There are a lot of new mechanics in Harry Potter: Wizards Unite that make it far more detailed and complex than Niantic's other big hit, Pokémon Go. One of the more interesting additions is Professions, which allow you to choose a job in the game. Each job does something a little different and helps you in different ways. All the Professions have different spells, both Passive and Active, that can be used to defeat enemies.
So far, since the release of the game, we have only seen three Professions, though Niantic and Portkey Games may bring in more at a later date. The App Teardown we saw does suggest that three is all we will get, though we can't be sure.
What kind of spells are there?
Source: iMore
Each Profession has two types of spells; Passive spells and Active spells. Passive spells are your classic buffs. Each time you unlock one in your skill tree you get a boost to one of your skills — things like 5% proficiency bonus against Dark Magic or plus 2 to your overall Power. This means you never have to cast these spells; they make you better all the time. Their power is cumulative, so the more times you level it up!
Active spells, on the other hand, can be cast. When you are in a Fortress with a team but not actively in a battle, you will see up to four spells at the bottom of your screen. These are your active skills, and they can be used to help you and your teammates in combat. Some of them, like the small healing spell, have cooldown timers — a cooldown timer lets you cast the spell again after a few seconds — and cost no focus to use, other, more powerful spells require focus to use.
In each Fortress, you only have a certain amount of focus, though you can use potions to boost the amount of focus you have, so you need to think about what spells you are using and when to use them.
What are the Professions?
There are currently three Professions in Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. The Auror, the Magizoologist, and the Professor. Each is themed to help you defeat specific types of enemies out in the Wizarding world, while also being weak against one of the other types. The three types of enemies are Dark Forces, Beasts, and Curiosities. You can tap on the titles of each Profession to get a really detailed look at its skill tree.
Auror
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite is set roughly in the current time, so Harry Potter himself is the head of the Aurors. This is awesome — they have the real Daniel Radcliffe voicing Harry in the game! — as it adds a level of immersion for those of us who love the movies and books.
The Auror profession is all about the Dark Arts. If you choose the Auror path, you will receive bonus damage for fighting Death Eaters, and if you decide to put your skill points into it, the damage bonus you get — especially the critical hit damage — can achieve a huge spec bump. You can also get bonus damage to other enemies in the form of critical first strikes and the like, but most of your power is reserved for the Dark Forces.
To offset your abilities against Death Eaters, you are vulnerable to attack by all the magical Beasts of the world. Again, by using your skill tree, you can offset this issue by increasing your magical defenses, but it is essential to know that, when you go into a Fortress, you will need a bit of help with Beasts from your friend the Magizoologist.
Who should play an Auror?
Aurors are the heavy hitters in the game and will always be at the forefront of the battle. If you are one of those people who like to charge in headfirst and go full-on assault, then Auror is for you.
You should easily be able to survive the lower levels of the fortresses on your own, but as you get higher, you'll need some help. Get yourself a friendly Magizoologist, and you should be able to get a long way through the floors of any Fortress.
Magizoologist
Good old Hagrid got a promotion! He is now in charge of the Magizoologists around the world, and if you choose this profession, you'll get to hear him chat with you all the time.
As you can probably guess from the name, the Magizoologists are very strong against Magical Beasts, but they are also the healing class. While they get a damage stat bump similar to the Auror — though not as powerful — they have an extra set of spells that make them perfect as the party tank. For those unfamiliar with the term: a Tank is a player that can heal and take a lot of damage — Clerics are often the tank class in other games.
Being a healer has a lot of advantages, especially when you are working as a group in Fortresses. Potions require a lot of different ingredients and potion-making skills to get right. Spells, on the other hand, only require magic stamina and focus.
Because all things must have a positive and a negative, Magizoologists are weak against Curiosities, which kind of makes sense — Curiosities are non-living magical things after all — but the use of healing spells helps mitigate the decrease in defense. Of course, if you are lucky enough to be playing with a team, then you will likely have a Professor with you, and you can guess what they are strong against, right?
Who should play a Magizoologist?
Caring and sharing is the name of the Magizoologist game. If you are one of those people who like to support your teammates and enjoy their successes as much as your own, then join Hagrid's band of merry healers. A Magizoologist is great for teams, but if you are thinking of riding solo, it may be a little more challenging.
You can heal yourself, of course, which is hugely helpful, but your spell power may not be enough to see you through some of the harder challenges. I would only choose Magizoologist if I knew I was working with a team more often than not.
Professor
Of course, Professor McGonagall is your contact for the Professors. I would have been mad if she wasn't. She is one of the very best characters in all the books and movies. Dame Maggie Smith is a treasure, too.
Professors are your all-rounders, your jack-of-all-trades. Not only are they fairly good against most things, but they also have a lot of buff spells. Buffs boost you and your party members' stats. They will typically make you able to attack or defend a little better for a short period. This is especially useful when you are in Fortresses with teams but can help you survive when you are trying to solo them too.
Your attacks are strong against Curiosities but weak against the Dark Forces, so teamwork is the best route for you when fighting high-level enemies, especially Death Eaters. You do have one particularly awesome attack as well called Deterioration. When cast, Deterioration damages your enemy every time they attack or defend, so you can whittle their health away, even on their turn. This is extremely helpful when you are on a solo mission.
Who should play a Professor?
The Professor is the profession to choose if you are a lone wolf like me, ready to take on the Wizarding World, Mano e Mano. Professors have good survivability across the whole game, but especially in Fortresses. There they can use the deterioration spell on enemies to cause damage to them over time, making the battle easier to deal with.
They also have high defense and stamina, giving them a chance to last a little longer than Aurors. Lastly, they have a small healing spell — The Mending Charm from Madame Pomfrey — that can help in times of crisis.
With a fistful of potions, a healing charm, and the ability to damage over time, the Professor is your best bet for solo play.
So, which do you choose?
Your playstyle is going to be hugely important in your decision making here, and you should really think about how you like to play. Do you rush in? Do you like to buff your party? These kinds of questions will help you determine who you want to be.
If you are working together in a team, then look to fill in the blank spaces. Decide as a group what Profession is needed and work together to fulfill that need. If you already have a Professor and an Auror, then maybe a healer is what you need to be, so go for the Magizoologist. Ultimately though, you can enjoy this game in any profession, so pick the one that you like best.
Nothing is set in stone.
Remember, you don't have to be the same thing all the time. Each Profession has a skill tree, and you will need to spend spellbooks and scrolls on advancing that tree. Happily, if you decide to change your Profession, you don't lose your advancements, though you can't advance any further until you change back.
If you play the game enough, you can maximize all three Professions and then choose whichever one you need based on circumstance. By maxing your stats, you can play with players you have only just met by changing your Profession to match the needs of the group. This opens up a lot of opportunities for you to have fun. Strive to max all three Professions and become a magical destruction machine!
Questions about professions in Harry Potter Wizards Unite?
Do you have any questions about the professions in Harry Potter Wizards Unite? Any tips for fellow Witches and Wizards? Drop us a comment below, and be sure to check out our other Harry Potter Wizards Unite guides!
