From soaring on Hippogriffs to charging through battle on Thestrals, mastering every mount in Hogwarts Legacy transforms how you explore the magical world. Here’s how to obtain each one and what makes them unique.
Flying mounts in Hogwarts Legacy
Flying mounts give players the freedom to explore Hogwarts Legacy’s vast open world from above. Once you progress through the main story, you’ll gain access to broom flying and later acquire magical creatures like the hippogriff and thestral. Each mount offers unique animations and speed variations, and they can be summoned almost anywhere outside of combat zones. Mastering flight controls not only helps in travel but also provides a striking view of the castle, the Forbidden Forest, and nearby villages.
Other than brooms, there are three magical beasts that can be used as flying mounts in Hogwarts Legacy. To use the flying animal mounts, you must first complete the main story quest “The High Keep.”
Brooms
There are 13 different brooms in Hogwarts Legacy, but they all have the same speed. Brooms are available for purchase from Spintwitches Sporting Needs after completing the main story quest “Flying Class.” To see what all of the brooms look like, check out the gallery above.
Hippogriff
The Hippogriff is obtained after completing the main story quest “The High Keep.” Hippogriffs move slightly slower than brooms, but they can change their elevation at a faster speed.
Onyx Hippogriff
The Onyx Hippogriff is unlocked after completing the main story quest “The High Keep” – but only if you preordered Hogwarts Legacy. Currently, there is no other way of unlocking the Onyx Hippogriff. Don’t worry if you missed it: The only difference between the two Hippogriffs is the appearance. There is no difference in speed or flight ability.
Thestral
The Thestral is unlocked after completing the main story quest “The High Keep” if you have the Dark Arts Pack, which comes with the Digital Deluxe Edition of Hogwarts Legacy. It’s also available for purchase for $20 USD. The Thestral also has the same flight ability as the Hippogriffs.
Land mounts in Hogwarts Legacy
Land mounts in Hogwarts Legacy provide players with faster travel across the grounds and surrounding regions without relying on broomsticks. These creatures, such as Thestrals and Graphorns, become available after progressing through specific quests and taming sequences. Each mount offers distinct movement styles and combat advantages, making them useful for exploration and battle situations. Players can summon their land companions through the inventory once obtained, allowing seamless transitions between on-foot travel and mounted exploration.
There is only one land mount in Hogwarts Legacy – the Graphorn. You’ll unlock the land mount after completing the main story quest “San Bakar’s Trial.”
Graphorn
The Graphorn is the only land mount in Hogwarts Legacy, and it’s the only mount that can damage enemies. Charge into any enemy to deal a bit of damage to them, and use the charge to break any obstacles in your way.
Now that you’ve collected every rideable mount in Hogwarts Legacy, try out some of the other challenges such as finding all of the Daedalian Keys inside the Hogwarts castle or completing all of the Merlin Trials around the Highlands.
On numerous occasions in recent years, billionaire and Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling has taken public stances against inclusive transgender laws and trans rights, and has written fiction that has been condemned by LGBTQ organizations for its use of harmful anti-trans tropes. Hate crimes, as well as legislation that denies the rights of trans people, have become more prevalent in the U.K. since 2019, and, more recently, in the United States as well.
According to an FAQ from Hogwarts Legacy publisher Warner Bros. Interactive – the parent company of Avalanche Software, the game’s developer – Rowling is “not directly involved” with the creation of Hogwarts Legacy. Regardless, the sales and widespread attention generated by a AAA video game will benefit Rowling, and that has led some fans to decide not to buy the game. For a more in-depth explainer of the yearslong controversy leading up to Hogwarts Legacy‘s release, read AELGAMES’s breakdown.
How to summon mounts in Hogwarts Legacy
You summon mounts using the same radial tool wheel you use for your broom, with slightly different buttons depending on platform.
Prerequisite
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First complete the main quest “The High Keep” to unlock your first beast mount (Highwing) and any bonus mounts tied to your edition.
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Make sure a mount is equipped in your gear/tool wheel slot; this happens automatically for Highwing when you finish the quest.
Summon a beast mount (Hippogriff, Thestral, Graphorn)
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PlayStation: Hold L1 to open the tool wheel, tilt the stick to the mount icon (Highwing/Thestral/Graphorn), then tap triangle to summon it.
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Xbox: Hold LB, select the mount icon, then tap Y to summon.
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PC (keyboard/mouse): Hold Tab to open the wheel, move to the mount slot, then press the corresponding number key (default 3 or your reassigned key).
Once mounted, press X (PS) / A (Xbox) / Space (PC default) to take off on flying beasts, use R2 (PS) / RT (Xbox) / sprint key to boost, and push the camera stick/mouse up or down to change altitude.
Summon your broom
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PlayStation: Hold L1, then tap Circle to instantly mount your broom if it’s assigned to the wheel.
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Xbox: Hold LB, then tap B.
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PC: Hold Tab and press 3 (default broom slot).
You can only summon mounts and brooms outdoors and away from certain restricted areas (like some parts of Hogwarts and quest-specific interiors).
What are the advantages of each mount type like hippogriff vs graphorn
Hippogriffs and Graphorns fill very different roles: Hippogriffs are for flexible travel (especially vertical and long-distance), while Graphorns are for ground power and combat.
Hippogriff (and Thestral) advantages
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Can both walk and fly, letting you clear cliffs, mountains, and tall castles without pathing around terrain.
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Make story and side quests easier by bypassing most ground enemies entirely when you stay in the air.
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Adjust altitude more quickly and smoothly than a broom at very high elevations, which feels good for cinematic exploration.
Graphorn advantages
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Only true land mount: huge, tanky, and grounded, unlocked late via “San Bakar’s Trial.”
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Only mount that can damage enemies; its charge attack can ram through groups and break obstacles while you ride.
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Great for romping through poacher camps or enemy clusters when you want to combine movement and combat instead of avoiding fights.
When to use which
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Choose Hippogriff/Thestral when you want fast map traversal, vertical access, and avoiding most combat (exploring mountains, reaching remote quest markers).
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Choose Graphorn when the route is mostly ground-based and you expect a lot of enemies or fortifications you’d rather smash through than sneak or fly past.
