Hogwarts Legacy - beginning tips

Here are some starting tips for Hogwarts Legacy (as of build 1121649). We won't do a hand-holding walkthrough here, but instead consider approaches that might be unusual or overlooked.

• Don't Explore... Yet
• Gear drops aren't about Gearing
• Revelio and turning on the Audio Visualizer
• Where to find a Training Dummy, and Lucan's Spell Combinations
• Early Game Assignments - Finding Ingredients. Potions, and Plants when you are low on coin
• Floo Flames Potion Exchange
• Disillusionment observations and tricks
• Petrificus Totalus observations and tricks
• Gear Upgrade / Magical Loom chart
• Magical Beast / Vivarium management tips

Miscellaneous Tips:

• Dodging is taught to you during your trip to Hogsmeade but it is actually enabled at the very start of the game.
• Because of Accio's long range, you can accio something up a long distance.
• For example, up to your location on a clifftop or high wall. This generally results in instant death when they hit the ground and is a great way to take out enemies when there is a very large level discrepency.
• Some enemies that can apparate will do so immediately if they are pulled like this. If you have them Locked On, follow up your Accio immediately with Depulso and you might still smash them into the ground for an instant kill.
• Merlin Trials
• The ones involving Depulso on a big stone ball can also be completed (more conveniently) with Wingardium Leviosa.
• The ones involving jumping onto platforms without falling off and touching the ground can be completed by flying with your broom.
• Let your Beasts come to you for Nurturing
• An animal feeder is a good way to shortcut your Nurturing chores but the area can be busy with Beasts going to feed.
• If it's too chaotic and hard to target them, stand off to one side. Beasts often come to you if they are still missing one of the Nurturing tasks, and then they tend to sit still for their materials to be harvested.
• The Unforgivable Curses break all shields
• Yellow, purple, or red -- it doesn't matter.
• The first one you learn is Crucio, and although it has a long cooldown, if you have trouble quickly targeting the correct enemy with the correct coloured shield with the correct spell, then you can try this for convenience.
• Strangely, you can also gather Moonstone with Depulso and Descendo.