"To cast Avada Kedavra freely": Fans wonder how they will be able to use the Death Curse in Hogwarts Legacy

Casting the Death Curse (Image via Hogwarts Legacy)
Casting the Death Curse (Image via Hogwarts Legacy)

With the release period set for Holiday 2022, Hogwarts Legacy is still some time away. Fans have been impatiently poring over the 14-minute PS5 gameplay ever since the March State of Play. The gameplay reveal provided a fresh in-depth look at the game's world, mechanics, characters and more.

Players got a look at the fleshed-out Hogwarts, with professors, students, a plethora of magical beasts, and a whole lot of magic.

One of the most interesting frames from the clip that set tongues wagging among the Harry Potter community was when the protagonist cast an Unforgivable Curse. Ever since, fans have been excitedly discussing the extent to which the gameplay of Hogwarts Legacy will feature this powerful spell.


Fans wonder how often players will be able to cast the Death Curse in Hogwarts Legacy

The gameplay reveal showcased a plethora of spells. The mechanics of dueling are an important part of the game, and players will be able to combine various spells to counter enemies and other obstacles. But what excited fans the most was seeing the protagonist cast one of the Unforgivable Curses.

Around the 14 minute mark of the PS5 gameplay reveal, the iconic green spell bursts forth from the wand of the protagonist towards an unidentifiable enemy. Hogwarts Legacy will reportedly feature a morality system, so fans have been eagerly discussing whether rampant use of the Death Curse will make their character evil.

According to the Harry Potter wiki:

"They [Unforgivable Curses] were tools of the Dark Arts and were first classified as 'Unforgivable' in 1717, with the strictest penalties attached to their use. The three curses consisted of the Killing Curse (Avada Kedavra), Cruciatus Curse (Crucio), and Imperius Curse (Imperio)."

These sinister curses are some of the most powerful spells in wizarding lore, with them being predominantly and indiscriminately used by dark wizards. Use of any one of these curses would land the wizard or the witch in Azkaban right away with a life sentence. Only Aurors were permitted to use these during the Wizarding Wars.

Potterheads will remember that Harry Potter, himself, used two of the three Unforgivable Curses, Cruciatus and Imperius, during the original saga, without facing any repercussions. Similarly, the need of the hour may exempt the protagonist of Hogwarts Legacy from any sort of punishment should they use the spell for the greater good.

Fans believe that it is highly unlikely that the developers will allow players to freely use the Death Curse, given the magnitude of it and the repercussions surrounding it. They believe it is more plausible that the option of casting Avada Kedavra will be available at crucial points in gameplay, where players will have the option of killing their enemy, thus affecting their morality.

A Redditor notes that the Death Curse was shown during a cinematic cutscene, rather than as part of normal gameplay. This further casts aspersions on whether the evil wizard fantasy of fans will come through in Hogwarts Legacy.

Another Redditor predicted that the recipient of the curse in the gameplay reveal was not human; more likely a goblin. This would make sense because the backdrop of Hogwarts Legacy is an impending goblin rebellion. Interestingly, the Harry Potter wiki mentions that the use of Unforgivable Curses on "a fellow human being, Muggle or wizard" has been outlawed.

Another fan jokingly mentioned that it is not a Grand Theft Auto version of the Harry Potter world. In the former, players can kill NPCs indiscriminately, triggering police chases and an increasing wanted level. Although this may be added through the magic of mods, it is extremely unlikely that something similar will find place in Hogwarts Legacy.

One of the most anticipated games of the past few years will finally be released in the second half of 2022, and fans have been impatiently clamoring for more information about what awaits them in the wizarding RPG. The Death Curse is deeply ingrained in the mythos of Harry Potter, and players will be eagerly waiting to see how it plays out in Hogwarts Legacy.

Quick Links