What Do Special Beasts Do in Hogwarts Legacy?
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Special beasts in Hogwarts Legacy, often referred to as shiny beasts, serve a multifaceted purpose beyond their regular counterparts. While all beasts, normal and special, are crucial for gathering magical materials used to upgrade your gear at the Loom, shiny beasts offer the allure of rarity and a unique visual appeal. They don’t provide extra resources; the primary difference is their distinctive coloration and a star icon next to their gender, signifying their special status. Ultimately, they contribute to the collection aspect of the game and cater to players who enjoy finding unique and rare creatures. Capturing these elusive animals is a challenging but rewarding endeavor for those who enjoy the hunt.
The Role of Beasts in Hogwarts Legacy
Before delving into the specifics of shiny beasts, let’s recap the overall role of creatures in the game. Hogwarts Legacy features 13 magical beasts that players can rescue and house in the Vivariums within the Room of Requirement. Once safely in a Vivarium, these creatures can be fed and groomed, yielding 3-5 beast products, depending on the beast’s rarity. These materials are essential for upgrading gear using the Enchanted Loom in the Room of Requirement. This is the foundation of the beast mechanic; now let’s go deeper into the special cases.
What Makes a Beast “Special”?
A “special” beast, commonly termed a shiny beast, isn’t necessarily a different species but a rare color variant of an existing one. These beasts are more elusive, and encountering them requires both patience and a keen eye. They will still interact with you the same as a regular beast, meaning they can be rescued, petted, bred, and fed in your vivarium. The sole distinguishing factor is their altered color and star icon, signifying their rarity and unique visual presentation.
The Allure of Shiny Beasts
While shiny beasts don’t offer gameplay advantages over their standard counterparts in terms of materials, their rarity makes them valuable for players seeking to fully complete the game. The thrill of discovering a shiny beast is a significant part of the draw for many. Their unique appearance adds a layer of personalization to your Vivarium, and it is always satisfying to show off your special find.
Breeding Shiny Beasts
One exciting aspect is that you can also breed your magical beasts and this is also true for shiny variants. Offspring born from shiny parents will also be shiny, although they will be the same color as the standard offspring. They will also produce materials and sell for the same price as the adult versions. However, offspring cannot be bred and will forever remain in their young form.
Selling Beasts
Players can also sell their beasts. In Hogsmeade Village, the Brood and Peck shop is the place where you can earn 120 Galleons for each beast sold. While this may be a practical way to acquire money, some players may wish to hold on to all their special beasts as part of their collection.
Frequently Asked Questions about Special Beasts
1. How do I identify a shiny beast in Hogwarts Legacy?
Shiny beasts are identified by their distinct, rarer color variations compared to their standard counterparts. They also have a star icon next to their gender symbol when observed using the Nab-sack.
2. Do shiny beasts provide more resources?
No, shiny beasts do not provide more magical materials than normal beasts. The quantity of materials received depends on the beast’s species, not its coloration.
3. Is there a shiny version of every beast?
Almost every beast has a shiny variant except the Phoenix, which is a unique, non-breedable beast with only one in the game.
4. How rare are shiny beasts?
Shiny beasts are among the rarest encounters in Hogwarts Legacy. The spawn rate for them is significantly lower than that of their standard counterparts.
5. What is the rarest shiny beast to find?
While they are all rare, the shiny Unicorn can be considered one of the most difficult to find, as there is only one Unicorn den and only one Unicorn spawns at a time in that area. The shiny version, which is brown instead of the normal white, makes this an even rarer find.
6. Can you breed a shiny beast with a normal one?
Yes, you can breed a shiny beast with a normal one. The offspring may or may not be shiny as well.
7. If I breed a shiny beast, will the offspring be shiny?
Yes, offspring from a shiny parent will also appear with the shiny star icon, although the color of the offspring will be the standard color of offspring, even if the parent has a shiny color scheme.
8. Can I sell shiny beasts for more Galleons?
No, shiny beasts sell for the same amount as their regular counterparts – 120 Galleons per beast.
9. What is the purpose of the star icon next to the beast’s gender?
The star icon indicates that the beast is a rare color variant, also known as a shiny beast.
10. Is there anything special I need to do to find shiny beasts?
There is no specific trick to finding shiny beasts. You simply need to continue to explore, using the Disillusionment spell to get closer and the Arresto Momentum spell to slow them. Patience and persistence are key.
11. Can I ride shiny beasts?
No, you cannot ride shiny beasts. Mountable beasts are Graphorns, Hippogriffs, and Thestrals, and the shiny status doesn’t change this.
12. Can the Phoenix be shiny?
No, the Phoenix is the only beast in the game that cannot be shiny and can only be found and captured by completing a final quest from Deek, called “Phoenix Rising”.
13. Is there a female Graphorn?
You don’t need to worry about getting a female Graphorn until after completing the quest “San Bakar’s Trial”. This quest requires you to defeat a Graphorn in combat and then lead it to a certain area to open the path forward.
14. What are the mountable beasts in Hogwarts Legacy?
There are three beasts that you can mount in the game: Graphorns, Hippogriffs, and Thestrals.
15. Are there Dementors in Hogwarts Legacy?
There are no Dementors at Hogwarts, and they cannot be encountered. In fact, only one Hogwarts house allows players to even see Dementors.
In conclusion, while shiny beasts do not offer additional gameplay advantages in terms of resources, they are valuable for players seeking rare and visually distinct creatures. They provide an engaging challenge for collectors and add to the immersive experience of exploring the magical world of Hogwarts Legacy. The satisfaction of finding and owning one of these elusive creatures is a reward in itself.