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Crossed Wands is one of many side quests in Hogwarts Legacy and is the name of a secret wizard dueling club at Hogwarts, where players compete against other students to determine the greatest school duelist. Players can begin the first round during their first day at Hogwarts, with the follow-up rounds unlocked by progressing through the main story. This side quest also enables players to practice their wand dueling skills before taking on PVE enemies by additionally practicing with a training dummy, and winning each round helps to build XP.
For most rounds, players can team up with companions Natty or Sebastian or take on the challenge solo if they are looking for a tougher test of their abilities. The third round of Crossed Wands is particularly challenging, so players must use all the combat skills and spells learned so far to win. Fortunately, there are some handy combat tips to help players succeed in all three rounds for the best chances of becoming the dueling Champion and unlocking one of Hogwarts Legacy's many cosmetic rewards.
Crossed Wands Round 1 - Initiate Round
Crossed Wands Round 1 becomes available after players beat companion Sebastian Sallow in their first Defense Against the Dark Arts class when attending their first day at Hogwarts. To begin Crossed Wands Round 1, head to the base of the Clock Tower Courtyard in the South Wing of Hogwarts and speak with Lucan Brattleby, standing in the corner.
Round 1 is a pretty straightforward introduction to dueling, with players battling two students while teaming up with Sebastian. Here, players are reminded to break through yellow shields with yellow control spells, like Levioso. In this round, players can easily focus on attacking one student while Sebastian begins taking down the other. It's also a good chance to practice basic blocking and juggling opponents in the air using the combination of Levioso or Accio and follow-up basic attacks. Once one student is down, it's easier to focus on the next. Completing the first round increases player XP and goes towards the tally of side quests.
Crossed Wands Round 2 - Adept Round
Crossed Wands Round 2 is slightly tougher than Round 1, as players must win by fighting against three students. This time players can decide whether to pair up with Natty or Sebastian. Before the battle, players learn they can break violet shields with Force spells like Accio, one of the first Force spells players get until they can learn new spells. If players remember to use Protego to block and follow up with Stupefy, plus break the yellow or violet shields correctly, they shouldn't have too much trouble with this group.
Cross Wands Round 3 - Championship Round
Players best prepare to be challenged for round 3 of Crossed Wands, which tests them against a large group of fo urNPC students who don't go down quickly. For the best chances of success in round 3, it's best to prepare by stocking up on healing items like Wiggenweld Potions from shops or brewing them in the Potions Lab.
Players should also equip their best gear obtained so far, even if that means creating a strange outfit combination. It's also a good idea to hit save before starting the battle, so players can quickly reload back in if defeated. Most players may also want to choose Natty or Sebastian to fight alongside for the best chance of winning, but players can take on the challenge solo.
To win round 3, players must repeatedly roll to dodge incoming spells or use Protego to block and deflect attacks. If players get in Leviosa or Accio, it's crucial not to mash buttons to try and escape. Instead, wait to press the button that appears on the screen to get out of the attack smoothly.
The best strategy to win is to lock on to targets to break their shields and follow up with basic attacks to juggle opponents in the air, focusing on taking down one student at a time as much as possible while replenishing health as needed. It's easy to forget to top up health, so it's crucial that players monitor their HP in the bottom-right corner of the screen. Players can also use launch objects like boxes using Ancient Magic to break shields, causes significant damage, and makes a fantastic combat finisher move.
Crossed Wands Champion Reward
When gamers are victorious and win Crossed Wands, Lucan congratulates players on being the dueling tournament Champion. Players are rewarded the Crossed Wands Champion Garb, which players can find and equip when changing outfits in the gear menu by clicking X on the outfit section if using an Xbox controller. Players can wear the outfit as it is or put it underneath coats or robes.
Hogwarts Legacy is available now on PS5, Xbox Series S|X, and PC. PS4, Xbox One, and Switch versions are currently in development.