How to beat every Crossed Wands round in Hogwarts Legacy

Crossed Wands is the name of a secret wizard dueling club in Hogwarts Legacy, one that pits your character in a duel against several different students to determine the best duelist in Hogwarts. Here’s how you can win each round of Crossed Wands in the game.

How to win every round of Crossed Wands in Hogwarts Legacy

You will unlock the Crossed Wands side quest after beating Sebastian Sallow in your first Defense Against the Dark Arts class in Hogwarts Legacy. You will face three rounds of wizard duels in this quest, each more challenging than the last. Fortunately, all rounds allow you to team up with Natty or Sebastian, making the fights easier.

To start round one, go to the Clock Tower Courtyard in the south wing of Hogwarts and talk to Lucan Brattleby.

Round one: Initiate Round

Round one puts you in a relatively easy duel, with you and Sebastian facing off against two other students. In this round, your enemies will have yellow shields you can break using Control spells like Leviosa. This round won’t test your dueling abilities too much, so use it to practice blocking and enemy juggling to prepare for future duels.

Round two: Adept Round

Things ramp up a bit in the second round, which gives the option to team up with Natty or Sebastian to duel against three students. 

In this round, lock onto one enemy at a time, preferably the same one your teammate is targeting. Before the fight, you’re also taught how to break violet shields with Force spells like Accio, so you’ll need to mix and match between both Force and Control spells to break each enemy’s shield. 

Additionally, make sure to roll to avoid incoming attacks or time Protego perfectly to deflect enemy spells. If caught within enemy spells like Accio or Leviosa, escape by inputting the button prompt on the screen and immediately replenish your health.

Round three: Championship Round

The championship round can give even the most experienced player a run for their money, so you’ll want to choose your wear optimal gear before challenging it. Here, you’re set to duel against a group of four experienced students, with the option of teaming up with either Natty or Sebastian or, for a more challenging experience, attempting the fight solo. 

Before the duel, ensure you have at least one spell each from the Control, Force, and Damage categories equipped on your character. Once the fight starts, lock onto the frontmost enemy and either roll away from their spells or deflect them with Protego. Once you do this, break your target enemy’s shield and hit them with four basic attacks before once again avoiding enemy attacks. Rinse and repeat this pattern for the rest of this duel.

After you’ve broken your target’s shield once, cast Stupefy at the start of your next attack string to stop your enemy from regaining their shield. Repeat this pattern for the rest of the duel, and you’ll get through the championship round with relative ease. Monitor the yellow attack indicator above your head while also keeping an ear out for audio cues from enemies preparing to launch attacks at you from offscreen.

Reward for winning all Crossed Wands duels in Hogwarts Legacy

Each round of the Crossed Wands duels you win will award you player EXP and also add to your tally of completed side quests. After winning all three rounds of duels, Luncan congratulates you before rewarding you with the Crossed Wands Champion Garb, a royal blue outfit that players can wear as is or layer under their robes and coats.

That’s all you need to know about beating all three challenges of the Crossed Wands side quest. For more on Hogwarts Legacy, check out our coverage of all the beasts you can tame and how to pop the balloons over Hosmead Station.