Skyrim: Transform Your Appearance with Dawnguard’s Face Sculpting

The world of Skyrim is vast and ever-evolving, offering players countless ways to customize their experience. From mastering diverse skills and crafting powerful weapons to building elaborate homes, the game encourages creativity and personalization. One often-overlooked feature, significantly enhanced by the Dawnguard DLC, is the ability to change your character’s appearance after the initial character creation screen. This guide will provide a comprehensive walkthrough on how to take advantage of this feature and give your Dragonborn a fresh new look.

Why Change Your Appearance in Skyrim?

Before diving into the ‘how,’ let’s consider the ‘why.’ There are several compelling reasons to alter your character’s face in Skyrim:

• Regret Initial Choices: Perhaps you rushed through character creation and now regret your hairstyle or eye color.
• Roleplaying Purposes: Maybe your character’s backstory has evolved, and their appearance no longer aligns with their narrative. A hardened warrior might benefit from a scarred visage, while a mysterious mage could adopt an enigmatic look.
• Simply for a Change: After countless hours roaming Skyrim, a new appearance can breathe fresh life into your gameplay experience.
• Optimize Appearance: Maybe you realize your character’s current face simply isn’t working well with the armor and weapons you are now using. A change in appearance can correct this.

The Dawnguard DLC and Face Sculpting

The Dawnguard DLC is crucial for unlocking the easiest method of face sculpting. While console commands can achieve similar results on PC, the Dawnguard DLC provides an in-game, lore-friendly solution available to all platforms. The key is a character named Galathil.

Finding Galathil: The Face Sculptor

Galathil resides within the Ragged Flagon, the headquarters of the Thieves Guild in Riften. If you’re unfamiliar with Riften or the Thieves Guild, follow these steps:

1. Travel to Riften: Riften is located in the southeastern corner of Skyrim. You can travel there by carriage from any major city, or by foot/horse if you prefer the scenic route. Be wary of bandits and wild animals along the way.
2. Enter Riften: Upon entering Riften, you’ll likely encounter some shady characters and perhaps even witness a bit of petty crime. This sets the stage for the city’s underbelly.
3. Find the Ragged Flagon: The Ragged Flagon is hidden beneath Riften. To access it, you’ll need to find the entrance within the city. There are two primary ways to enter the Ratway, which leads to the Ragged Flagon:
• The Main Entrance: Locate the small, unassuming grate near the Riften docks. It’s often guarded by a couple of unsavory individuals. Interact with the grate to enter the Ratway.
• Through Honeyside: If you own the Honeyside house in Riften (purchased from the Jarl), you can unlock a backdoor that leads directly into the Ratway. This is a quicker and safer option if you have the property.
4. Navigate the Ratway: The Ratway is a dingy, dangerous network of tunnels inhabited by bandits and other unsavory characters. Proceed with caution, engaging or avoiding enemies as you see fit. The path to the Ragged Flagon is relatively straightforward, but be prepared for a few encounters.
5. Enter the Ragged Flagon: At the end of the Ratway, you’ll find the entrance to the Ragged Flagon. Step inside to enter the Thieves Guild’s headquarters.
6. Locate Galathil: Once inside the Ragged Flagon, Galathil can be found near the center of the main chamber. She’s an elven woman who offers her “face sculpting” services to those who can afford them.

Changing Your Face with Galathil: Step-by-Step

Now that you’ve found Galathil, here’s how to change your character’s appearance:

1. Talk to Galathil: Initiate a conversation with Galathil. She’ll greet you with a cryptic message about her services.
2. Request a New Look: Select the dialogue option that indicates you want her to sculpt your face. The exact wording may vary slightly, but it will be clear that you’re requesting a change to your appearance.
3. Pay the Fee: Galathil charges a fee of 1000 gold for her services. Make sure you have enough gold before initiating the process. If you don’t, you’ll need to acquire some through quests, selling items, or other means.
4. Enter the Character Creation Screen: Once you pay the fee, the game will transition you back to the character creation screen. This is the same screen you saw at the beginning of the game when you first created your character.
5. Customize Your Appearance: Use the character creation tools to modify your character’s appearance to your liking. You can change your character’s race, gender, name, and all facial features. This includes:
• Race: While you can technically change your race, be aware that this can significantly impact your character’s skills and abilities. It’s generally not recommended to change your race unless you’re starting a new build.
• Gender: You can freely change your character’s gender without any major consequences.
• Name: You can also change your character’s name.
• Facial Features: This is where the real customization happens. You can adjust everything from your character’s skin tone and hairstyle to their eye color, nose shape, and mouth size. Experiment with different options to find the look you desire.
• Hair: Choose from a variety of hairstyles.
• War Paint/Tattoos: Add war paint or tattoos to your face for a more distinctive look.
• Scars: Add scars to your character’s face to reflect their past battles and experiences.
• Weight: Adjust your character’s weight, though this mostly affects appearance and has minimal gameplay impact.
6. Confirm Your Changes: Once you’re satisfied with your new appearance, confirm your changes. The game will save your modifications and return you to the Ragged Flagon.
7. Enjoy Your New Look: Step out into the world of Skyrim and enjoy your new appearance!

Important Considerations and Limitations

While Galathil offers a convenient way to change your appearance, there are a few limitations to keep in mind:

• Cost: 1000 gold might seem like a small price to pay, but it can be significant, especially early in the game. Make sure you have sufficient funds before seeking out Galathil.
• No Body Sculpting: Galathil only allows you to modify your character’s face. You cannot change your character’s body type or height.
• Race and Gender Changes: While possible, changing your race can have significant implications for your character’s skills and abilities. Be sure to consider the consequences before making such a change. Gender changes have fewer consequences.
• Mods: Certain mods can interfere with the face sculpting process or introduce unexpected results. If you’re using mods, be sure to check their compatibility with the Dawnguard DLC and face sculpting features.
• Glitches: Although rare, glitches can sometimes occur during the face sculpting process. It’s always a good idea to save your game before undergoing any major changes to your character’s appearance.

Console Commands (PC Only)

If you’re playing on PC, you can use console commands to achieve similar results without needing the Dawnguard DLC. However, this method is not available on consoles.

1. Open the Console: Press the `~` key (tilde key) to open the console. This key is usually located to the left of the number 1 key on your keyboard.
2. Enter the Command: Type the following command into the console and press Enter:

showracemenu

1. Customize Your Appearance: The character creation screen will appear, allowing you to customize your appearance as described above.
2. Confirm Your Changes: Once you’re satisfied, confirm your changes.
3. Close the Console: Press the `~` key again to close the console.

Important Note: Using the `showracemenu` command can sometimes reset your character’s skills and attributes. To avoid this, you can use the following command instead:

player.showinventory

Then, find your character’s ID. Next, use the command:

showinventory [your character's ID]

Then after customizing using showracemenu, use the command

setrace [your race]

Replace ‘[your race]’ with your character’s race. For example, if you are a Nord, use ‘setrace Nord’. This helps preserve your skill levels and perks.

Alternative Methods and Mods

Besides Galathil and console commands, there are other ways to change your appearance in Skyrim, primarily through the use of mods. Many mods offer enhanced character creation tools, allowing for more detailed customization options. Here are a few popular examples:

• RaceMenu: This mod is a favorite among Skyrim players. It overhauls the character creation menu, providing a wider range of customization options and finer control over facial features.
• Enhanced Character Edit: Similar to RaceMenu, this mod enhances the character creation process, offering more sliders and options for tweaking your character’s appearance.
• Custom Race Mods: These mods add new playable races to the game, each with its own unique appearance options.

When using mods, it’s crucial to ensure they are compatible with your game version and other installed mods. Always read the mod descriptions carefully and follow the installation instructions to avoid conflicts or crashes.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Sometimes, you might encounter issues when changing your appearance. Here are some common problems and their solutions:

• Character’s Head is Missing: This can happen if there’s a conflict between mods or if the game fails to load the character’s head mesh properly. Try disabling any recently installed mods and restarting the game. If the problem persists, verify the integrity of your game files through Steam or your preferred platform.
• Character’s Face is Distorted: This can also be caused by mod conflicts. Try disabling mods that affect character appearances. If the issue remains, try reloading an earlier save.
• Game Crashes During Character Creation: This can be due to insufficient system resources or mod conflicts. Close any unnecessary applications and try again. If the problem persists, try disabling some mods.
• Skills and Attributes Reset: This is a known issue with the `showracemenu` console command. Use the `setrace` command as described above to restore your character’s original race and avoid losing your progress.

Tips for a Successful Face Sculpting Experience

Here are some final tips to ensure a smooth and enjoyable face sculpting experience:

• Save Before You Start: Always save your game before initiating any changes to your appearance. This allows you to revert to your previous look if something goes wrong or if you’re not happy with the results.
• Take Your Time: Don’t rush through the character creation process. Experiment with different options and take your time to create a look that you’re truly satisfied with.
• Consider Your Character’s Story: Think about your character’s backstory and personality when choosing their appearance. A well-crafted appearance can enhance your roleplaying experience.
• Use a Mirror: There are mirrors located throughout Skyrim. Check your character’s appearance in a mirror after making changes to see how they look in different lighting conditions.
• Experiment with Different Styles: Don’t be afraid to try new hairstyles, war paints, or scars. You might be surprised at what you discover.

Conclusion

Changing your character’s face in Skyrim is a simple yet effective way to refresh your gameplay experience and personalize your Dragonborn. Whether you choose to utilize Galathil’s services, console commands, or mods, the possibilities are endless. With a little patience and creativity, you can create a character that truly reflects your vision and enhances your journey through the land of Skyrim.

So, go ahead and sculpt your destiny. Give your Dragonborn the look they deserve and embark on a new adventure in the ever-evolving world of Skyrim!