Wand Lore

The wand chooses the wizard, and this is what each wood type and core says about the witch or wizard.

Wood Types

Alder

Magnificent at non-verbal spells, alder wood wands have been seen in the hands of advanced witches and wizards. Known for being an obstinate wood that for some reason prefers a more refined or gentle soul in its owner. These practitioners face life head on and believe in the power of simple acts of kindness and patience. A good thing too, as their attitude toward life tempers the difficult qualities of the wood.

Ash

Truest loyalty can be found in ash; these wands are not meant to be passed to another. Practitioners that use ash wands are stubborn in their beliefs, but fiercely loyal to one thing above all else. Whether that be person, cause, or ideal witches or wizards with a wand of this wood will remain loyal to the very end.

Bloodwood

A wood with a quick wit. With almost a mind of its own a bloodwood wand will often know what spell its owner will cast before they do. Making it perfect for dueling. Its affection for the dark arts is often exaggerated as dark witches or wizards are more often battling. Though dark wand cores do tend to mesh well with this wood.

Canary

Full of confidence and strong of will, those who possess a canary wand are always seeking to achieve success. Excellent at divination and scrying, it is no wonder that these witches and wizards often attain their goals. However, if not tempered, these wands can tempt its user to darker deeds.

Cedar

Clever and loyal, it is not advisable to cross the owner of a cedar wand. Their uncanny perception allows them to notice the tiniest details, making them very difficult to fool. Witches and wizards with cedar wands are very protective of their friends, willing to stand with them if threatened. They are, for the most part, very friendly, but are unforgiving of betrayal.

Chechen

A highly intelligent wood, always seeking more information. Also known as black poisonwood, chechen wands are notoriously difficult to make, because of this there are few new ones ever made. Chechen wands often pick curious witches and wizards. Because of their rarity, they are often passed down within families, as an older witch or wizard finds their curious spark reflected in a niece, nephew, or grandchild.

Cherry

A highly prized wood, cherry wood is uniquely powerful. A wand made of this wood is not meant for display alone, but wishes most to be used by a powerful and charismatic witch or wizard. Be warned though, those weak of mind and little self control can find that a cherry wand is more likely to use them, and they are to use it.

Fir

Focused and resilient, fir wands are excellent to have in a dangerous situation. Practitioners with this type of wand strive steadfastly toward their goals with determination. They often seem unapproachable at first, but once known, will be a friend through thick and thin. Witches and wizards with a fir wand are good to have around too, they are surprisingly lucky and it sometimes rubs off on their friends.

Holly

The bright light of truth, Holly is as pure as snow. As such Holly wands tend to choose witches or wizards that seek to live truthfully. A rare wood for an even rarer practitioner, those who possess a Holly wand are seen as lights in their communities, and often become protectors of some kind. Though quick to anger, witches and wizards with these wands find a way to channel that intensity into their goals.

Limba

A study in contrasts, both Black and White limba come from the same tree. Likewise, a witch or wizard with a limba wand has both light and dark in their heart. Their checkered nature allows them to bond well with these wands, and often will carry around one of each type. Oddly, white limba is better at dark magic, while black limba is it’s mirror.

Maple

A wood bound closely with nature, not meant to be kept at home. Maple wands wish for adventure and bond closely with witches or wizards that are not content staying in one place. The loyalty of the wand can be enhanced or diminished by the wand core used.

Mesquite

A hardy, healthy wood, able to grow in harshly dry areas. Mesquite wands bond best with witches or wizards that perform well under pressure. Willing to go the distance, no matter what obstacles are in their path. Able to make the best of any situation, a practitioner with a mesquite wand will often come out on top, even if the odds are stacked against them.

Oak

Loyal and brave, a wand of oak will carry its practitioner through good times and bad. Witches or wizards with oak wands aim to please, and are as dependable as the phases of the moon. They often have a hard time denying a request, and this can lead them into unexpected trouble. However with their sturdy wand of oak, there is nothing these practitioners can’t get themselves out of.

Padauk

A vibrant and chaotic wood, padauk suits a witch or wizard not willing to stand idle. Given this woods' tumultuous nature, it takes a highly skilled witch or wizard to draw out its full potential safely. Because of this, padauk is rarely given to new practitioners of the magical arts, instead being reserved for those who have proven themselves adept enough to wield it safely.

Purpleheart

A spiritual wood, good for introspection and reflection. Purpleheart wands favor witches and wizards full of kindness and generosity. This wood searches out individuals looking to help those around them. Many think this is because purple heart wands are best at divination, enchantment, and healing magic.

Redwood

The lucky wood, or so it seems. Redwood wands are prized for bringing good fortune to those who possess them. However upon further study, it may be that the wood itself is attracted to witches or wizards that display the ability to achieve seemingly impossible odds. Either way, if one is chosen by a redwood wand, great things can be expected to follow.

Rosewood

Bright and bubbly, this wood is always seeking beauty. While stereotyped to be for only those who are beautiful, it is not uncommon to find Rosewood wands in the hands of artists and artificers. Highly sought and seldom found, these wands will often inspire their owner, allowing their craft to flow from them as freely as a bird in flight.

Walnut

A wood full of adaptability, it is found often in the hands of creative and inventive individuals. Walnut wands want to be used, because of this they will perform any spell their master wishes. While this is great for new witches or wizards, it can lead to use of the dark arts, if the wand core is susceptible to such things.

Wenge

Excellent at defensive magic, those who possess a wand of wenge are very hard to catch unaware. Wands made of this wood can help calm their owners allowing them to have immense focus. This deep focus allows the caster to hold defensive spells for longer than usual, as well as perform intricate transfiguration spells with minimal effort.

Yew

Rare indeed, these wands are quite unusual, and pair well with unusual witches or wizards. With wood sourced most often from graveyards, it is no wonder that wands of Yew have been associated with the dark arts. However they do not only symbolize death. Like the Phoenix, these wands also join in the cycle of rebirth. Thus leaving the fate of the practitioner in their own hands.

Zebrawood

A patient wood, biding its time until it is ready. Witches or wizards with Zebra wood wands, often seem quiet and simple at first, but with time and familiarity they reveal to be as complex as any other. Wands of this wood are slow to trust, but after some time will share an unending loyalty to their owners.

Wand Cores

Jump to Woods

Dragon Heartstring

With so few dragons left in the world, dragon heartstring has become a rare and valuable wand core. Its ability to lend power to the wand, and ease of spell casting makes it highly favored. However it is fickle and won’t be bound to a single witch or wizard.

Phoenix Feather

Able to cast a wide variety of spells, phoenix feather core wands are prized by inventive and creative witches and wizards. Wands with this core are picky looking for ambitious witches or wizards. A practitioner with a phoenix feather wand will often achieve feats beyond their station, soaring to ever more monumental heights.

Unicorn Tail Hair

Fiercely loyal, wands with a unicorn tail hair core will bond strongly with their first witch or wizard, to a point where they will refuse to work for anyone else. Often any user after the first will be related to the first in some way. Trying to force the wand to work for you will often break it before a spell can be cast.

Veela Hair

This temperamental core can be very tricky to master. Often the witch or wizard using a wand with a veela hair core is a trickster, and won’t mind if their spell goes a bit haywire. Spells cast with this core will most likely have unintended side effects, anything from changing the caster’s hair color, to casting a completely different spell.

Kneazle Whisker

Kneazle whiskers are a delicate wand core, and because of this, wands made with this core cannot cast powerful spells. Making them safer to use than most other wands. For this reason, they are often given to fledgling witches and wizards just beginning to learn magic.

Dittany Stalk

A two sided wand core. Dittany is used often in healing magics, however as a wand core, it is equally good at curses as it is with healing spells. This duality is often reflected in the witch or wizard the wand chooses. Often the true character of these practitioners runs counter to how they may seem. Harsh wizards can show true caring, and bright witches can have a streak of cruelty.

Kelpie Hair

One of the first cores to ever be used in wand making, because of how easy it was to obtain. This caused Kelpie hair cores to be often thought of as lesser, however this is a misunderstanding. Wands with this core often bide their time, only releasing their full potential in times of great need.

Thestral Tail Hair

A very rare and mysterious material, wands with thestral tail hair cores are often overlooked, and ignored. Rarely picked up by any witch or wizard that hasn’t experienced some sort of trauma. Wands with this core radiate empathy that can help sooth internal pain in both the user and their subject.

Thunderbird Tail Feather

Difficult to master, but extremely powerful. Wands with thunderbird tail feather cores can warn their users of nearby danger, and will sometimes even cast protective spells on their own. Because of this, wands with this core have been banned from official dueling tournaments.

White River Monster

An elegant wand core, capable of making even the most clumsy witch or wizard appear graceful when casting. Wands with a white river monster core have often been seen in the hands of the most beautiful witches and wizards. However they don't go only skin deep, this core also looks for users that have charisma to go with their grace.

Rougarou Hair

Most often found in the hands of an animagus, wands with a rougarou hair core reflect the duality of the witch or wizard who possesses them. This wand core tends to favor transfiguration spells, almost as if it wishes to change its own shape as easily as it changes others.

Horned Serpent Horn

Surprisingly musical, wands with a horned serpent horn core can alert their owners of danger by emitting a low tone. Notably, wands with this core respond to any language used when casting a spell, almost as if intent is more important than words.

Basilisk Horn

Used almost exclusively by dark witches and wizards, not much is known about wands with basilisk horn cores. Though it has been rumored that upon being accepted by a wand with this core, the user gains the ability to speak to snakes.

Curupira Hair

Unpredictable and unstable, wands with curupira hair cores are hard to master by any stable witch or wizard. Users of wands with this core often find they have headaches after successfully casting any spell, claiming that the wand thought differently than they did.