Whether you’re a diehard Potterhead or just a casual Harry Potter fan, you’ll surely know the classic spells—Expecto Patronum, Expelliarmus, and of course, the infamous trio of Unforgivable Curses—Avada Kedavra, Crucio, and Imperio. Because over the years, these spells have become household names.
They’ve lit up wand tips, won duels, and saved lives across seven books and eight films. But what about the underdogs of the Wizarding World? The low-key charms and hexes that don’t get the spotlight but are just as powerful—if not more terrifying—when used by the right (or wrong) witch/wizard?
So today, we’re diving beyond the surface of spellcasting and into the depths of J.K. Rowling‘s magical lore. From mind-bending enchantments to reality-wrecking hexes, this list explores the 10 most powerful and underrated spells in the Harry Potter universe. You’ve seen the basics—now brace yourself for the deep cuts. Accio list!
10 Confundo
The Confundus Charm, or Confundo, is a spell that makes someone confused. It’s not a flashy or dangerous spell, but it can still be beneficial during duels. Wizards use it when they don’t want to hurt anyone but still need to get past them or trick them. For example, Hermione used it on Cormac McLaggen so Ron could get picked for the Quidditch team.
It’s sneaky, but not harmful as a killing curse. Therefore, even though Confundo has its moments, it’s the least powerful on this list because it doesn’t cause real damage. It only affects the mind for a short time unless used very strongly. In the Wizarding World, powerful wizards like Snape and Barty Crouch Jr. have used it in clever ways.
But despite experienced casters using this charm, Confundo still can’t compete with spells that break things, protect, or even cut. So while this spell is rare and clever, it’s not the strongest. It’s more of a trick than a weapon.
9 Impedimenta
The Impedimenta spell is used to slow someone down or stop them from moving. It doesn’t hurt the person—it just reduces the target’s speed for a short time. It’s kind of like putting an invisible wall in front of them. That’s why it’s popular in friendly duels or training, like when the Hogwarts Dueling Club practiced it.
Hermione taught this spell to Harry during the Triwizard Tournament, and he later taught it to Dumbledore’s Army. Additionally, J.K. Rowling’s book also mentioned how James Potter used it on Snape during their school days. So, it’s not a rare spell—many students learn it—but it was rarely shown in the films.
So, it goes without saying that Impedimenta is not very strong in real battles. It won’t work well against powerful enemies or dangerous creatures. It’s more of a “pause” button than a serious attack. Because it only delays someone instead of stopping them for good. Therefore, it doesn’t stand out as one of the most powerful spells in the Wizarding World.
8 Obliviate
As per J.K. Rowling’s lore, Obliviate is a Memory Charm that lets a witch or wizard erase someone’s memories. It sounds harmless at first, but it’s actually rather scary. It’s mostly used to help protect the magical world from being discovered by Muggles. That’s why there are special Ministry teams who cast Obliviate when a Muggle sees magic by mistake.
In the Harry Potter films, Hermione used it on her parents to keep them safe before the war. She made her parents forget about who she was so they would leave the country. Plus, even Gilderoy Lockhart used Obliviate in Chamber of Secrets, but in a bad way. He erased people’s memories and took credit for their brave stories.
So, even though Obliviate is sneaky and frightening, it’s still not the strongest spell. It doesn’t protect, attack, or defend in a fight. It only works on memories, and it can even go wrong—like when Lockhart hit himself with it. That’s why it ranks lower on this list.
7 Levicorpus
Levicorpus is a funny but useful spell that lifts someone into the air by their foot. They hang upside down and can’t move properly. This makes it hard for them to fight back. The spell was created by Severus Snape when he was a student, and Harry later found it written in Snape’s old schoolbook.
The spell doesn’t hurt the target, but it surprises them and stops them from attacking. That’s why it can be helpful during a fight. It also has a counter-spell called Liberacorpus, which brings the person back down. According to the books, Hermione once used Levicorpus to help Harry reach Hufflepuff’s Cup Horcrux in Gringotts.
So it’s useful in other ways too. Even Voldemort used it once as a means of torture against Gregorovitch the Wand-Maker. However, despite being used by the likes of Hermione and Voldemort, it’s still not among the strongest spells. It doesn’t cause damage or protect you. It’s more of a trick to stop someone for a moment. That’s why it doesn’t rank higher on this list.
6 Reducto
Now, we’re entering the territory of strong spells, and so let’s begin with Reducto, which is often used to blast targets into tiny pieces, like dust or mist. That’s why it’s called the Reductor Curse. It’s strong enough to break walls, shelves, and other hard things. If someone uses it the wrong way, it could even bring down a ceiling.
So wizards are told to be very careful while practicing it. This spell is often used in big battles. In the movie, during the fight at the Department of Mysteries, we saw Ginny, being a member of Dumbledore’s Army casting this spell on Death Eaters. It helped wreck the shelves carrying the prophecies and stop enemies.
But according to the book, that also caused a grave problem, as the glass ball containing Sybill Trelawney’s original prophecy was also destroyed when the shelves started crashing down. Meanwhile, it’s not known if this powerful curse was ever used directly on a person, because that would be very dangerous.
That’s why it’s not just a charm—it’s a curse. Reducto is strong, explosive, and not meant for small duels.
5 Protego Diabolica
Protego Diabolica is a very powerful and dark spell. It looks like a ring of magical fire that surrounds the person who casts it. The fire only hurts enemies—it burns them up completely—but it keeps the caster and their friends safe. This makes it different from other dangerous fire spells like Fiendfyre, which can harm anyone.
Audiences saw this spell being used by Gellert Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. He made the fire huge, and it turned into a dragon made of flames. It was strong enough to destroy all of Paris if it wasn’t stopped. It took several powerful witches and wizards, including Newt Scamander and Nicolas Flamel, to stop the fire using a counter-spell.
Even though Protego Diabolica is not seen in the original Harry Potter books, it’s clearly one of the strongest shield spells. It defends and attacks at the same time, making it truly dangerous.
4 Confringo
Confringo is a very strong and dangerous spell, often known as the Blasting Curse because it makes things explode. If you want to break walls or destroy something quickly, Confringo is a good choice. But it’s also hard to control, which makes it risky to use—especially during a battle or duel.
The spell was invented in the 1430s during a wizard duel. Since then, many have used it to literally explode the target. But it isn’t the most practical one in battle, after all, remember what happened when Hermione tried using it in Godric’s Hollow to attack Voldemort’s pet snake Nagini?
The blast bounced back and almost burned Harry’s hand. That’s the problem with Confringo; it’s so powerful that it can go wrong and hurt the person who casts it. However, when used carefully it can be a solid option to blow things up, like when Harry used it during the Battle of the Seven Potters, and it caused big damage.
Even Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy thought about using it in The Cursed Child. While it’s not the safest spell, it’s definitely one of the strongest when used carefully.
3 Diffindo
Diffindo is known as the Severing Charm. It’s basically a spell that cuts things—like ropes, clothes, or paper. But it can also be used in a duel to hurt someone by making deep cuts in their bodies. That’s why teachers at Hogwarts always tell students to be very careful when learning this spell.
Even though Diffindo sounds simple, it can be very powerful in the right and wrong hands. After all, it’s one of the strongest spells to use against enemies. It slices through dangerous creatures and evil wizards easily. That shows how strong it really is, even though it’s not often used in big battles in the books.
Despite the dangers associated with this spell, students learn Diffindo early at Hogwarts, so that it can help them in tough situations. Whether it’s cutting through ropes or fighting off attackers, this charm is useful, sharp, and powerful. That’s why it ranks third highest on this list.
2 Sectumsempra
Sectumsempra is a very dark and dangerous spell, created by Severus Snape when he was a student. The spell’s name means “cut forever,” and that’s exactly what it does—it cuts deep and fast, like an invisible sword. In fact, the spell is so lethal that limbs severed by Sectumsempra can’t be regrown.
In the Half-Blood Prince book as well as the film, Harry used this spell on Draco Malfoy without knowing how strong it was, and Draco was badly hurt. That’s when people learned about the only incantation that could heal it—Vulnera Sanentur. Snape had to use that spell to stop the bleeding.
In another case, George Weasley lost his ear when Sectumsempra hit him by accident during the Battle of the Seven Potters, and it never grew back. So, what makes this spell so strong is that it causes serious damage and ignores most healing magic. That’s why it’s ranked number two on this list.
It’s not just powerful—it’s scary. Only very skilled wizards should use Sectumsempra, and even then, with great care.
1 Legilimens
Legilimens is one of the most powerful and scary spells in the Wizarding World. It doesn’t hurt the body, but it goes deep into the mind. This spell lets a wizard read another person’s thoughts, feelings, and memories. It’s like opening someone’s brain without their permission. And throughout the Harry Potter franchise, only the most skillful wizards could master it.
From Lord Voldemort, to Albus Dumbledore, and Severus Snape—these three legendary figures were the ones who fully mastered this spell. Overall, Legilimens never caused physical harm, however, it is known to give the wizard an incredible advantage in battle or otherwise. After all, Voldemort used it to find out secrets, check if someone was lying, or control others.
It gave him a big advantage because he always knew what people were thinking. And only Severus Snape—another legendary wizard in the Harry Potter universe—was capable enough to resist Voldemort’s Legilimency spell. To be honest, even Dumbledore was susceptible to losing control and unknowingly allowing Voldemort in his mind.
After all, the spell is so strong that even resisting it is hard, which is why Snape had to train Harry in Occlumency just so he could try to block it. That’s why, based on ethics, many fans believe Legilimens should be an Unforgivable Curse. And that’s why it ranks as the topmost powerful spell on our list.
Let us know in the comments, what’s your favorite spell from the world of Harry Potter.
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