The letter has arrived. You are a young witch or wizard, accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and your journey is about to begin. Over seven years you will learn to wield magic, compete for your House, face darkness, and grow into the wizard or witch you were always meant to be.
A Hogwarts Journey is a collaborative storytelling game set in the wizarding world. There is a Game Master (GM) who describes the world, the people in it, and the consequences of your choices. You play a student — or in some cases, a member of staff — navigating life at Hogwarts and beyond.
What You Need
- A character — created using the rules in the next chapter. You'll pick a House, set your ability scores, write a background, and choose a name.
- A wand — every spellcaster needs one. It is your conduit to magic. Losing your wand is a serious problem.
- Your imagination — describe what your character does and says. The GM tells you what happens in return.
How the Game Works
The GM describes a scene. You say what your character does. If the outcome is uncertain, you make a skill check: roll a twenty-sided die (d20), add a relevant ability modifier and your proficiency bonus, and compare the total to a difficulty class (DC) set by the GM.
| Roll Total | Result |
|---|
| Meets or beats DC | Success |
| Falls short by 1–4 | Failure, but no harm |
| Falls short by 5–9 | Partial or risky outcome |
| Falls short by 10+ | Something goes wrong |
A natural 20 on the die is an automatic success with extra flourish. A natural 1 is an automatic failure — and usually an interesting one.
The Structure of a Year
Each academic year follows a rhythm: classes, exploration, social life, and whatever trouble finds you. At the end of the year, house points are tallied and a House Cup winner is declared. Your actions throughout the year — in class, in adventures, and in how you treat others — determine which House takes the cup.
When Year 7 ends, you graduate. The story reaches its conclusion with you as the witch or wizard you've become.
The Golden Rule
The most important rule is this: describe what you want to do, and the GM will tell you what happens. The mechanics exist to make outcomes fair and unpredictable, but the story is built together. Be bold. Be creative. This is Hogwarts — anything can happen.