Other than offering players the opportunity to explore the stunning castle of Hogwarts and the surrounding Highlands while fighting off hordes of Dark witches and wizards, Hogwarts Legacy also features a cozy building mode. At first, players can only build in the iconic and lovable Room of Requirement, but after completing The Elf, the Nab-sack, and the Loom quest, they will gain access to outdoor vivariums, which are perfect for their magical beasts.
Four different vivarium biomes can be unlocked by progressing through the story, and all of them make perfect homes for hippogriffs, mooncalves, and more. To make these habitats even more beautiful, players can unleash their creative side and build truly magical menageries. Vivariums can also be designed as scenic retreats for the player to relax in after a day of troll slaying and Potions homework.
6 Find Inspiration
The first thing to do when setting out to build a beautiful vivarium in Hogwarts Legacy is to find inspiration and decide on a theme. There are many ways to do this, from looking at other people's vivariums to searching for concept art. For example, players might look up art from the Wizarding World or search for magical cottages and Victorian countryside scenes.
Thankfully the game itself serves as great inspiration, especially for vivariums built in the forest or mountain biomes, which match the scenery in the area surrounding Hogwarts. Many of the Conjurations available to build with are assets that make up the world, so see how they have been utilized and fitted together.
5 Incorporate The Existing Features Of Each Vivarium
The vivariums that players build in aren't blank canvases but already beautiful environments, each with their own features. Instead of ignoring these, players should try and incorporate them into their overall design. For example, the mountain vivarium has the ruins of a castle on one side.
Try to leave open spaces to allow for a line of sight onto these features. Similarly, if they are practical features like the entrance to a cave, for example, leave these open so that the cutest beasts in Hogwarts Legacy have somewhere to relax out of sight.
4 Unlock More Conjurations
Conjurations are the building pieces that are used in the Room of Requirement and vivariums, and only having a few will stop players from creating true masterpieces. There are 140 Conjurations in Hogwarts Legacy, and these can be unlocked in four different ways. Firstly, practical conjurations such as the Breeding Pen will need to be bought at Tomes and Scrolls in Hogsmeade, while a select few, such as the Billywig Hive, can be unlocked via challenges.
Some Conjurations are also rewards for completing quests, but the majority of Conjurations are found in the hexagonal Collection Chests scattered around the map. As a tip, following butterflies will lead to more of these. Importantly some of the key architectural pieces for building outside can be found in each of the vivariums themselves, so make sure to explore every inch.
3 Use Walls And Paths To Lay Out A Structure
Instead of placing objects randomly, one of the best ways to get started is to build some walls and paths to lay out a structure for the vivarium. Using the clipping, too, it is then easy to create linear and mirrored designs. From there, players can then build around these walls and paths, adding to them as they go.
In the end, they may opt to get rid of the original barriers with the Vanishing Spell, Evanesco, but their purpose will have been served in the building process. Trees can also line paths or sections in a more natural and open way.
2 Put Beasts Away While Building
There are many magical creatures in Hogwarts Legacy, some of which were never seen in the Harry Potter movies. Vivariums are a refuge for these magical creatures to keep them out of the hands of poachers.
However, as lovable as these pets are, it is a good idea to put them back into the nab-sack or in another vivarium while building. If not, they will consistently get in the way, and objects will be unable to be placed, causing much frustration.
1 Use Foliage To Coverup Faults
As with building in any game, or even real life for that matter, there are always going to be some corners that don't fit perfectly together or some other small faults that draw the eye. Thankfully, when this happens in Hogwarts Legacy, it is normally possible to cover up such shortcomings with small bits of foliage.
Not only will bushes or small trees cover up faults, but they will also make the vivarium look more natural overall, especially if used well. The only thing to keep in mind with this is that there is a Conjuration limit, which means only a certain amount of decorations can be placed, so don't waste anything when close to the limit.
Hogwarts Legacy is out now for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, with PS4 and Xbox One versions coming May 5 and a Switch release dropping July 25.