Harry Potter: Wizards Unite is out now on iOS and Android in both the US and UK, joining Australia and New Zealand. If you're playing, you're likely to quickly find yourself in need of Spell Energy, but the game doesn't do a great job of telling you exactly what Spell Energy is, or more importantly, how you can get more. So how do you get more energy once you run out?
Wizards Unite operates a lot like Pokemon Go, developer Niantic's preceding augmented reality game. The two have similar underlying premises of "go out in the real world, catch virtual things," and use a lot of the same mechanics--we even created a guide for Pokemon Go players to understand Wizards Unite (along with other Wizards Unite coverage). Where Pokemon Go has Poke Balls that you need to gather in order to use them to try to catch Pokemon, Wizards Unite finds players relying on the aforementioned Spell Energy. Running out of Spell Energy will quickly put a damper on your dreams of Wizarding World glory.
Of course, you can always get more Spell Energy. But the term itself is a bit misleading. In most mobile games, "energy" is a resource expended whenever you play the game, putting a limitation on how much you can play until you wait for a set amount of time to pass and your energy to "recharge." It's a tactic to try to get you to spend money in the game to speed up the wait time so you can play more right away. But in Wizards Unite, Spell Energy isn't something you get over time--it's something you have to go out and find, again just like Poke Balls in Pokemon Go.
Niantic, perhaps recognizing that the system was a bit oppressive, has already made some changes. As detailed in a post on Reddit, the developer explained that it's both increased the amount of energy you first start the game with and boosted how much energy you can earn. Here's what's different, following the game's launch:
- The amount of Spell Energy given to players who first enter the game has been increased from 25 to 50
- Increased the amount of Spell Energy you get from Inns and Greenhouses
- Increased the amount of Spell Energy you get from Daily Assignments
- From "To Collect an Ingredient or Portmanteau" from 5 to 10
The process of how to obtain more energy remains the same after these changes. Here's what you need to know.
How To Get More Spell Energy
Just like in Pokemon Go, to get more Spell Energy (and in that game, Poke Balls), you have to visit physical locations in the real world. Wizards Unite is a game that encourages you to walk around in the world in order to play it, and physically going to certain places is part of the game. To get more Spell Energy, you can visit two kinds of locations: Inns and Greenhouses. Of the two, the most reliable place to recharge your Spell Energy is at an Inn.
Wizards Unite uses real-life location data to create its map, so Inns, Greenhouses, and other locations called Fortresses are usually placed on real landmarks in your area. A post office or a school might double as an Inn, for instance, as might anything else that grabs attention, like a piece of outdoor art or well-known graffiti. To interact with an Inn, you need to be relatively close to it; when you're within range, it'll become larger on your map screen in Wizards Unite. Tap the Inn to enter it.
Inside, trace the arcing line at the bottom of the screen (just like spinning a Poke Stop) in order to "dine" at the Inn. You'll randomly receive one of the five meals appearing on the screen. Depending on which meal you get, you'll also receive Spell Energy--sometimes just one or two points, sometimes a whole lot more. The best way to refill your stores of Spell Energy is to go for a walk and hit multiple Inns as you go. You can also revisit to the same Inn over and over again, but you'll need to wait five minutes between Inn meals.
Greenhouses Help, Too
Greenhouses are similar to Inns and also sometimes provide Spell Energy, but in smaller amounts. The rewards you get for interacting with these locations is primarily potion-brewing materials. When you enter a Greenhouse, Wizards Unite will present you with three potted plants, and you get to pick one to see what kind of Herbology rewards await inside. Most of what you'll receive are ingredients, but you might also sometimes get a few points of Spell Energy too. It's not as good as visiting an Inn, but Greenhouses are worth a stop if they're on your way.
Keeping up your Spell Energy means visiting Inns often, so make sure you note where they are in your area. It's best if you can find a walking route that'll take you past several Inns, so you can continually stock up on your Spell Energy, search for new Traces, and log kilometers to unlock Portkey Portmanteaus, too.
