So you want to blast enemies with fireballs and freeze them solid with ice magic? I don’t blame you—magic in Hytale looks absolutely incredible. But here’s the thing: unlike grabbing a sword and swinging away, unlocking magic is a whole journey. You’ll need to explore dangerous locations, gather rare materials, and craft specialized workbenches before you can even think about hurling your first spell.
Don’t worry though—this guide breaks down everything you need to know about unlocking spells, crafting magic weapons, getting mana, and becoming a full-fledged mage in Hytale.
Step 1: Unlock Spells at the Forgotten Temple
Before you can craft any magic items, you need to unlock the magic system itself. That starts with finding the Forgotten Temple and collecting Memories.
What Are Memories?
Memories are special collectibles scattered throughout Hytale that unlock new crafting recipes and abilities. Think of them as the game’s progression keys. When you visit the Forgotten Temple and record memories there, you’ll unlock crucial magic-related recipes—including Portals and various spell items.
The Forgotten Temple isn’t too hard to find if you explore Zone 1 thoroughly, but it does require some adventuring. Once you’re there, interact with the memory points to record them. This is a one-time “quest” that opens up the entire magic system, so don’t skip it.
Step 2: Craft the Arcanist’s Workbench
With your memories recorded, it’s time to build the Arcanist’s Workbench—your magical crafting station. This is where all the cool stuff happens, but it requires some serious materials.
Materials Needed
- 30 Linen Cloth – Farm humanoid enemies like skeletons for Linen Scraps, then craft them into cloth
- 30 Thorium Ingots – Mine Thorium Ore and smelt it
- 20 Essence of the Void – Kill void enemies that spawn at night
Finding Thorium Ore
Here’s where things get a bit dangerous. Thorium is a green-looking ore found in two main locations:
- Desert Biome – Underground in desert areas
- Underground Lava Caves – Deep down near lava pools
Both locations are risky, so make sure you’ve got at least a full Iron armor set before venturing out. You don’t want to get ambushed by hostile mobs while you’re mining. For more tips on gathering iron and upgrading your gear, check our crafting guides.
Once you’ve gathered everything, head to your Tier 2 Workbench and craft the Arcanist’s Workbench. Congrats—you’re officially a magic crafter now!
Step 3: Craft Magic Weapons (Staffs & Totems)
Now comes the really fun part: crafting your actual magic weapons. The Arcanist’s Workbench lets you create Staffs (for offensive spells) and Totems (for support abilities). Here’s the full breakdown:
Flame Crystal Staff
What it does: Launches fireballs that burn enemies—perfect for dealing sustained damage over time.
Materials Required:
- 1 Ruby
- 8 Silver Ingots
- 8 Gold Ingots
- 20 Essence of Fire
This staff is your go-to for aggressive DPS (damage per second). The burning effect stacks up nicely against tougher enemies and groups.
Ice Crystal Staff
What it does: Casts ice spells that freeze enemies in place—amazing for crowd control.
Materials Required:
- 1 Sapphire
- 8 Silver Ingots
- 10 Azure Logs
- 20 Essence of Ice
The Ice Crystal Staff is clutch when you’re getting swarmed. Freeze a bunch of enemies, then switch to another weapon or let your teammates clean up. It’s a lifesaver in tight spots.
Healing Totem
What it does: Heals you and your allies over time—essential for group play.
Materials Required:
- 50 Essence of Life
- 20 Thorium Ingots
- 10 Greater Health Potions
If you’re playing with friends, having someone spec into healing is huge. Drop this totem during boss fights or dungeon runs and watch everyone’s health bars refill.
Slowing Totem
What it does: Debuffs and slows down enemies in an area—great for controlling the battlefield.
Materials Required:
- 30 Essence of Ice
- 10 Cobalt Ingots
- 40 Ice
This totem pairs beautifully with the Ice Crystal Staff. Slow enemies down, then freeze them completely. They won’t know what hit them.
How to Get Mana in Hytale
Here’s the catch with magic: casting spells drains your Mana, and unlike health, it doesn’t regenerate automatically. You need Mana Potions to refill your mana bar during combat.
Crafting Mana Potions
To craft Mana Potions, you’ll need to unlock and build the Alchemist’s Workbench first. This is another specialized crafting station similar to the Arcanist’s Workbench, and it’s where you’ll brew all your potions—health, mana, buffs, and more.
I won’t lie—both magic weapons and mana potions are expensive to craft. The material requirements are steep, especially the essence drops and rare gems. But the payoff is worth it. Magic damage is powerful, and having healing/support options makes you way more versatile in tough situations.
Pro tip: If you’re adventuring in a group, consider dividing roles—one player focuses on melee damage, another goes ranged, and someone specs into magic for casting and healing. This balanced approach makes dungeons and boss fights way easier.
Finding Magic Items in the World
Don’t want to grind for all those crafting materials? Good news—you can find magic weapons and potions scattered throughout Hytale’s world, especially in dangerous locations.
Lich Lairs (High Risk, High Reward)
Lich Lairs are special dungeon rooms filled with undead mages. These guys are tough—they’ll blast you with spells and defend their treasure aggressively. But if you can clear them out, the loot is fantastic. Expect to find high-tier magic weapons, spell scrolls, and valuable potions.
Bring your best gear and maybe some backup if you’re tackling these early on. The liches don’t mess around.
Lizard Wizard Laboratories (Friendly Loot!)
On the flip side, you might stumble across friendly lizard wizards who’ve set up magical laboratories inside dungeons. Unlike the liches, these little guys are chill and will “share” their potions and spell items with you.
These labs are easy to spot—they’re filled with:
- Chests packed with loot
- Brewing stations and magical equipment
- Secret hidden rooms (check behind bookshelves and suspicious walls!)
Seriously, always search these labs thoroughly. The hidden rooms often contain the best potions and weapons. It’s free loot just sitting there waiting for you.
Skeleton Mages & Magic-Wielding Monsters
Finally, Skeleton Mages and other magical enemies drop decent magic items when defeated. They’re not as generous as dungeon loot, but if you farm them regularly, you’ll slowly build up a collection of spell-casting gear.
Just watch out for their attacks—skeleton mages hit hard with burning, poison, and ice damage. If you’re a rookie explorer without good armor, they can absolutely wreck you. Consider upgrading your gear with better leather or metal sets before farming them seriously.
Magic Combat Tips & Strategy
Now that you’ve got your magic weapons and mana potions sorted, here are some combat tips to help you master spellcasting:
- Keep mana potions hotkeyed: You don’t want to fumble through your inventory mid-fight
- Combo your spells: Use the Slowing Totem, then follow up with Ice Crystal Staff freezes—enemies won’t be able to move
- Save healing totems for emergencies: Don’t waste them on small skirmishes; save them for boss fights and tough dungeon runs
- Kite enemies: Magic users are squishy, so keep your distance and dodge attacks while casting
- Farm essence regularly: You’ll burn through Essence of Fire/Ice/Life quickly, so set up regular farming routes for these materials
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to visit the Forgotten Temple before I can use magic?
Yes! Visiting the Forgotten Temple and recording memories there is essential for unlocking magic recipes. Without this step, you won’t be able to craft the Arcanist’s Workbench or any magic weapons. Make it a priority early in your playthrough.
Can I refill mana without potions?
Not really. Unlike health, which can regenerate slowly or through food, mana in Hytale requires potions to refill during combat. You can wait for it to regenerate slowly outside of combat, but in the middle of a fight, potions are your only option.
What’s the best magic weapon for solo play?
The Flame Crystal Staff is probably your best bet for solo play. The sustained burn damage is great for killing enemies efficiently, and it doesn’t rely on teammates to capitalize on debuffs like the Ice Crystal Staff does. That said, the Ice Staff’s crowd control can save your life when you’re getting swarmed.
Are magic weapons better than melee or ranged weapons?
It depends on your playstyle. Magic weapons are powerful but expensive to maintain (you need mana potions). Melee weapons are more straightforward and don’t require resources to use, while ranged weapons offer a middle ground. In group play, having a mix of all three is ideal. For solo play, it’s really up to personal preference—try them all and see what feels best.
Magic in Hytale isn’t something you can just pick up and use right away—it requires exploration, resource gathering, and smart crafting. But once you’ve unlocked the system and built up your arsenal of staffs, totems, and mana potions, you’ll feel incredibly powerful.
Whether you’re raining down fireballs on enemy hordes, freezing bosses in their tracks, or keeping your squad alive with healing totems, magic adds a whole new dimension to combat. The grind is real, but the payoff is absolutely worth it.
So get out there, find that Forgotten Temple, craft your Arcanist’s Workbench, and start slinging spells. Just remember to stock up on mana potions first—running out of mana mid-fight is not fun.
Happy spellcasting!
Looking for more Hytale guides? Check out our articles on making teleporters, finding venom sacs, taming animals, and installing mods.
