About the game
What is Defenders of Hogwarts?
A Harry Potter board game by Studio MinaLima, the designers of the films' graphic props. One player controls the Dark Forces and the others represent Hogwarts houses. It is an asymmetric deckbuilding game for 2 to 5 players, designed by David Waterman.
Is it a video game or an RPG?
Neither in the usual sense. It is a tabletop board game with cards, pawns and a map of Hogwarts. News sites called it the new Harry Potter RPG because each player takes a role, but there is no game master or campaign. More on the RPG question.
Is Defenders of Hogwarts cooperative?
Only partly. All House Players face the same Dark Arts Player and share the pressure of the Dark Arts Path, but each House Player wins alone by being first to collect two Defence Shields. You can help each other, as long as you remember that only one student wins.
How many players can play?
Two to five. One player is always the Dark Arts Player, so the game supports one to four House Players.
Can you play Defenders of Hogwarts solo?
Not with the rules in the box. The rulebook (June 2026 version) covers 2 to 5 players and always needs a Dark Arts Player. Asked about solo play on YouTube, MinaLima replied that it is something they will look into, but nothing has been announced.
Is there an app that plays the Dark Arts side?
No. One person always has to play the Dark Forces. MinaLima said it would look into an app, without any date or promise.
Is there a hidden traitor?
No. Some articles described it as a "find the imposter" game, but there are no hidden roles. Everyone knows who the Dark Arts Player is from the start.
What is the best player count?
Early players mostly recommend 3 or 4 people in total, so 2 or 3 House Players against the Dark Arts Player. With four students the Path moves quickly because of all the Replenish actions, and with one student the game becomes a direct duel. These are opinions from preview players, not official advice.
How long does a game take?
About 90 minutes according to the publisher. Reviewers who played preview copies reported one to two hours, so plan for the upper end in your first game.
What age is it for?
The box says 13 and up. The rules are a step above family games because of deckbuilding and the timing on the Dark Arts Path.
Who made the game?
Game design by David Waterman. Creative direction by Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima, with graphic design and illustration by Studio MinaLima. It is officially licensed by Warner Bros.
Is it the same as Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle?
No. Hogwarts Battle is an older cooperative deckbuilding game from The Op (USAopoly) where all players win or lose together. Defenders of Hogwarts is a different game by a different publisher: one player leads the Dark Forces and the House Players race each other for the win. Full comparison of the two games.
Rules questions
How do you win as a House Player?
Collect two Defence Shields. Each shield costs a Library Book Card, a Parchment Scroll and either the Dark Detector or a D.A. Coin, depending on the shield, traded in while one of your pawns stands on a Defence Shield Space. See the shield recipe.
How does the Dark Arts Player win?
By collecting the Giant, Acromantula and Dementor Progress Tokens on the Dark Arts Path and then having the required number of Dark Arts Pawns (three, two or one, depending on timing) on the location shown on their Dark Arts Location Card at the same time.
Can you lose a Defence Shield?
No. Once you have collected a shield it stays yours for the rest of the game. The three items you traded in are gone, though.
Can the game end in a draw?
Yes. When the Dark Arts Marker reaches the last space of the Path, everyone draws up to five cards and can no longer Replenish. If all those cards are played and nobody has met their goal, the game is a draw.
Does your Hogwarts house change your abilities?
According to the rulebook, every house starts with the same seven starter cards. Your house is your colour and identity, not a different power set.
What happens when a Dark Arts Pawn lands on a student?
The student is bumped back to the Great Hall, the Dark pawn goes back to the Dark Arts Player's pool, the Dark Arts Player takes that house's marker and gets a card reward (once per turn).
What happens when a student lands on a Dark Arts Pawn?
Both pawns are stunned. The House Player then moves the Dark pawn to a neighbouring space. Stunned pawns cannot move until their owner Replenishes.
Does the Dark Arts Player's Replenish move the Dark Arts Marker?
No. Only a House Player's Replenish moves the marker. The Dark Arts Player's own Replenish just stands up their pawns and refills their hand to five, without discarding.
Can I hold two Library Book Cards?
No. A House Player can hold one Library Book Card, one Hogwarts Token and one D.A. Coin at a time.
When does the Room of Requirement appear?
The first time any House Player's Loyalty pawn reaches space 5 of the Hogwarts Loyalty Track. It disappears again when every Loyalty pawn is below space 5.
How many Dark Arts Pawns are used?
Four with one House Player, five with two, six with three and seven with four. Four start on the Deployment Spaces; the rest wait in the pool. Details on the setup page.
Can I move fewer spaces than my card shows?
Yes. The movement value is a maximum: you move up to that many spaces and do not have to use them all.
Can Dark Arts Pawns move through walls?
No. They ignore the four obstacle types (Locked Doors, Protective Spells, Physical Objects, Water) but castle walls block them like everyone else, and they can never enter a Protected Area.
Which card row moves me up the Loyalty Track?
The Advanced Acquire Row. Learning from it costs two discarded cards and moves your Loyalty pawn up one space. One glossary entry in the rulebook mentions "the first 2 spaces of the Acquire Row" instead; the main rules on the House Player turn and the Loyalty Track both name the Advanced row, so we follow those.
Do cards drawn from events or Library Books move the Dark Arts Marker?
No. Only the Replenish action moves the marker. Cards drawn through events, Library Book effects or Card Draw spaces do not.
Can I Learn on my first turn?
No. Learn needs at least one of your pawns outside the Protected Areas, and the Great Hall, where all your pawns start, is one of them. Move a pawn out first.
Is the Dark Arts target location secret?
The rulebook does not say. It only tells the Dark Arts Player to draw a Dark Arts Location Card when taking the Dementor token or reaching the last space. Agree on it before you start. Preview players who wrote about it treated the location as known to everyone.
Where does a newly learned card go?
On top of your draw deck, face down. You will draw it the next time you draw a card.
Buying and shipping
When does Defenders of Hogwarts ship?
MinaLima estimated October 2026 for the first wave to Kickstarter backers and closed its surveys around 9 October 2026 to start fulfilment. Collector's Box extras follow in a second shipment, estimated March 2027.
Can I still order it?
The Kickstarter campaign has ended. Late pledges ran through the Hive pledge manager; see where to buy for what is open today and for the planned retail release.
How much does it cost?
On Kickstarter the base game tier (The Defender) was £58, The Guardian with upgrades £115 and The Collector £280, plus shipping and taxes charged in the pledge manager. ScreenRant reported a UK retail price of £75 for the shop release; MinaLima has not published a retail price on its own pages.
Is Defenders of Hogwarts on Amazon?
Not officially. We found no listing on 10 October 2026. The game reaches shops through wholesale in 2027, so treat earlier marketplace listings with care.
Is there a German, French or Spanish edition?
Not yet. MinaLima says the game launches in English only and translated editions will follow at a later date. No language or date has been announced.