Completing the Hogwarts Legacy Merlin Trials are the only way to get you more gear slots in the game. That makes them super important if you want a larger inventory and to avoid selling or destroying outfits every five minutes. The trials tie into a challenge in your field guide where by competing increasing numbers Merlin Trials you'll unlock more Gear Slots in blocks of four.
All the Merlin Trials you'll find are effectively a range of small puzzles that involve magic, puzzle or other techniques to solve and you'll find them all over the map as you explore.
How to unlock Merlin Trials in Hogwarts Legacy
You'll unlock Merlin Trials by speaking to a witch called Nora Treadwell, who you'll find after finishing Natty's "The Girl from Uagadou" quest. Treadwell's mission is literally called "Trials of Merlin", so it's really obvious - just listen out for the shouting when you finish up with Natty to find her. Once that's done you'll be able to complete the trials and start getting more Hogwarts Legacy Gear Slots.
Like the Hogwarts Legacy eye chests these are a reoccurring thing you'll be finding throughout the game, so expect to see them everywhere once you know what you're looking for.
How to solve the Merlin Trials in Hogwarts Legacy
You won't really be able take on Merlin Trials fully until you unlock the Hogwarts Legacy broomsticks, as they span the entire map and could take ages to find on foot. Once you have your broom (or later a Hogwarts Legacy mount) you'll be able to fly around casting Revelio to see them as you go by. You'll also need Mallowsweet, a herb you can buy, grow and find in the world. Each trial is 'activated' by sprinkling some of these leaves on the markers you find.
There are 85 in the game in total, each marked with little leaf icons like this:
In the world itself, you'll also see them marked out by ornate stone circles on the ground like this:
There are essentially nine Merlin Trials variations you'll encounter. The solution to each one is always within the immediate vicinity of the marker, and highlighted in blue when you cast Revelio, so you always know what you need to interact with if not how. Many Merlin Trials require one of these spells in order to complete them:
- Basic Cast (RT)
- Depulso
- Accio
- Confringo and/or Incendio
- Lumio
- Reparo
- Flipendo
So if you're scratching your head as to why something is proving tricky, you might well not have the right spell yet.
Here are all the different types of Hogwarts Legacy Merlin Trials and how to solve them:
Large stone ball
Spell required: Depulso
For this one it's simply a case of using Depulso (the push spell) to roll a large stone ball into a bowl in the ground. The balls are usually fairly high up and there's a clear path to the bowl goal. The balls move really slowly but are really hard to course correct as they're too heavy for anything like Leviosa or Accio.
Small stone balls
Spell required: Accio
This Merlin Trial will have three stone plates with four circular holes in it on the floor around it, and also three stacks of small stone balls nearby. You'll need to use Accio to lead the balls to each stone plate in order to clear this trial.
A trio of braziers
Spell needed: Confringo (but some can be completed with Incendio alone)
Another of the Merlin Trials requires you to light three braziers mounted on stone columns. They can be pretty far spread out, which is why it's going to be a lot easier to tick them off by using Confringo. They'll need to be lit in a certain order as they'll start sinking into the ground as soon as they're lit. Start with the tallest one, and end with the one lowest to the ground.
Moth stones
Spell needed: Lumio
Riffing on the guiding of the moth to the frame side quest, one of the Merlin Trials involves leading a group of moths to a trio of glowing statues. You'll see the statues first no doubt, and then you'll have to find the moths, which can be a little more hidden and harder to see with Revelio. Use Lumio to call the moths to your wand, and then lead them to the statues. Do this for all three statues.
Broken statues
Spell needed: Reparo
You may see three statues dotted around the place that immediately smash into bits when you start the Merlin Trial. Use Reparo on all three and you'll clear this one really quickly.
Matching puzzle blocks
Spell needed: Flipendo
One of the trickier Merlin Trials is the one that involves three stone columns made up of two stone blocks with markings on. You won't be able to complete it until you have Flipendo (which comes quite a way into the game). Use Flipendo to rotate the top stone block of each column until you match the symbols that look like this with the arrow pointing down:
You'll need to change your position around the block in order to change the direction in which you're flipping the block. It's a little awkward, but thankfully this Merlin Trial variety aren't that common.
Green spotted slabs
Spell needed: Confringo
This is one of the easier of the Merlin Trials in that it just needs you to use Confringo to destroy all the blocks that look like the above in the immediate vicinity. There's always at least one hidden one, so use Revelio to get them to light up in blue to smash them all.
Balls on sticks
Spell needed: Basic R2 / RT spell
Another of the more straightforward Merlin Trials involves a series of nine stone balls sat unpon stone columns. They're found in groups of three around the Merlin Trial marker, and the trickiest bit is usually just finding them. Thankfully they glow with Revelio but can be tucked away behind walls and higher up than you'd expect. Then it's just a case of hitting them all with your basic spell.
Platform challenge
Spell needed: None
Finally, probably the rarest of the Merlin Trials is a simple platforming challenge. You'll find a series of stone platforms in a line that's basically a simple obstacle course. You must jump from one to the other without touching the floor until you've reached the end of the course.
The release of Hogwarts Legacy has been the subject of criticism and debate due to J.K. Rowling's public stance on gender identity, which continues to challenge the inclusivity at the heart of the Harry Potter community. Here is our explainer on the Hogwarts Legacy controversy (opens in new tab).
