The AR game made by Niantic (the same company that brought us Pokémon GO), Harry Potter: Wizards Unite is officially here to play. We know that Niantic wanted Harry Potter: Wizards Unite to have multi-player gameplay aspects, and one of those aspects is Fortresses! Here's a dive into what you can expect from Fortresses in the game.
What are Fortresses
Fortresses are found out in the world and are filled with AI controlled foes that players can either take on alone or team up with other players. These battles in Fortresses are known as Wizarding Challenges Each Fortress has 20 chambers of increasing difficulty and each floor is harder than the last, and some even have a level requirements, meaning you have to have someone in your party at least be the minimum level.
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite - Wizarding Challenge Tips & Tricks
Runestones
Runestones are used to enter Wizarding Challenges at Fortresses you find on the map and they help determine how difficult the Challenge will be as well as the type of rewards you will receive. The higher level Runestone you use, the more difficult the Wizarding Challenge.
You find Runestones in Treasure Trunks which you earn by returning Founadbles. Each time you return a Foundable or add a sticker to your Registry, your rank will increase in that particular area of expertise, which the game refers to as a "Family". When you earn enough rank, your rank will go up and reward you a Runestone in that area of expertise.
What Runestones do in Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
Your profession matters
Any of the three professions (Auror, Magizoologist, and Professors) can be useful against enemies in a Fortress, as they seem to have Dark Forces, Beasts, and Curiosities that you will have to encounter.
- Aurors are strong against Dark Forces, but weak against beasts
- Magizoologists are strong against Beasts, but weak against Curiosities
- Professors are strong against Curiosities, but weak against Dark Forces
Each enemy you battle in a Wizarding Challenge is one of these three types, so depending on which Profession you've selected, you may need to use more resources to defeat them.
Can you team up with other players?
Yes. Up to five players can join together to help battle the enemies in a Fortress, and for the higher level chambers, it will likely be necessary.
Having multiple players and different professions is useful when taking on a Fortress because while only one player can battle a foe at a time, players can help each other out by using skills outside of battle. For example, Magizoologist can heal players who are in a battle, making them a huge asset to have on your team for the tough enemies.
How do you beat a Fortress?
In order to beat chambers in a Fortress, you need to defeat all the enemies on that level before the timer runs out. If you run out of time, or you run out of health (known as stamina) during a battle, you and your team will lose.
How to Defeat Fortresses in Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
Do you get rewards
Yes, Fortresses offer players plenty of rewards for defeating the foes within, including experience points and items. As it stands right now, it appears that whether you team up with people or go solo the rewards do not change!
Any questions about Fortresses?
Do you have any questions about Fortresses? Or, are you playing the game and have any tips or tricks. Let everybody know in the comments down below!
Harry Potter accessories we love
Hogwarts phone case (opens in new tab) ($10 at Amazon)
Show your love of the Potterverse, and protect your phone with this beautiful faux-leather case. The Hogwarts crest burns bright on the front with plenty of room inside for some cash and cards too.
RAVPower Ace (opens in new tab) ($40 at Amazon)
You don't want to run out of juice while battling baddies in Fortresses, now do you? Make sure you've got backup power with this quality but inexpensive
Hogwarts House PopSocket (opens in new tab) ($15 at Amazon)
Represent your house with a secure way to grip your phone while walking on your magical adventure casting spells and securing Foundables.
Harry Potter Over The Ear Headphones (opens in new tab) ($25 at Amazon)
Show your love of Harry Potter to the whole world, while shutting that same world out with these funky headphones from ihome.
Luke Filipowicz has been a writer at iMore, covering Apple for nearly a decade now. He writes a lot about Apple Watch and iPad but covers the iPhone and Mac as well. He often describes himself as an "Apple user on a budget" and firmly believes that great technology can be affordable if you know where to look. Luke also heads up the iMore Show — a weekly podcast focusing on Apple news, rumors, and products but likes to have some fun along the way.
Luke knows he spends more time on Twitter than he probably should, so feel free to follow him or give him a shout on social media @LukeFilipowicz.
