Hogwarts Mystery is a great game for any Harry Potter fan, with spells to learn, characters to befriend, and a compelling story to keep players checking in time and time again. Unfortunately, the game does heavily encourage micro-purchases with everything from clothing and accessories for your avatar, to even the most simplistic actions players can perform.
Do we still think the game is worth downloading? Absolutely. You can get it right here:
The micro-purchases in the game really do put a damper on the experience, so we’ve put together a list of five tips that should help you get through the game without ever needing to cough up actual currency. Before we get into that, though, it’s important to understand the way energy works in Hogwarts Mystery, as replenishing your energy supply is the most enticing reason to spend money in-game.
Understanding energy
The way you progress in Hogwarts Mystery is by completing “actions.” Any time you see an object or character on-screen that’s outlined in blue, you can touch it. Completing lessons and scripted story events will require you to expend energy points (shown on the top right of your screen).
For your first year at Hogwarts, you’ll likely have no more than 25 to spend when you’re capped. Spend all of them and you’ll get a message asking if you’d like to spend “gems” to refill your fatigue meter. These gems are awarded naturally, albeit rarely, through the game’s progression.
We recommend you save them so that you can spend them on extra energy should you accidentally find yourself in need of it and the timer running out. We also suggest you pick gems any time they are offered as a reward for completing tasks, but never buy them otherwise. Don’t spend your gems on frivolous things like attire, either; it’s just not worth it in our opinion.
You will also naturally regain one point of energy every four minutes, which means that you’ll be totally replenished in a little over an hour. For scripted events that do not involve a timer (like the Devil’s Snare), your best bet is just to wait until it comes back, no matter how awkward a position your character is waiting in. If no timer is shown, it means there isn’t one. You’ve got nothing to worry about; your character cannot die in this game.
A beginner guide to Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
Get more tips here ►Tip #1: There are hidden energy points around and outside the castle
The first tip we can give you is that sprinkled around Hogwarts are nine hidden interacts that will reward you energy points. There aren’t too many, but they do return every eight hours or so. These interactions are:
The house elf in the dungeons. He’s leaning on the wall right next to the Potions Classroom.
The stick outside in front of the whomping willow on the castle grounds. Touch it and Fang runs by to pick it up.
Peeves. He’s hovering towards the right end of the East Towers hallway.
The empty portrait in the East Towers. It’s the first portrait you’ll see – close to the Prefects’ Bathroom. A little girl will appear in the portrait and laugh.
The empty portrait in the West Towers. It’s not far from Peeves. Touch it and oranges will appear.
Re-organize the books on the lower floor. This one isn’t available from the start, but once you unlock this area you can touch the books on the bench.
The middle knight to the right of the Great Hall on Lower Floor West. If this statue isn’t holding a shield when you see him, touch him and he’ll exchange his sword for it.
The torch to the right of the Great Hall entrance on Lower Floor West. If it’s extinguished, you can touch it to relight it, granting you energy.
The kid in the Hogsmeade alley. You won’t be able to access this area until year three, however.
We recommend you approach these after your energy is spent, and to get all of them all at once. That way you can significantly speed up the wait period before your energy is back.
Tip #2: Set timers
A little silly to have to do this, but we recommend setting a timer when you run out of energy. Set it for an hour, and when it rings you should have nearly full energy restored. This is especially helpful mid-class when you’re pressed for time. If a lesson ends before you’re able to complete the required actions, you’ll be forced to re-do the class, and that’s pretty irritating.
Tip #3: Manage the length of your lesson
When you begin a lesson at Hogwarts you’ll be able to select how long you’d like it to go for. Shorter classes require fewer stars to complete, but longer classes grant larger rewards and more opportunities to get them. Pick a longer class and we guarantee you won’t be able to finish it with only 25 energy, though.
Our recommendation is to pick the longer classes, but only to begin them when you’re at max energy. Perform the actions quickly so as not to waste class time, then set a timer and rest. When it rings you can resume your work.
Tip #4: Perform lengthy actions first
Every action you perform during a lesson will bring you closer to the next star. Get all the stars and you’ll pass the class. As we said before, different actions will require varying amounts of energy. The key to remember here is that there is no overlap. If you’re a hair’s breadth from unlocking your next star, don’t perform longer actions! The excess points will not push beyond the next star, so you’re wasting energy.
Every time you unlock a star you get one bonus point of energy, too, so start off by picking longer actions, then close the gap with actions that only require one or two touches. That way you’re maximizing your efficiency.
Tip #5: Prioritize flying lessons
Lastly, the reward for completing flying lessons is a +1 to your energy limit. We’d suggest doing as many flying lessons as you can stomach early on in the game, even before completing story chapters. It’ll make things much easier as the game goes on and you’re required to spend more and more energy on tasks.
One final note is that when you level up you will regain all your energy points. If you’re close to hitting the next character level, take a longer class. The exp you earn from progressing through the lesson might be enough to fully replenish your energy supply, which will carry you through the rest of the class.
Best of luck in your first year at Hogwarts, and remember to choose your Bertie Botts’ with extreme caution.
