Level Up Your Wizarding Wardrobe: The Easiest Way to Upgrade Gear in Hogwarts Legacy
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Upgrading gear is crucial to becoming a powerful wizard in Hogwarts Legacy. While the game doesn’t have a complex crafting system, knowing the most efficient methods can drastically improve your character’s strength and survivability. So, what is the easiest way to upgrade gear in Hogwarts Legacy? The short answer is: consistently using the Loom in the Room of Requirement after completing The Elf, the Nab-Sack, and the Loom main quest. This allows you to enhance your existing gear with materials obtained from rescued magical beasts, boosting their stats. Additionally, completing Merlin Trials will expand your gear inventory capacity, letting you carry more items to work with. Let’s dive into the specifics.
How the Loom Works: Your Gear Upgrade Station
The Loom is not available from the start of the game. You unlock it as part of the main storyline by completing The Elf, the Nab-Sack, and the Loom quest. Once this quest is done, you can place the Loom in the Room of Requirement, and it becomes your primary station for gear upgrades.
Gathering the Necessary Materials
To use the Loom, you’ll need beast parts. These are obtained by rescuing various magical creatures and bringing them to your Vivarium. Different beasts drop different parts, so exploring the open world and finding new animals is essential. Some beasts are also tied to quests later on, so don’t worry if you can’t get every part initially.
The Upgrade Process
Upgrading is a straightforward process:
- Interact with the Loom: Open the Loom menu in the Room of Requirement.
- Select an Item: Choose a piece of gear you wish to upgrade.
- Confirm the Upgrade: If you have the necessary materials, you can click the Upgrade button.
- Improve Stats: Each upgrade will increase the item’s stats, making you more potent in combat.
Remember that you can only upgrade gear three times, so choose wisely which items you want to enhance. It’s not worth upgrading lower-level gear too much if you’re about to find something better. Focus on gear with higher rarity. Also, common gear cannot be upgraded, so prioritize uncommon, rare and legendary items.
Expanding Your Gear Slots: Merlin Trials
Beyond upgrading gear, it’s crucial to have enough storage space. You start with a limited inventory of 20 gear slots which fills up quickly. Here’s how to significantly increase your gear inventory:
The Power of Merlin Trials
To increase your gear slots you need to complete Merlin Trials. Every two Merlin Trials you complete will add 4 more gear slots. You access your reward for completing these through the Challenges tab in the menu. This process can be repeated up to five times in total, potentially adding 20 extra gear slots to your inventory, for a total of 40 possible gear slots.
Finding Merlin Trials
Merlin Trials are scattered throughout the game map, marked by a leaf-like symbol. These puzzles vary in style and require you to use different spells. While you need to solve 52 to completely max your gear inventory, you will be awarded an achievement for completing all 95.
Other Considerations for Gear Management
- Sell Useless Gear: Gear labeled “Well-Appointed” cannot be upgraded and should always be sold to make room.
- Equip Strategically: The game features various types of gear, including robes, hats, and gloves, each with unique stats. Choose gear that matches your playstyle.
- Legendary Gear is Best: Legendary gear typically offers the best stats and can also be upgraded with traits.
- Save Legendary Chests: Some players recommend not opening certain Legendary Chests too early in the game as the gear within scales up with your level, and doing so may cause a shortage later if you want to have better gear at higher levels.
- Level Matters: Your character’s level determines what items you can equip and helps determine the overall effectiveness of your stats.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some common questions about gear upgrades in Hogwarts Legacy that players often have:
1. How many times can I upgrade my gear?
You can upgrade each piece of gear a maximum of three times at the Loom.
2. What kind of gear cannot be upgraded?
Common gear cannot be upgraded at the Loom, which is the gear you start with. The game calls it Standard Gear and ironically, it is the rarest gear in the game as it cannot be found elsewhere. The Well-Appointed gear category also cannot be upgraded.
3. Do lower-level gear get any benefit from upgrading?
Yes, lower-level gear will get an improved stat boost each time it is upgraded, however, it may not be worthwhile to upgrade it as better equipment is likely to be found. Focus on Rare, and Legendary gear.
4. When should I start upgrading my gear?
You can start upgrading gear anytime you have access to the Loom. However, you will need to gather beast parts and may have to wait for a few quests to unlock more beasts.
5. What happens if my gear inventory is full?
If your gear slots are full, you won’t be able to collect any new gear. You’ll need to either sell the unwanted gear or increase your storage via Merlin Trials.
6. How many Merlin Trials do I need to complete to max out my gear slots?
You only need to complete 52 of the 95 available Merlin Trials to fully expand your gear inventory.
7. Can I find Level 40 gear early in the game?
No. Level 40 gear is typically found near the end of the game. The gear scales to your level, so you can’t grind for it early. It’s recommended to reach level 40 by completing side quests, challenges, and the main mission.
8. What is the rarest gear in the game?
The standard gear you start with upon character creation is technically the rarest gear since it cannot be acquired again.
9. What is the best kind of gear to keep?
Legendary gear is often the best to keep due to its high stats and upgrade potential, particularly when it matches or is near your level. Always prioritize gear that enhances your preferred playstyle and stats.
10. Should I sell all “Well-Appointed” gear?
Yes. Always sell “Well-Appointed” gear since it cannot be upgraded. This frees up space and nets you some gold.
11. What are the best looking outfits in Hogwarts Legacy?
Some of the most popular and best-looking outfits include the Spider Slayer Armor, Legendary Armored Attire, and the Traditional School Robes.
12. What is the best cloak/robe in Hogwarts Legacy?
The Spider Slayer Armour is considered one of the best cloaks/robes. Other highly ranked options include the Traditional School Robe and the Leather Winter Cloak.
13. Can I get a Graphorn in Hogwarts Legacy?
Yes, you can acquire a Graphorn along with 12 other beasts for your Vivarium.
14. Does my house choice impact the game mechanics?
While the House you choose doesn’t directly impact combat or gear upgrades, Hufflepuff students get access to a unique quest line that involves a trip to Azkaban.
15. Does being “evil” affect my gameplay?
No, while you can learn and use unforgivable curses, these choices don’t have a significant impact on the storyline.
By understanding these essential aspects of gear management and utilizing the Loom effectively, you’ll be well-equipped to navigate the challenges of Hogwarts Legacy and become a powerful witch or wizard. Don’t forget to explore the open world, rescue those magical creatures, and complete those Merlin Trials!