You’ve probably seen them by now. Those swirling stone circles on the ground, smelling faintly of Mallowsweet and ancient magic. Honestly, the first time I ran into one near Lower Hogsfield, I thought it was just flavor text. Then I realized there are 95 of them. Yes, 95. If you're trying to expand your gear slots—which, let's face it, you desperately need because your inventory fills up after two bandit camps—hunting down Merlin Trials Hogwarts Legacy locations becomes your full-time job.
It’s a grind. But it’s a necessary one.
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The sheer scale of the map in Hogwarts Legacy is intimidating. You start in the lush, green North Hogwarts Region and eventually find yourself flying over the jagged cliffs of the Poidsear Coast. Each area has a different vibe, and the density of these trials varies wildly. Some are tucked behind waterfalls; others are sitting right in the middle of a goblin loyalist camp, just waiting for you to get interrupted by a stray Confringo.
Why the North Ford Bog is Your Starting Point
Most players ignore the Bog. It’s swampy, dark, and full of spiders. But if you're looking for Merlin Trials Hogwarts Legacy locations that are easy to knock out early, this is the spot. There are only about four or five here.
One of them is right near the San Bakar’s Tower Floo Flame. It’s a basic "light the torches" puzzle. You’ll need Incendio or Confringo. Pro tip: use Confringo. The range is better, and you won't have to sprint like a madman to hit the third torch before the first one sinks back into the ground. It’s annoying when that happens. You feel like you've failed a basic fitness test in the wizarding world.
The Forbidden Forest and North Hogwarts
Moving south, the Forbidden Forest holds a handful. There’s one specifically nestled near the Jackdaw’s Tomb area. This one usually involves those pesky butterflies (or moths, technically) that you have to lead to the stone pillars using Lumos. It sounds simple until you realize a pack of wolves is stalking you. That's the thing about these locations; the environment is often more of a puzzle than the trial itself.
The Massive Density of the South Hogwarts Region
This is where the game really tests your patience. The area surrounding Hogwarts and Hogsmeade is littered with these things. If you open your map and zoom out, the icons start to blur together.
I found a particularly tricky one near Aranshire. It’s a "reconstruct the statue" puzzle. You use Reparo, obviously. But the pieces are scattered in high grass, and if it's nighttime, you’ll be spamming Revelio every two seconds just to find a stray stone arm. Honestly, the game should have just called it "Revelio: The Prequel."
The Hogsmeade Valley Cluster
Just east of the wizarding village, you’ll find another dense pocket. There’s a trial here that involves the large stone ball. You know the one. You have to push it into a recessed goal in the ground. If you haven't unlocked Depulso yet, don't even bother. Using Wingardium Leviosa on a three-ton boulder is a recipe for a headache. The physics in this game can be a bit... floaty. I once watched a boulder bounce off a pebble and fly into the Black Lake. I had to fast-travel away and back just to reset the damn thing.
Poidsear Coast: The Point of No Return
To get to the southern half of the map, you have to go through the Coastal Mine. Once you emerge, the world opens up again, and the Merlin Trials Hogwarts Legacy locations get significantly more spread out.
The Poidsear Coast and the Marunweem Lake regions are beautiful, but the verticality is a nightmare. You'll see a trial icon on your mini-map, fly to it, and realize it's actually 200 feet above you on a plateau. Or inside a sea cave.
In Marunweem, there’s a trial that requires the "flip" spell—Flipendo. You have to match the symbols on stacked cubes. It’s probably the most "intellectual" the trials get, which isn't saying much, but it’s a nice break from just blowing things up. You have to look at the orientation of the symbol on the top block and match it to the bottom. It's basically magical Rubik’s Cubing.
Manor Cape and Cragcroftshire
By the time you reach the southernmost tip of the map, you’re likely doing this for the "Merlin's Beard!" achievement rather than gear slots. You hit the max inventory upgrade long before you finish all 95.
Manor Cape has a trial near an abandoned mansion that is notorious. It’s a "platforming" trial. You have to jump across stone pillars without touching the ground. If you’ve played any other RPG, you know that "jumps" in a game not built for platforming can feel clunky. My advice? Don't rush. Your character has a weird bit of momentum that can carry you right off the edge of the last pillar.
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Making Sense of the Different Trial Types
Every location falls into one of a few categories. Knowing what you're walking into saves time.
- The Large Orbs: You need Depulso or Accio to move a giant ball into a hole.
- The Small Orbs: Look for five small holes in a stone platform. Find the piles of golf-ball-sized stones nearby and use Accio to lead them home.
- Pillar Destruction: Use Confringo or Bombarda. Just smash them. Very satisfying.
- Moth To A Flame: Use Lumos to pull three groups of moths to three different stone pillars.
- Lighting Torches: Three braziers on pillars. They sink into the ground if you're too slow. Confringo is king here.
- Cube Flipping: Use Flipendo to align the symbols.
- Statue Repair: Use Reparo on crumbled remains.
- The Jumping Test: Parkour. Don't fall.
- The Green Stone Pillars: These have cracked green surfaces. You have to hit them with basic casts or powerful spells to "break" them, but usually, it's just a matter of finding all five hidden in the immediate area.
The Gear Slot Math
Why do this? You start with 20 gear slots. That is nothing. You’ll find two hats and a pair of spectacles and suddenly you're "full."
The challenges in your Field Guide are broken into tiers.
- Solve 2 Trials: +4 slots.
- Solve 6 more Trials: +4 slots.
- Solve 10 more Trials: +4 slots.
- Solve 14 more Trials: +4 slots.
- Solve 20 more Trials: +4 slots.
Total it up. You only need to complete 52 trials to max out your inventory at 40 slots. This means you can ignore 43 of the Merlin Trials Hogwarts Legacy locations and still be "optimal." That's a huge relief for people who don't care about 100% completion but just want to stop deleting loot every five minutes.
Clagmar Coast: The Final Frontier
The Clagmar Coast is the "end game" zone. The enemies are level 30+, and the trials are often guarded by high-level Poacher Animagi or Inferi. There's one trial right on the edge of the western cliffs that requires you to destroy five stone pillars. The catch? They're spread out over a massive vertical distance. You’ll be hopping on and off your broom just to see the next one.
Honestly, the Clagmar trials feel like a victory lap. The rewards are purely for the completionists. But if you’ve made it this far, you’re probably committed.
Common Mistakes and Map Glitches
Sometimes, you’ll swear you’re at a location, but nothing is there. Check your Mallowsweet. You cannot start a trial without it. You can grow it in the Room of Requirement or buy it at The Magic Neep in Hogsmeade. Always carry at least 20. There is nothing worse than flying to a remote corner of the Feldcroft region only to realize you’re out of herbs.
Also, some trials are locked behind main story progression. If you can’t find a trial in a specific spot mentioned by a guide, check if you’ve completed the "Trials of Merlin" quest with Nora Treadwell. She’s the NPC who introduces the mechanic. You can't interact with any of the locations until you help her out near Lower Hogsfield.
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Another weird thing: the map icons don't always disappear immediately. Sometimes you have to fly away for the "check" to register on the world map. Don't panic. If the stone circle is gone and the vines have grown over the center, you’ve done it.
Actionable Strategy for Completion
Stop trying to do them all at once. It’s the fastest way to burn out on an otherwise great game. Instead, integrate them into your travel.
If you have a quest in the South Sea Bog, clear the three or four trials on the way there. Use Revelio while on your broom; it highlights trial locations with a blue glow from a much greater distance than it does on foot. This is the secret to finding the "hidden" ones that aren't appearing on your map yet.
Focus on the Feldcroft region first. It’s relatively flat, the trials are straightforward, and it’s a great place to practice the different puzzle types. Once you hit that 52-trial mark, take a breath. You've got the inventory space you need. Everything after that is just for the glory of Merlin himself.
Go to the Room of Requirement, harvest a massive batch of Mallowsweet, and then pick a region. Clear it. Move on. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. The gear slots are worth the effort, even if the puzzles start to feel a bit familiar by trial number eighty.
Next Steps for Your Journey
- Stock up on Mallowsweet: Buy seeds at The Magic Neep and use large potting tables to produce 5-10 leaves per harvest.
- Unlock Confringo and Flipendo: You cannot finish all types without these specific spells.
- Fly Low: Use Revelio while on your broom to reveal icons on the map that stay permanently marked.
- Check the Challenges Tab: Always claim your inventory upgrades in the Field Guide menu; they don't apply automatically.
The hunt for every Merlin Trial is a massive undertaking, but focusing on the regions with the highest density first—like the areas around Hogwarts and Feldcroft—will get you those coveted gear slots faster than wandering aimlessly. Stick to the 52-trial goal for gameplay efficiency, or push through all 95 if you're chasing the Platinum trophy. Either way, keep your wand ready; those bandit camps won't clear themselves while you're busy moving stone spheres.