CHOOSING A WAND

EXOTIC WAND CORES

Acromantula Web

MUST HAVE ADMIN PERMISSION TO USE. Using a wand with this core has been illegal in Britain since 1782, though this core has become more and more rare in the years since the ban on Experimental Breeding in 1965. There are certain diplomatic exceptions, as it is a traditional core for Asian wands, but even those are temporary, and many wizard diplomats on long-term assignments find themselves compelled to procure replacement wands.

Ashwinder Egg

A common ingredient in love potions, the eggs of an Ashwinder are found in the wands of those skilled in the Potionmaking arts, and lend strength to the trade. They are not, however, well suited for more subtle forms of magic. As such, they're often found in the hands of those with surmountable pride and willpower.

Augurey Tail Feather

Augureys, or Irish phoenixes, were once associated with powerful Dark wands, as their cries were thought to signify an upcoming death. However, they were in reality never a strong Dark core, and were more accurately a powerful core for Divination. Misunderstood wielders may find themselves bonded to an Augurey wand, although these wands are altogether quite rare.

Banshee Hair

Banshees are dangerous creatures with screams that will kill. However, if one is brave or stupid enough to go after a Banshee and manages to acquire its hair, it can be made into a relatively fierce wand core. It promotes the darker aspect of magic, specifically curses. It fails altogether when used in any sort of healing.

Basilisk Scale

MUST HAVE ADMIN PERMISSION TO USE. Basilisk wands are incredibly rare, as the beasts are rare to begin with and hard to kill. Due to the rarity, they are more often an heirloom wand. Basilisk wands have dark leanings. Very little good comes from those who wield these wands.

Billywig Stingers

Billywig Stinger wands bond well to light-hearted pranksters, and are extremely capricious. At one moment it will produce the strongest Cheering Charm in the school, but at another it will object to being used as a potion stirrer and siphon up hours of work without so much as a by-your-leave.

Boomslang Venom

Boomslang venom, whether crystallized or in a rarer liquid core, provides a small boost to jinxes and hexes. However, when a wand maker undertakes the dangerous task of working with the raw venom, it is generally with the aim of creating a powerful Transfiguration wand. Whether or not the advantages outweigh the risks makes for heavy debate in the wizarding world.

Bowtruckle Bark

Bowtruckle bark is not the most powerful of cores, but it does give a definite boost to the wielder’s nature spells. It is especially potent in Rowan wands, as these are the trees that Bowtruckles most commonly guard.

Cherub Hair

Cherub hair is found in the wands of more romantically inclined students. Although many would assume this implies a feminine wand, Cherub Hair is found in boys’ wands quite often. The core gives minor boosts to healing and Divination, as well as a major improvement to Charms -- particularly Glamour Charms.

Chimera Scale

MUST HAVE ADMIN PERMISSION TO USE. Although chimera scales are magically powerful, they are extremely rare in modern wandcraft, even more rarer than the basilisk scale wands. This is not out of any concern for safety, as they are generally considered no more stubborn than Hippogriff feathers and are more stable than Erumpent Hide.

Chinese Fireball Horn

This core is mainly found in Asian wands. It's rarer in the UK as it has to be imported from China. This core makes for a versatile wand that is willing to work with its user in academics rather than dueling and extracurricular activities. It is not uncommon to see those that posses this wand become amazing potioneers or diviners.

Demiguise Hair

Demiguise hairs were long considered to not have enough oomph to make a proper wand, but with the recent addition of multiple cores they have gained favor for their strength in transfiguration and the subtle arts. When combined with a stronger wand core they make potent wands, however, on their own they can be rather one-dimensional and difficult to use for anything but transfiguration.

Doxy Wing

Doxy wings, like the creatures they come from, can be unmanageable and mean-spirited. They are second only to basilisk wands in their ability to channel the Dark Arts. They are often found in the hands of dark witches and wizards whom don't have a basilisk wand heirloom.

Erumpant Hide

Erumpent hides are extremely dangerous, therefore making this core rare as most wand makers refuse to work with it. This core doesn't take well to high levels of magic or sharp impacts. They add a 'punch' to spells when combined with a gentler core, but posses a level of danger to the wielder.

Fairy Dust

Fairy dust adds a bit more of a kick to the more mystic of the magic world. This wand core, if paired with anything too overpowering will sputter erratically other than its specialties. It gets the best use when left by itself, or paired with a calmer core.

Fairy Wing

Fairy wings makes for a light, airy wand, best for charms. Nearly half of all witches and wizards known to have the Sight have wands containing fairy wings. Despite their strength in charms, fairy wings are average in defense against the dark arts and transfiguration, failing completely when it comes to hexes. Fairy wings are the opposite to doxy wings and are rarely found in the hands of dark witches and wizards.

Fwooper Feather

Fwooper feathers are said to be a mark of ill omen for the witches and wizards they bond to. Like the bird they come from, the feathers are rumoured to slowly drive their wielder mad. Despite a poor reputation, they do well in Charms. However, they have a near-inability to cast Quietus. They are most often combined with another feather core, such as phoenix, for health, or hippogriff, for stability.

Griffin Claw

Griffin claws wands are becoming more popular. However these wands are extremely stubborn to tame, even more so than the phoenix feather and hippogriff talon. They must pass through danger or hardship with their owners to become truly bonded. Griffin claws bond well to those that are fierce but are protectors of the weak.

Hippogriff Talon

Hippogriffs are noble animals with a reputation. These wands require constant respect, and if the wielder does not give it, they can watch its formerly stable and versatile magic backfire on it. It is not the strongest core, but it is one of the most adaptable. This is one core that does not like being paired with any other cores.

Kelpie Mane

Kelpie mane are incredibly temperamental cores, explaining their rarity. They were once common in Celtic wand making, however, the import of demiguise hairs has resulted in them falling out of favor. They have similar qualities to demiguise hair, and are powerful Transfiguration cores when they don't backfire spectacularly.

Leprechaun Hair

These wands were once only found in Ireland but have slowly branched to the rest of Europe. Leprechaun wands have a reputation as pranksters, much like the creatures it comes from, and displays flamboyant and dramatic effects. These wands do not bond well to those that take life too seriously therefore this core is very rarely seen in the hands of a ravenclaw.

Manticore Hair

A sting from a Manticore causes instant death; a trait that - when carried into a wand - heavily increases the user's ability with the Dark Arts. Wands made with Manticore Stingers are exceptional at casting defensive spells- making them excellent dueling wands. The toxin in the stinger has a tendency to leak through even the wand-wood, making it useless for brewing any potion not meant to be poison. Manticore Stinger wands usually bond to those who share the Manticore's bloodlust.

Merfolk Scale

A mellow core by nature, it is best balanced with other cores like Mooncalf or Demiguise as these lesser cores will make the Mer core stand out and give it a bit of a boost, especially when casting under water. Because there is a wide range of Merfolk that come from all over, some scales might offer a slightly different or stronger boost in a certain field of magic.

Mooncalf Tail Hair

A core as shy as the creature it comes from, wands with this core require careful handling or they will simply fail to respond. Individuals bound to a wand with this core will usually excel at Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures, though it is also a potent Potions Core.

Nogtail Tail

Because they are so difficult to catch, these dark creatures make for another rare core. The Nogtail will curse a farm as long as it goes undetected and as such this core adds a boost to the Dark Arts and curses. Although beneficial to those that study the Dark Arts, it has a tendency to pick crueler users.

Pegasus Wing Feather

A pegasus wing wand is one of the calmer cores. Much like the unicorn hair wands, these wands are one the most difficult to turn to the Dark Arts. They bond well to those that have a love of the outdoors and one that excels on care of magical creatures and herbology

Pogrebin Hairs

This core is favored by Dark Wizards local to Russia due to their uncanny ability with Dark Arts, only slightly weaker than Runespore Wands. It tends to perform poorly with Hexes and Charms, however.

Runespoor Fang

This wand is very powerful and on the border of rarity. Commonly this wand will be most likely found wielded by Dark Wizards or those who are not very pure at heart. This wand reacts poorly to healing spells as well as divination.

Serpent Scale

The serpent wand is a powerful healing wand and only average when to comes to offensive magics. This wand would bond well to a potential healer and one that has a calm mind.

Snidget Feather

Extremely rare due to the Snidget's protected status, the feathers of this tiny bird are useful as a core. Wands with a Snidget Feather core excel in Charms, Potions. They're useful in Dueling, being able to cast spells faster than most other cores. Their main drawback is their inability with Transfiguration and Dark Arts.

Thestral Hair

Having this wand does not mean one has had a brush with death a few times. Thestral wands require constant respect and trust. These wands bond well to those that hold trust and loyalty above anything else. It works well with defense against the dark arts. Although the core represents dark, it doesn't bond well to those that are dark in nature.

Vampire Fang

Vampire wands are extremely rare. Although these wands are from creatures of the night, they in fact are a neutral wand. These wands crave blood and are happy with a few drops of it's owners blood every now and then. The giving of blood to this wand strengthens the bond between owner and wand and anyone else whom uses the wand will have it backfire on them. Vampire wands are particularly powerful in charms and astronomy.

Veela Hair

Veela cores are as temperamental as the creatures they come from and are considered by most to be too volatile for a decent wand core. Most often, those with Veela blood enjoy the boost the wand gives to Divinations and Charms. The Veela's inherent intelligence makes the core also favored by those of above average intelligence. Veela hair wands work best with those whom have veela blood within them.

Werewolf Tooth

Extremely rare; werewolf wand are powerful wands that have leanings towards the dark arts. It's magic is best preformed at night and gravitates towards the full moon. Werewolf wands will not work for those whom have even a tiny bit of prejudice against werewolves. They bond extremely well to those that are werewolves themselves as they have a sense of kinship. These wands excel in transfiguration and dark arts.