to Sebastian Sallow. You’ll gain access to the opportunity to learn it during the quest “In the Shadow of the Relic.” This, however, is not a timed event; it is dependent on player choices and progress through Sebastian Sallow’s quest line.
The Path to the Killing Curse
The Prerequisites: Level and Questline
The journey to obtaining Avada Kedavra is tied to a specific relationship questline with the Slytherin student, Sebastian Sallow. The key to accessing this dark power isn’t a set amount of playtime but rather your progress and level. You need to reach a minimum of level 28 to even begin the quest “In the Shadow of the Relic.” This is not merely a suggestion, it’s a hard requirement.
Before “In the Shadow of the Relic” becomes available, you must have completed two preceding quests:
- “In the Shadow of the Undercroft”: This is the beginning of your questline with Sebastian, introducing you to his dark family secrets and his interest in the dark arts.
- “In the Shadow of Hope”: This quest continues the progression of Sebastian’s storyline and is an essential precursor to learning unforgivable curses from him. You must complete this before being able to access, “In the Shadow of the Relic.”
- You must complete the main story quest “Lodgok’s Loyalty”
The Pivotal Choice: “In the Shadow of the Relic”
The quest, “In the Shadow of the Relic”, is where the opportunity to learn Avada Kedavra truly presents itself. This quest will also lead to a confrontation between Sebastian and his uncle. Regardless of your dialogue options, Sebastian will always take the relic, and the uncle will die.
However, the outcome that matters is the choice you make after this event: do you turn Sebastian into the authorities? Choosing “We must not turn Sebastian in” is the most direct path to learning Avada Kedavra, as after you make that choice, Sebastian will give you the opportunity to learn any unforgivable curses that you may have missed, including Avada Kedavra.
Consequences of Turning Sebastian In
Choosing to turn Sebastian in leads to his expulsion from Hogwarts, and this permanently prevents you from learning any Unforgivable Curses from him. He is taken away by the Ministry of Magic, and your character will not be able to interact with him again, thereby shutting off this path to learn Avada Kedavra.
Alternative Paths: The Dark Arts Battle Arena
If you made the mistake of turning in Sebastian or did not choose Slytherin, there is still one, albeit less optimal, path to Avada Kedavra. If you have purchased the Hogwarts Legacy Deluxe Edition or the Dark Arts Pack DLC, you will have access to the Dark Arts Battle Arena. Here, you can use Avada Kedavra, but not learn it for in game use, however this does not allow access to the spell in the main game itself.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Do I have to be a Slytherin to get Avada Kedavra?
No, you do not need to be in Slytherin to learn Avada Kedavra, however it is tied to the character Sebastian Sallow who is part of Slytherin. The only requirement is to progress through his relationship questline and to make sure not to turn him in, regardless of your House selection.
2. Can I learn Avada Kedavra after level 28?
Yes, you can learn it even after exceeding level 28. The level 28 requirement is simply the minimum level to unlock the quest “In the Shadow of the Relic.” There is no upper limit as long as you don’t turn in Sebastian.
3. What happens if I say no to learning Avada Kedavra during the quest?
If you initially decline, you can still learn it. After this initial “no,” the option will be presented again as long as you didn’t turn in Sebastian and have progressed enough in the quest line.
4. Does using Unforgivable Curses affect the game’s ending?
No, your use of Unforgivable Curses does not affect the ending of Hogwarts Legacy. The game’s narrative is not impacted by your choice to use or not use these curses. There is no “morality” meter in game to alter the outcome.
5. Can I miss the opportunity to learn Avada Kedavra permanently?
Yes. If you turn Sebastian in, he’s expelled and you will not be able to learn the Unforgivable Curses from him, including Avada Kedavra.
6. Are there any penalties for using Avada Kedavra in combat?
No, there are no in-game consequences for using any of the Unforgivable Curses in Hogwarts Legacy. Other characters may make brief comments, but it will not impact gameplay.
7. Is it true Avada Kedavra is an insta-kill ability?
Yes. Avada Kedavra is an instant-kill spell that will shave off a large chunk of bosses’ health and instantly kill most enemies that you are facing. This makes combat significantly easier once you gain access to it.
8. What are the other Unforgivable Curses, and how are they obtained?
The other Unforgivable Curses are Crucio and Imperio. Like Avada Kedavra, they are also learned through Sebastian’s questline. To learn all of the Unforgivable Curses you must tell Ominis Gaunt “We must not turn Sebastian in.” Then speak to Sebastian again and he will offer to teach you any curses you have missed to this point in time.
9. What happens if I choose to turn Sebastian in?
Sebastian is expelled from Hogwarts, and you will lose access to him. Additionally, you will miss the chance to learn the unforgivable curses from him and any further development in his quest line.
10. Does learning the Unforgivable Curses affect my companions?
No, learning and using the Unforgivable Curses does not impact your relationships with other characters in Hogwarts Legacy.
11. Can I save Sebastian’s uncle?
No. Regardless of your choices during the quests with Sebastian, his uncle will always die at Sebastian’s hand using Avada Kedavra. There is no way to prevent this outcome.
12. Is Sebastian Sallow evil?
Sebastian is a complex character, not simply a “villain.” While he uses the Dark Arts, his motives come from a desire to help his family, albeit through dark means. He is initially portrayed as a charismatic and helpful person, but his actions spiral as he goes further down his dark path.
13. How do I level up quickly to reach level 28?
Focus on completing main quests, side quests, and exploration. Utilizing Field Guide pages, and defeating enemy groups will get you to level 28 faster.
14. What’s the highest level in Hogwarts Legacy?
The maximum level in Hogwarts Legacy is level 40. However, you do not need to reach level 40 to learn Avada Kedavra or finish the main game.
15. Does my choice between Natty and Sebastian affect my chances of getting Avada Kedavra?
No, this choice is inconsequential to Avada Kedavra. Your choice to support either Natty or Sebastian during a separate side quest will have no impact on your ability to learn this spell. The choice to turn Sebastian in, or not, will be your only impactful choice on learning Avada Kedavra.