The player handbook

Defenders of Hogwarts Guides

Find the answer you need for your next turn. Learn the foundations, explore the two sides, and keep cards, locations, and winning conditions within reach.

Start in orderLearn setup and your first turn.

Know your objectiveDifferent sides have different ways to win.

Keep a reference nearbyArticles link back to publisher rules.

Locations & board reference →Same-name card variants →

Guide library

Browse by your next question

9 guides · Search entries and examples too →

Rules & objectives

Compare Your Next Action

Eight hypothetical situations compare House and Dark Arts choices, with card-flow diagrams and exact end-of-turn states. Check every condition before borrowing an example.

12 min read

Getting started

Beginner Guide: Your First Game

Check the components, set up for your player count, and follow a complete first-round teaching example.

12 min read

Factions

House Players & the Four Houses

Understand house-player objectives, movement, and the race to complete two Defence Shields.

4 min read

Factions

The Dark Arts Player

Learn how the opposing player advances along the Dark Arts Path and challenges the houses.

4 min read

Cards & tokens

Cards, Spells & Tokens

Understand Draw, Discard, Acquire and Location Decks, card types and the game’s key tokens.

5 min read

Hogwarts map

Hogwarts Map & Movement

Read the board, learn the movement restrictions, and plan a route through the castle.

4 min read

Rules & objectives

How to Collect Defence Shields

Check each shield’s required Book, Scroll and third item, then exchange them at its space to work toward the House victory goal.

4 min read

Release & editions

Release, Kickstarter & Editions

Separate the announced game and campaign material from availability and shipping estimates.

3 min read

Rules & objectives

Frequently Asked Questions

Understand the game format, RPG search terminology, official product links and where to find the published rules.

4 min read

Go deeper

Related reference entries

Library Book Card →Parchment Scroll →Dark Detector →Dumbledore’s Army Coin →Defence Shield →Hogwarts Token →Magical Creatures & Beings Token →Transfiguration & Spell Casting Token →Hogwarts Items & Artefacts Token →Defence Against the Dark Arts Token →Charms Token →Potions Token →Herbology Token →Library →Room of Requirement →Great Hall →Protected Area →Fly Off Point →Secret Passageway →Defence Shield Space →Dark Arts Deployment Space →Explore Action →Learn Action →Replenish Action →Use a Hogwarts Token →Draw a Card →Hogwarts Loyalty Track →Dark Arts Path →Dark Arts Progress Tokens →Final Phase at the Last Path Space →Obstacles and Castle Walls →Stun / Stunned →Bump / Bumped →Reactive Effect →Multi-Move →House Marker →Bonus Space →Alohomora →House Player Location Card →Dark Arts Player Location Card →Filch’s Keys →Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder →Trevor →Explore — card →Conspire — four-move variant →Conspire — three-move variant →Nimbus 2001 →Gathering Dark Forces — 2 + 2 variant →Gathering Dark Forces — 3 + 3 variant →Legilimency — four-move variant →Legilimency — five-move variant →Gillyweed →Strengthening Solution →Partis Temporus →School Broomstick →

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Worked rule examples

Dark Arts ends on a House pawn: resolve a bump →House ends on Dark Arts: both stun, then recover in order →Loyalty opens the Room; a later drop can trap a pawn →Exchange a Shield: match the icon and spend the items →A Hogwarts Token gives a later, matching Explore action →Three Progress Tokens are only part of a Dark Arts win →The last Dark Arts space starts the final phase →A Secret Passage needs permission and costs one movement point →Draw before moving: the played card is not in Discard yet →End outside first, then resolve conditional extra movement →React from hand: effect now, no movement, then discard →Resolve the House Event before choosing a Progress Token →

New to the game? Start here.

Read setup and the turn sequence before branching into card and movement details.

Open the beginner guide →