One of the most prominent mechanics of the open world inHogwarts Legacyis the presence of Merlin Trials—small puzzles designed to boost players' Gear inventory so that they don’t have to constantly sell pairs ofQuidditchpants to make room for fun floppy hats. The trials are easy to spot once players know what they’re looking for, and oneLegacyaficionado seems to have discovered one in real life.
Merlin Trials are like a lower-touch version of the shrines inZelda: Breath of the Wild: optional areas where players must use their unique abilities to solve environmental puzzles linked to the game’s mythology. There are 95 Merlin Trials inHogwarts Legacy, which are grouped into nine different puzzle types. Each trial is marked by circular stones in the ground (often placed by developers near a scenic overlook of some sort). The player must sprinkle mallowsweet leaves onto the stones and castRevelioto unveil clues and solve the puzzle. Upon completion, a magical green visage of Merlin himself appears above the stones.
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Reddit user Airget-lamh recently posted a curious image to r/HarryPotterGame of a place that looks exactly like a Merlin Trial in the real world—or at least part of a Merlin Trial. It has the required circle of stones in front of a breathtaking view of someplace that definitely could pass for Scotland, but even more beguiling is that the stones could easily double for a specific type of Merlin Trial where players must pull or push a circular stone along the ground and into a placeholder. The rocks in this image look exactly like those placeholders, though the Reddit user admits they forgot theirmallowsweetleaves and couldn’t check for magical properties.
TheMerlin Trialshave gotten a bad rap as busy work to pad out the game’s runtime, but this shared image proves that at least some players have an affection for them. They’re a gentle reprieve from the often fast and furious magical battles, and in the early goings of the game, the trials are instructive for how certain spells react to the environment. They also encourage exploration and vary in difficulty, providing unexpected challenges in what are often the safest corners of the map.
Treated as an addendum to the gameplay, Merlin Trials are harmless and fun, recalling the gee-whiz vibes of the first fewHarry Potterbooks. Perhaps players venturing into the real world shouldkeep an eye out for Demiguisesas well—but only at night, of course.
Hogwarts Legacyis available now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, with PS4 and Xbox One versions launching May 5 and a Switch port releasing July 25.
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