You're running through the trees, spells flying, and your Revelio is pinging like crazy, but you still can't find that last icon on the map. It's frustrating. Honestly, the Forbidden Forest collection chests in Hogwarts Legacy are some of the sneakiest collectibles in the entire game because the map layout is a vertical nightmare of spiders and shadows. Most people think they can just fly over on a broom and spot everything from the air, but the canopy is too thick. You have to get your boots muddy.
The Forbidden Forest isn't just a spooky backdrop; it’s a dense checklist of six specific collection chests that gatekeep your Room of Requirement decorations and wand handles. If you're stuck at 5/6, you aren't alone. It’s almost always the one tucked inside a specific spider cave that doesn’t show up on the main world map until you’re practically standing on top of it.
Why the Forbidden Forest Collection Chests are Tricky
Mapping this area is a pain. Unlike the open highlands, the Forest is cluttered with ruins and bandit camps that overlap. You might see a chest icon and think it’s in a tent, but it’s actually in a cave ten feet below you.
The game tracks six chests here. That’s the magic number. If your map counter says anything less, you've missed a specific location that the developers tucked away behind cobwebs or level-locked gates. Specifically, you’re looking for two chests in Bandit Camps and four hidden inside "Vivariums" or dungeon-like sub-areas that count toward the region’s total.
The North Ford Bog Entrance Strategy
Start at the very top. Most players miss the chest near the North Ford Bog entrance because they’re too busy dodging the spiders that spawn near the river. There is a Small Bandit Camp nestled right against the cliffside.
📖 Related: Guitar Hero Three Unlock All Songs Cheat: What Most People Get Wrong
It's a quick fight. Dispatch the scouts, and look for the chest inside the main tent. It’s a standard collection chest, but it’s often overlooked because players fast-travel right past this node to get to the more "exciting" parts of the forest. If you’re a completionist, this is your first stop. Don't overthink it. Just clear the camp and loot the yellow chest.
The Horklump Hollow Mystery
This is the big one. If you are missing one chest, it’s probably in Horklump Hollow. This isn't just a spot to farm juice for your Wiggenweld potions; it’s a full-fledged dungeon crawl that counts toward the Forbidden Forest total.
Deep inside, after you drop down the main shaft and fight through the initial wave of vermin, there’s a back room hidden behind a bunch of breakable wooden planks. You’ve probably walked past it three times. Smash the wood. Behind it lies one of the most commonly missed Forbidden Forest collection chests.
People get confused because Horklump Hollow feels like its own separate entity, but for the sake of your regional completion percentage, it's part of the Forest. You have to go all the way to the end, past the underground stream. It’s damp, it’s dark, and the chest is sitting there waiting to give you a medium-sized rug or a Gothic-themed table.
💡 You might also like: Marvel Rivals Hawkeye Skins: Why Everyone Is Obsessed with Ronin
Dealing with the Jackdaw’s Tomb Perimeter
The area around Jackdaw’s Tomb is a mess of quest markers. During the main story, you're so focused on finding the pages that you likely ignored the side paths.
Go back. There is a collection chest located in a small clearing near the entrance to the tomb area, guarded by a few forest trolls or spiders depending on your level scaling. It's sitting near some dilapidated stone walls. You don't need to go into the tomb for this specific regional chest; it's on the surface, tucked into a corner of the ruins.
The Bandit Camp Problem
Two of the six chests are in bandit camps. One is a Small Bandit Camp, and one is a Medium Bandit Camp. The Medium camp is located toward the southeastern edge of the forest, near the border of the Hogsmeade Valley.
This camp is a bit of a fortress. You’ll have to deal with a few Ashwinder Assassins. Once the dust settles, look for the largest tent. The collection chest is usually tucked right next to a bedroll or a stack of crates.
Why Revelio Fails You
Sometimes your Revelio range just isn't enough. If you haven't invested talent points into the Revelio Mastery perk, you basically have to be touching the tent to see the chest glow. This is why flying on a broom at high altitudes is useless for finding Forbidden Forest collection chests. The spell's vertical detection is much weaker than its horizontal reach.
Get on the ground. Use the "Revelio" spell while walking. You'll hear a distinct "ding" that gets louder as you face the direction of the chest. It's a 3D audio cue that many players ignore, but it's more reliable than the visual glow.
Clearing the Overlooked Spider Lairs
There is a specific spider lair in the western portion of the forest that doesn't look like much. It’s just a hole in the side of a hill covered in webs. Most people clear it for the "Defeat 10 Spiders" challenge and leave.
Bad move. Burn the webs at the back of the cave. There’s a chest hidden there. This is a classic "invisible" collectible because the icon won't appear on your mini-map unless you are inside the cave itself.
The Level Lock Barrier
Some areas of the Forbidden Forest are gated by your progression in the main story. If you're trying to find all six chests in the first five hours of the game, you're going to have a bad time.
👉 See also: Capcom Games by Year: Why the Release Schedule is Changing
You need to reach the point where you have at least Level 1 Alohomora. While most collection chests in the forest aren't behind locked doors, a few of the areas leading to them are significantly easier to navigate once you've unlocked certain flight paths and combat spells like Confringo or Incendio to deal with the heavy foliage and cobwebs.
Finalizing the Hunt
Check your map. Hover over the Forbidden Forest region specifically. If it says 6/6, you're golden. If it says 5/6, go back to Horklump Hollow first. That is statistically the most likely culprit.
If it’s not Horklump, check the Medium Bandit Camp on the southern border. Many players mistake that camp for being part of the North Hogwarts region, but it actually sits just inside the Forest boundary. It's a sneaky bit of map design that catches people off guard.
Practical Steps to Finish Your Collection
To wrap this up and get that 100% completion for the region, follow this workflow:
- Fast Travel to the Jackdaw’s Tomb Floo Flame and run a perimeter search within 200 yards. Use Revelio constantly.
- Enter Horklump Hollow and follow the path to the very end. Look for the breakable wooden barricade in the lower tunnels.
- Check the Bandit Camps. There are two. Ensure both icons on your map have a checkmark, but remember the checkmark only means you cleared the camp, not necessarily that you looted the collection chest.
- Burn everything. If you see a thick wall of white spider webs, use Incendio. The developers loved hiding yellow chests behind those flammable curtains.
- Use the sound. Listen for the high-pitched bell sound when you cast Revelio. If you hear it but don't see a glow, the chest is either above you on a ridge or below you in a cave.
Once you have all six, you’ll have unlocked a significant chunk of the Room of Requirement's potential. These chests are the only way to get those specific decorative items, so they're worth the trek through the spiders. Get it done so you can move on to the easier regions.