Does it matter if you're a witch or wizard in Hogwarts Legacy ?

Hogwarts Legacy witch or wizard
(Image credit: Warner Brothers)

Does choosing to be a Hogwarts Legacy witch or wizard actually change anything? The short answer is no, overall. It doesn't matter what you pick in Hogwarts Legacy with, at most, only a few minor changes to certain styles of clothing. Most people refer to you in gender-neutral terms as well, like "that new fifth-year" so there's almost no in-game impact at any level.

However, it is the one thing you can't change once you've decided. While you can change your appearance in Hogwarts Legacy at certain shops in Hogsmeade, selecting whether to be a wizard or witch is permeant. This decision assigns you to the dorm of your choosing and, since you won't really spend much time in there, it doesn't really matter whether you're a witch or wizard in Hogwarts Legacy. 

Hogwarts Legacy witch or wizard: does it matter? 

Hogwarts Legacy gear equip screen

(Image credit: Avalanche Games)
You wouldn't steal a feather?

Hogwarts Legacy feather steal weasley

(Image credit: Warner Bros)

Not long after you're enrolled you'll have to choose whether to steal a Hogwarts Legacy Fwooper feather. Find out if that matters here. 

Your experience in Hogwarts Legacy won't change at all between witch or wizard - there are no missable things, quests or content relevant to either option. Just like Hogwarts Legacy wand flexibility, it's all entirely based on your preferences with little impact. You'll also spend far less time in your dorms than you might expected as well, with most quests outside Hogwarts or exploring the castle. You only really ever have to use the dorm as a soft reset point after big missions. 

When you choose to be a witch or wizard, you can also adjust your voice pitch, face, hairstyle, and other cosmetic features. Regardless of whether you're a witch or wizard, you will find clothing items such as skirts or trouser ensembles throughout the world, though selecting "witch" will moderately increase instances of loot chests spawning skirt-style gear. These can be equipped via your Hogwarts Legacy gear slots, again regardless of whether you're a witch or wizard. Make sure to sell your unwanted items to free up space in your inventory, however, since it can fill up fast unless you get cracking on those Hogwarts Legacy Merlin trials to make more room.

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

Jasmine Gould-Wilson
Staff Writer, GamesRadar+

Jasmine is a staff writer at GamesRadar+. Raised in Hong Kong and having graduated with an English Literature degree from Queen Mary, University of London in 2017, her passion for entertainment writing has taken her from reviewing underground concerts to blogging about the intersection between horror movies and browser games. Having made the career jump from TV broadcast operations to video games journalism during the pandemic, she cut her teeth as a freelance writer with TheGamer, Gamezo, and Tech Radar Gaming before accepting a full-time role here at GamesRadar. Whether Jasmine is researching the latest in gaming litigation for a news piece, writing how-to guides for The Sims 4, or extolling the necessity of a Resident Evil: CODE Veronica remake, you'll probably find her listening to metalcore at the same time.