If you live life on the Slytherin side and want to use all the powerful spells available to you in Hogwarts Legacy, you’re likely wondering how and if you can unlock the unforgivable curses, such as the Cruciatus Curse. Good news if you’re bad: you can.
Yes, witches and wizards in Hogwarts Legacy can gain the ability to cast Crucio on their foes, inflicting terrible pain upon their victims. As a tender-hearted Hufflepuff I can hardly believe I’m letting you in on how to unlock the Cruciatus Curse in Hogwarts Legacy, but I’m nothing if not helpful. Here’s what you’ll need to do before you can learn Crucio.
Related: Hogwarts Legacy Complete Walkthrough Guide: Beginner Tips, Quests, Spells & Collectibles
How to Unlock the Cruciatus Curse in Hogwarts Legacy
If you want to learn to do the unforgivable and cast the Cruciatus Curse, you’ll need to make nice with a certain Slytherin. Hogwarts Legacy fans can unlock the Cruciatus Curse by befriending Sebastian Sallow, a Slytherin you meet early on when pitted against him in a duel during Defense Against the Dark Arts.
Learning the Cruciatus Curse is part of one of Sebastian Sallow’s later quests, called “In The Shadow of the Study.” So, you’ll need to complete his missions until you unlock the Shadow of the Study quest. This is the ninth and final quest in his line, so you’ll have to put in some time with Sebastian before you get to this point in the game.
As part of this quest, you’ll fall deep into Slytherin history and ultimately come to a point where either you or Sebastian must cast Crucio to progress. Whether you choose to cast the spell yourself or let Sebastian cast it on you, completing this part of the quest will teach you the Cruciatus Curse.
Benefits of Using the Cruciatus Curse in Hogwarts Legacy
While I’m not saying you should definitely go out and learn the three unforgivable curses, the Cruciatus Curse is one of the most powerful offensive spells in Hogwarts Legacy.
The Cruciatus Curse damages your opponent over time as the pain lingers, and it even stuns them temporarily. This makes it a powerful tool to have in your arsenal, if you can get around the moral quandry. If you use the spell frequently, you’ll be able to upgrade it, making it even more effective against your enemies.
Are There Penalties for Using the Cruciatus Curse in Hogwarts Legacy?
In the Harry Potter universe, casting a spell like the Cruciatus Curse will land you straight in Azkaban, aka wizard prison. This may leave players nervous about what might happen if you use Crucio to best your foes, but oddly enough, there don’t seem to be any drawbacks to using the unforgivable curse in the game.
Hogwarts Legacy doesn’t use an alignment or morality system, so your character doesn’t become more evil-aligned or otherwise receive negative effects from using the spell. Aurors will not show up and drag you straight to Azkaban, though you may feel a bit guilty if you’re used to a Lawful Good style playthrough.
Can You Unlock Other Unforgivable Curses in Hogwarts Legacy?
Who can forget the Avada Kedavra memes that proliferated on social media ahead of the release of Hogwarts Legacy? If you want to make running around casting Avada Kedavra a reality, you’re in luck, because you can in fact learn all three unforgivable curses in Hogwarts Legacy.
Like the Cruciatus Curse, both Avada Kedavra and Imperio are linked to quests with Sebastian Sallow. I knew there was a reason I didn’t trust that guy when I first encountered him in the game. As you follow his missions, you’ll eventually be able to cast all three unforgivable curses in Hogwarts Legacy.
