You’ve probably seen them. Those swirling stone circles on the ground, smelling faintly of Mallowsweet and frustration. If you're anything like me, you spent the first ten hours of the game ignoring them, only to realize your gear inventory is full—again. Honestly, the Hogwarts Legacy Merlin Trials locations are the bane of every completionist's existence, mostly because there are 95 of them. Yes, 95. That is a staggering amount of stone-flipping and fire-blasting just to carry a few extra pairs of dragon-hide gloves.
The map is massive. From the foggy bogs of the North Ford Bog down to the windswept cliffs of the Clagmar Coast, these puzzles are everywhere. They aren't just there for flavor; they are the only way to expand your inventory slots through the Challenges menu. You need Mallowsweet leaves to activate them, which you can grow in the Room of Requirement or buy in Hogsmeade at The Magic Neap. Pro tip: buy the seeds early. You’re gonna need ‘em.
Why the North Ford Bog is the Best Place to Start
Most players head south immediately, but the North Ford Bog is actually a great training ground. There are only about four or five trials here. It’s quiet. You can practice the different puzzle types without a stray Ashwinder trying to curse you into oblivion. One of the trials near the Pitt-Upon-Ford floo flame is a simple "hit the three pillars" puzzle. Use Confringo. It’s faster than Incendio because you don't have to be standing right next to the thing to light it.
The bog is swampy and dark, which actually makes the blue highlights of Revelio stand out more. If you're hunting for a specific Hogwarts Legacy Merlin Trials location, always cast Revelio while flying on your broom. The range is much wider from the air. You’ll see the little leaf icon pop up on your mini-map, which is way more reliable than just squinting at the ground.
Navigating the Forbidden Forest and Hogsmeade Valley
The Forbidden Forest is a nightmare for navigation. Dense trees, spiders everywhere, and lots of verticality. There are roughly ten trials tucked away in these woods. One of the trickier ones involves catching butterflies (or Lumos moths, technically) and leading them to stone pillars. If you lose the moths, just deactivate Lumos and look around; they usually reset nearby.
Transitioning into the Hogsmeade Valley area, the density picks up. You’ll find about five trials here. There’s one particularly annoying one near the East Hogsmeade Valley floo flame that involves jumping across a series of stone platforms. Don't touch the ground. If your foot hits the grass, the trial resets. It feels a bit like "the floor is lava," which is either nostalgic or infuriating depending on how much coffee you’ve had.
The Massive Cluster in Hogwarts Valley and South Sea Bog
South of the castle is where things get serious. Hogwarts Valley is home to 15 trials. That’s a lot of Mallowsweet. You’ll encounter the "heavy ball" puzzles here frequently. You see a giant marble? Look for a circular depression in the ground. Use Depulso to shove it, or Wingardium Leviosa if you’ve progressed far enough in Professor Garlick's assignments.
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- Pro Tip: If the ball is stuck uphill, use Arresto Momentum to keep it from rolling back down while you reposition yourself.
Then there’s the South Sea Bog. It’s tiny. Only two trials. It’s a nice breather before you hit the Coastal Cavern and head into the late-game areas. Most people breeze through here, but don't skip them—every single trial counts toward those milestone rewards.
Conquering the Southern Regions: Poidsear Coast to Clagmar Coast
Once you pass through the goblin-infested tunnel to the Poidsear Coast, the map opens up in a way that’s honestly a bit overwhelming. We’re talking 10 trials in Poidsear, another 10 in Marunweem Lake, and a whopping 13 in the Manor Cape area.
The trials down here get more complex. You’ll see the "repair" puzzles where you have to use Reparo on shattered statues. There are also the "symbol cubes" where you use Flipendo to align the markings on a stone block with the markings on the base. These are the ones that usually make people look up a guide. Basically, you need to match the symbol and the orientation. It’s a 3D logic puzzle that feels very "Indiana Jones."
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- Poidsear Coast: High cliffs, lots of flying.
- Marunweem Lake: Lots of water-based puzzles.
- Cragcroftshire: Very vertical.
- Clagmar Coast: The final frontier.
By the time you reach the Clagmar Coast (5 trials), you’re probably a pro. The trials here are often guarded by high-level enemies, so clear out the camps before you start sprinkling your herbs.
The Puzzle Types You'll Keep Seeing
It’s not just about the Hogwarts Legacy Merlin Trials locations; it’s about knowing what to do once you get there. There are only about nine variations. Once you recognize the props, you know the spell.
Stone pillars with large balls on top? Use basic casts to break them.
Large stone spheres? Depulso them into the hole.
Small piles of five stones? Use Accio to pull the "marbles" into the slots.
Stone cubes with symbols? Flipendo.
Hollow pillars with moths nearby? Lumos.
Cracked floor stones? Usually nothing, but if there's a heavy ball nearby, that's where it goes.
Honestly, the hardest part isn't the puzzles. It's the travel time. Even with the best broom upgrades from Albie Weekes at Spintwitches, flying from the North Ford Bog to the Clagmar Coast takes a hot minute. Use the Floo Flames. They are your best friends.
Addressing the Completionist Burnout
Look, doing all 95 is a lot. You only need to complete about 52 of them to max out your gear capacity. After that, the remaining 43 are purely for the "Merlin's Beard!" Trophy/Achievement and that sweet 100% completion stat in your guide. If you’re just playing for the story, stop at 52. Your sanity will thank you.
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There is a common misconception that some trials are missable. They aren't. You can go back and finish them even after the final boss is defeated. The seasons change in the game, but Merlin’s puzzles stay exactly where he left them centuries ago.
The nuance of these trials is in the environment. Some require you to burn vines with Incendio before you can see the puzzle pieces. Others are hidden inside caves. If the icon is on your map but you see nothing on the surface, look for a cliffside entrance or a breakable rock wall nearby.
Actionable Steps for Your Hunt
To efficiently clear the map, stop fast-traveling everywhere for a bit. Fly.
- Stockpile Mallowsweet: Go to the Room of Requirement. Set up three large potting tables. Grow Mallowsweet constantly. You’ll need nearly 100 leaves.
- Upgrade Revelio: Spend talent points in the "Core" tree to increase the range of Revelio. This makes spotting the trial markers from your broom much easier.
- Region by Region: Don't bounce around. Pick a region, like Feldcroft, and don't leave until every leaf icon is gone.
- Check Your Challenges: Periodically open your Field Guide. If you’ve reached a milestone, you have to manually "claim" the inventory expansion. It doesn't happen automatically.
Getting all the Hogwarts Legacy Merlin Trials locations marked off your list is a marathon, not a sprint. Take in the scenery. The game is beautiful, and these trials often lead you to some of the most scenic overlooks in the Scottish Highlands. Just keep your wand ready and your Mallowsweet pouch full.