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What Happens If You Don’t Befriend Sebastian in Hogwarts Legacy?

The character of Sebastian Sallow in Hogwarts Legacy is undoubtedly one of the most compelling and controversial. His questline, riddled with moral dilemmas and the allure of the forbidden arts, often leaves players pondering the consequences of their choices. But what if you decided to completely ignore him, choosing not to embark on his dark path at all? What happens if you decide not to befriend Sebastian in the first place?

The answer, in short, is that you miss out on a significant portion of the game’s content. While Hogwarts Legacy is designed to allow players to chart their own course, entirely avoiding Sebastian and his associated quests severely limits your exposure to the game’s narrative and its mechanics. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll specifically miss:

The Unforgivable Curses: Perhaps the most significant loss is the inability to learn the Unforgivable Curses – Crucio, Imperio, and Avada Kedavra – without befriending Sebastian. He is the key to unlocking these powerful spells, and skipping his quests means your character will be barred from wielding them. This limitation can dramatically alter your combat strategy, especially in the later stages of the game.
Unique Questline: Sebastian’s questline is a narrative-rich experience delving into the dark arts and the tragic story of his family. By not befriending him, you miss out on a gripping storyline exploring themes of grief, revenge, and the corrupting influence of power.
Character Development: Sebastian is a well-developed character with complex motivations. His interactions and dialogue choices offer crucial insight into the world of Hogwarts Legacy and its ethical gray areas. Skipping his quests deprives you of this nuanced character study.
Undercroft Access: The Undercroft, a hidden location where you learn the dark arts, is accessible primarily through Sebastian’s quests. Ignoring Sebastian means forfeiting the chance to explore this interesting area.
Dialogue Choices and Their Impact: While the main story outcome remains largely consistent, a large portion of choices and their subsequent impact on your interactions is locked behind this path.
Missed Opportunities for Powerful Spells and Combos: The Unforgivable Curses are extremely powerful additions to your combat repertoire. By forgoing this questline, you will be locked out of various combat opportunities.

In essence, while the core narrative of Hogwarts Legacy can be completed without engaging with Sebastian, doing so diminishes the overall experience. You’ll miss out on crucial gameplay mechanics, a compelling storyline, and a significant amount of character development. It’s important to note that while you don’t have to befriend him to finish the game, most players would find the game less complete without it.

The Impact of Not Befriending Sebastian

Gameplay Limitations

The most palpable impact of not befriending Sebastian is the inability to learn the Unforgivable Curses. These spells – Crucio, Imperio, and Avada Kedavra – offer potent advantages in combat and are a key component for those seeking to explore the darker side of magic within the game. Without access to them, your combat strategies are severely limited, and you miss a big part of what makes this game different from other similar titles.

Narrative Loss

Sebastian’s questline forms a crucial part of the narrative exploring the allure and dangers of the dark arts. Skipping this means you miss out on the nuanced exploration of these themes, the moral dilemmas faced by the protagonist, and the tragic backstory that motivates Sebastian’s actions. This dramatically reduces a lot of the game’s complexity, since his choices ultimately contribute to the overarching world.

Character Interactions and Choices

Many decisions and interactions involving the use of dark magic or the consequences of such actions are tied directly to the Sebastian Sallow questline. By opting out, you bypass several instances where your choices have a tangible impact on the plot and the relationships between the characters.

Is it Worth Avoiding Sebastian?

While you absolutely can choose to ignore Sebastian and complete the game without him, the vast majority of players would find that this greatly reduces the game’s depth. The depth and complexity of his storyline, the raw power of the Unforgivable Curses, and all the experiences that he enables provide important aspects of the game. It is generally accepted that the game should be played with this portion of the game included. While some may not agree with his methods or actions, they should be experienced to get the full picture of the world and themes the game is trying to portray.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I still learn Avada Kedavra if I ignore Sebastian?

No. Avada Kedavra, along with Crucio and Imperio, is only accessible through Sebastian’s questline. If you choose not to engage with him, you will not be able to learn these spells naturally in the game. An alternative is through the Dark Arts Battle Arena, included in the Deluxe Edition or the Dark Arts DLC, but not without additional cost or a pre-order.

2. Does ignoring Sebastian affect the main story ending?

Not significantly. While your choices within Sebastian’s questline will affect the outcome of his story, the main story endings of Hogwarts Legacy remain largely consistent regardless of your interactions with him.

3. Can I romance any character in Hogwarts Legacy, including Sebastian?

No, there are currently no romance options in Hogwarts Legacy. Despite some fan interest, relationships with characters remain purely platonic.

4. Can Sebastian be redeemed if I befriend him?

Sebastian’s journey is complex and filled with tragedy. Regardless of your choices, the outcome for his character will be a sad one. His story doesn’t have a happy ending, and a redemption arc isn’t part of his character’s story.

5. Does choosing not to befriend Sebastian lock me out of any areas?

Yes. You will not be able to access the Undercroft without following Sebastian’s questline. The Undercroft is the hidden area used to teach the Unforgivable Curses.

6. If I turn Sebastian in to the authorities, can I still learn Avada Kedavra?

No. If you betray Sebastian, he will be expelled from Hogwarts, and you will lose the chance to learn the Unforgivable Curses from him directly. You can only learn these curses prior to betraying him.

7. Is Sebastian considered an evil character?

Sebastian is a complex and flawed character, driven by grief and a desire for justice. While his methods often cross into morally questionable territory, whether he is considered “evil” is up to the player’s interpretation. He is not a villain in the conventional sense.

8. Can I still get an evil ending if I don’t befriend Sebastian?

Yes. The “evil ending” is tied to choices made during the main story dialogue with Professor Fig. You can still achieve it regardless of your interactions with Sebastian.

9. Does Sebastian’s sister ever get cured?

No, Anne Sallow, Sebastian’s sister, does not get cured within the game’s narrative. Her illness is a key driver of Sebastian’s actions and the overall tragedy of his questline.

10. Is Sebastian’s questline necessary to complete the main game?

No, it’s not essential to complete the main story, but it is a major part of the game’s experience. While the main plot can be concluded without his involvement, you’d miss out on a lot of character development and story elements.

11. Are there negative consequences for using Dark Arts in Hogwarts Legacy?

Not really in terms of gameplay. Using dark magic does not impact your ability to do other spells or lock you out of any part of the main story, but it may impact certain NPC interactions.

12. How old is Sebastian Sallow in Hogwarts Legacy?

Sebastian is around 15-16 years old during the events of the game, as all students enter at 11 years old, and it’s been 5 years into their studies by the time you arrive in game.

13. Does Sebastian go to Azkaban at any point?

Yes, if you betray him and turn him into the authorities, he will be sent to Azkaban.

14. What is the significance of the relic in Sebastian’s questline?

The significance of the relic is ultimately up to the player’s interpretation. While the game presents it as a powerful artifact, your choices regarding it do not impact the overall story outcome.

15. What if I want to play through the game both ways, once with Sebastian and once without?

This is a perfectly viable option. You can experience different parts of the game through two different playthroughs. There is no single “correct” way to experience Hogwarts Legacy.

In conclusion, while Hogwarts Legacy allows players to choose their path, completely ignoring Sebastian significantly reduces the overall experience. You will miss crucial narrative and character development, and the ability to use Unforgivable Curses. Therefore, it is highly recommended to engage with Sebastian’s questline to fully experience what Hogwarts Legacy has to offer, even if the path is morally questionable.

What happens if you don’t befriend Sebastian?