The Best Vivarium Biomes In Hogwarts Legacy

Highlights

Players can capture magical creatures in Hogwarts Legacy and keep them in vivariums, which are safe havens where players can interact, feed, and breed their pets.
There are four vivariums available in the game, each with its own distinct biome and aesthetic. Players can unlock more vivariums as they progress in the game.
Each vivarium can hold up to twelve different beasts, with four unique species allowed per vivarium. Players can also find hidden collectibles and build in these vivariums to create beautiful retreats.

As an open-world game, there are naturally many things that players can do in Hogwarts Legacy and one of the most rewarding pastimes is capturing magical creatures to keep them out of the hands of poachers. While in a perfect world, this wouldn't be necessary and the beasts could thrive in their natural habitats, the poaching problem surrounding the late 19th-century area of Hogwarts calls for drastic measures.

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After gaining access to the iconic Room of Requirement, players will then be able to talk to Deek and engage in The Elf, the Nab-Sack, and the Loom quest, at the end of which they will gain access to the first vivarium. Vivariums are safe havens for beasts, where Hogwarts Legacy players can feed and brush their pets, play ball games, and even breed them. Throughout the game, players will unlock more vivariums each with its own distinct biome, aesthetic, and background music. Players can also build in these vivariums and create truly beautiful retreats.

Updated November 3, 2023 by Joe Grantham: With Hogwarts Legacy soon to be released on the Nintendo Switch, a new wave of Hogwarts students and budding Magizoologists are about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime. Among other things, new players will be eager to find out how to unlock more vivariums in Hogwarts Legacy, how they work, and which vivariums are the best.

There are four vivariums available throughout the game and each can hold up to twelve different beasts, with four unique species allowed per vivarium. This means that eventually, players will have to allocate different species to vivariums that are best suited to them. Each vivarium also has three hidden Collection Chests, with building props inside.

4 Swamp Vivarium

Perfect For Dark And Mysterious Creatures

Quest To Unlock	The Foal of the Dead
Ideal For	Thestrals, Unicorns, and Giant Purple Toads
Collectibles	Low Wall, Low Raised Floor, and Medium Raised Floor Corner

While the Swamp Vivarium might not be the best in Hogwarts Legacy, especially for building, it is easily the most unique. After completing both the Charles Rookwood Trial and the Plight of the House Elf side quest, players will be able to start the Foal of the Dead side quest, which involves capturing and subsequently breeding Thestrals. The dark ambiance of the Swamp Vivarium which is unlocked after completing this mission then serves as the perfect habitat for Thestrals, particularly Sepulchria, who happens to be one of the best mounts in Hogwarts Legacy.

Unicorns also look great in the eerie beauty of the Swamp Vivarium, and the water naturally makes it a great habitat for any Giant Purple Toads that players may have picked up. Despite also featuring beautiful piano music which matches the ambiance perfectly, the darkness of the Swamp Vivarium can also be its downfall as any building done here can be hard to see.

3 Coastal Vivarium

A Sunny Seaside Retreat

Quest To Unlock	The Plight of the House Elf
Ideal For	Graphorns, Hippogriffs, and Jobberknolls
Collectibles	Low Arch, Tall Pillar, and Archway

For seaside lovers, the Coastal Vivarium is the best place to catch some sun. Before they can watch the tide go in and out though, players will need to have collected 10 beasts and started the Plight of the House Elf side quest and then wait for Autumn. By exploring this vivarium, players will also be able to find a cave that will naturally remind them of the hiding place of Voldemort's Locket Horcrux.

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While many magical creatures look great in the Coastal Vivarium, the strongest beasts in Hogwarts Legacy, Graphorns, are easily one of the best inhabitants of this biome. After all, the mountable Graphorn is known as The Lord of the Shore. The open air of the beach is also great for Hippogriffs who can spread their wings while soaking in the sun. As buildings are rarely made on sand, expansive designs can look slightly out of place in the Coastal Vivarium, but the odd tower or statue can still look great.

2 Forest Vivarium

Ideal For Cute Beasts

Quest To Unlock	The Elf, the Nab-Sack, and the Loom
Ideal For	Kneazles, Puffskeins, and Nifflers
Collectibles	Floor, Lower Wall, and Low Stone Stairs

The Forest Vivarium is the first to be unlocked but remains one of the most beautiful throughout the entire game. To gain access to the Forest Vivarium and vivariums in general, players will need to complete The Elf, the Nab-Sack, and the Loom quest. As it is the first to be unlocked, the Forest Vivarium can be considered one of the best to build in, as players have more time to add to their designs.

The cozy nature of the Forest Vivarium makes it the perfect retreat for the cutest beasts in Hogwarts Legacy, from adorable Kneazles and Puffskeins to mischievous Nifflers. The most magical music can also be found in this vivarium, making every second spent here feel special. For the best view of their magical creatures, players can head up to the ridge on the left side of the vivarium, which also happens to feature a small waterfall.

1 Grassland Vivarium

Rugged Scottish Highlands For Beasts To Roam

Hogwarts Legacy Grasslands Vivarium Biome

Quest To Unlock	Phoenix Rising
Ideal For	Phoenixes, Mooncalves, and Hippogriffs
Collectibles	Wall, Medium Raised Floor, and Short Pillar

The Grassland Vivarium is the last to be unlocked in Hogwarts Legacy, but it is more than worth the wait. To get their hands on the Grassland Vivarium, players will have to complete the Phoenix Rising quest which is initiated by talking to Deek after finishing Niamh Fitzgerald's Trial. Fittingly, the Phoenix that players rescue on this quest is best at home in this biome.

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The first thing players will notice as they step out into their new vivarium for the first time is the beauty of the mountainous valley they find themselves in. On the right, the ruins of an ancient castle loom over the entire vivarium and can even be explored by players. One of the best things about the Grassland Vivarium is the Scottish Highlands soundtrack that plays while players tend to their magical creatures, many of which were never seen in the Harry Potter movies.