How to Embrace the Night: A Comprehensive Guide to Becoming a Vampire in Skyrim

The allure of the night, the thirst for blood, the power of undeath – becoming a vampire in Skyrim is a transformative experience that can dramatically alter your gameplay. From subtle stat changes to powerful new abilities, vampirism offers a unique perspective on the world of Tamriel. However, it’s not as simple as stumbling into a crypt. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the various methods of contracting vampirism, managing its effects, and maximizing your potential as a creature of the night.

Understanding Vampirism in Skyrim

Before we dive into the how-to, let’s understand the mechanics of vampirism in Skyrim. It’s not just about getting bitten; there are different stages of vampirism, each with its own benefits and drawbacks:

• Sanguinare Vampiris: This is the initial disease that, if left untreated, will turn you into a vampire after three in-game days. You will see a notification saying “You feel strangely ill” or similar.
• Stage 1 Vampirism: You’re now a fledgling vampire, experiencing minor stat changes and new abilities. You’re still relatively accepted by society.
• Stage 2 Vampirism: Your vampiric powers are becoming stronger, but your vulnerability to sunlight is increasing. NPCs may begin to comment on your pallor.
• Stage 3 Vampirism: Your powers are significant, but the downsides are more pronounced. You’re at risk of being attacked by NPCs in towns.
• Stage 4 Vampirism (Full-Blown Vampire): You’ve reached the full potential of vampirism (without Dawnguard). You’re extremely powerful but also extremely vulnerable to sunlight and will be attacked on sight by almost everyone (except other vampires and the few who are ‘in the know’). You’re considered an aggressive vampire at this stage, having been without feeding for too long.

Note that the Dawnguard DLC significantly alters the vampire experience, adding new vampire forms, powers, and the vampire lord transformation. This guide will cover both the base game vampirism and the Dawnguard vampire lord mechanics, though with a focus on becoming a vampire in the base game.

Methods of Contracting Vampirism

There are two primary ways to become a vampire in Skyrim (prior to Dawnguard). We’ll go over the mechanics for both of these. Remember, the initial disease is ‘Sanguinare Vampiris’ which results from a vampire’s attack. If you let this develop you will become a vampire.

1. Battling Vampires

The most straightforward way to contract Sanguinare Vampiris is through combat with vampires. Here’s a detailed breakdown:

Finding Vampires

Vampires are common in Skyrim, especially in specific locations. Here are some places where you are likely to encounter them:

• Caves and Ruins: Many dungeons, caves, and Nordic ruins are infested with vampires. Look for places like Movarth’s Lair, Haemar’s Shame, and Potema’s Catacombs. These locations often have higher concentrations of vampires.
• Vampire Lairs: Some locations are specifically marked as vampire lairs on the map. These are prime locations for finding and fighting vampires.
• Random Encounters: Occasionally, you’ll run into vampires while exploring the wilderness or along roads. These encounters are less predictable but can still lead to infection.
• Night Encounters: Vampires are most active at night. Increase the chances of running into them by traveling during the night, especially in less populated areas.

The Process

1. Engage in Combat: Once you’ve located a vampire, initiate combat. Vampires often use melee attacks and magical spells to inflict damage.
2. Get Hit: It’s crucial to be hit by a vampire’s attacks. The disease is usually contracted from the attack itself, not from being in proximity to vampires. A vampire’s melee attack or certain spells have a chance of causing Sanguinare Vampiris. This is a very common way to contract vampirism.
3. Look for the ‘You feel strangely ill’ Message: After a battle, check the active effects on your character in the ‘Magic’ menu under ‘Active Effects.’ If you see Sanguinare Vampiris there, it means you have been infected.
4. Let the Disease Progress: If you want to become a vampire, do not use a cure for disease. After 3 in-game days, Sanguinare Vampiris will transform you into a vampire.

Tips for Finding and Battling Vampires

• Prepare for Combat: Vampires can be challenging opponents. Equip yourself with good weapons, armor, and healing potions.
• Use Magic and Resistances: Vampires are often vulnerable to fire. If you use fire magic, you will have a much easier time. Also, consider using resistance potions to reduce the effectiveness of their magical attacks.
• Check Active Effects Regularly: Keep an eye on your active effects after every battle with vampires, especially in the beginning. This way you will know when you have the disease.
• Lower Difficulty: If you are having trouble finding vampires or getting infected, lower the difficulty level. This will make combat easier and increase the chance of being hit by vampire attacks.
• Save Before Entering Dungeons: Saving before entering a vampire lair or ruin can prevent you from wasting your time if you get unlucky. If you don’t get infected, load up your save and try again.
• Travel at Night: Traveling at night can significantly increase the number of vampire encounters you have. This is a more dangerous way to encounter vampires, but it can be a useful method.

2. Vampire Attacks on NPCs (Indirect Infection)

While not a method that will directly infect you, you can exploit the game’s AI to indirectly become a vampire through the disease. It works as follows:

1. Locate a populated area: Head to a town or hold near a location with many vampires. Falkreath is a good example, as is Morthal.
2. Provoke a fight: Lure vampires to the edge of the town, where you know the NPCs will come to help.
3. Allow vampires to attack NPCs: The vampires will attack the NPCs. The NPCs can potentially contract the ‘Sanguinare Vampiris’ disease.
4. Attack and kill NPCs: The now infected NPCs can now spread the disease to the player. Allow the infected NPCs to damage you. Note this may not always be consistent and may take several attempts.
5. Wait and Watch: Check your active effects. If you see ‘Sanguinare Vampiris’, wait three in-game days to become a vampire.

This method is far less reliable, but is possible if you are desperate to contract vampirism.

Managing Vampirism (Base Game)

Once you’ve become a vampire, you’ll need to manage your new condition. Here’s what you should expect:

Vampiric Stages and their Effects

As you progress through the four stages of vampirism, you will experience certain changes:

• Stage 1:
  • +25% frost resistance
  • -25 health, magicka, stamina in sunlight.
  • Increased effectiveness of illusion spells.
  • Vampiric Drain: Absorb small amounts of health from targets.
  • Minor visual changes, such as paler skin and slightly sunken eyes.
• Stage 2:
  • +50% frost resistance
  • -50 health, magicka, stamina in sunlight.
  • Increased effectiveness of illusion spells.
  • Vampiric Drain: Absorb small amounts of health from targets.
  • More pronounced visual changes, with your skin becoming paler.
  • NPCs may comment on your pallor.
• Stage 3:
  • +75% frost resistance
  • -75 health, magicka, stamina in sunlight.
  • Increased effectiveness of illusion spells.
  • Vampiric Drain: Absorb small amounts of health from targets.
  • Visual changes are more prominent, with your face becoming gaunt.
  • You may be attacked by NPCs in towns and villages.
• Stage 4:
  • +100% frost resistance
  • -100 health, magicka, stamina in sunlight.
  • Increased effectiveness of illusion spells.
  • Vampiric Drain: Absorb small amounts of health from targets.
  • You are now visibly a vampire.
  • You will be attacked on sight by almost all NPCs.

Feeding as a Vampire

To revert to Stage 1 vampirism and lessen the negative effects, you must feed on sleeping NPCs. Here’s how:

1. Find a Sleeping NPC: Locate a sleeping NPC in a bed, often at night, in any town, village or house.
2. Sneak to Them: Ensure you are undetected, and sneak up close to the sleeping person.
3. Interact with the sleeping person A prompt will appear asking you to feed on them.
4. The Feeding Animation: A short animation will play as your character feeds.
5. Reduce your Vampirism Stage This will decrease your vampirism stage back down to the first stage.

You can only feed on sleeping NPCs. NPCs who are not asleep cannot be fed on, and attempting to feed on someone who is not sleeping will alert them and cause you to be attacked.

Sunlight Vulnerability

Sunlight is a major weakness for vampires. You’ll experience severe penalties in direct sunlight:

• Reduced Health, Magicka, and Stamina: The degree to which these are affected will depend on your stage of vampirism.
• Combat Disadvantage: It’s much harder to engage in combat while suffering from the effects of sunlight.

To counteract the effects of sunlight, you can:

• Travel at Night: The most obvious method is to travel at night, or when the sky is overcast.
• Use Shaded Areas: Stick to caves, buildings, or other areas that offer shade.
• Become a Vampire Lord (Dawnguard): This new form allows you to transform into a monstrous creature and negate the effects of daylight.
• Join the Dawnguard: Cure yourself of vampirism, or become a Vampire Hunter.

Dealing with Aggressive NPCs

As you progress through the stages of vampirism, the general populace will grow more hostile towards you. At Stage 4, NPCs in towns and villages will attack you on sight. To deal with this, you can:

• Feed Regularly: To stay at stage 1 and remain hidden.
• Use Stealth: Sneak past NPCs.
• Avoid Populated Areas: Avoid entering populated areas during the day if you are at higher levels of vampirism.
• Embrace the Night: Travel and engage in combat mostly during the night when you are strongest.

Pros and Cons of Vampirism (Base Game)

Vampirism has its advantages and disadvantages, and it’s important to consider them before choosing to embrace the condition:

Pros:

• Frost Resistance: Vampires are highly resistant to frost damage.
• Increased Illusion Power: The power of illusion magic is enhanced.
• Vampiric Drain: Absorb health from your enemies.

Cons:

• Sunlight Vulnerability: Severe stat penalties in direct sunlight.
• NPC Aggression: At higher stages, NPCs will attack you.
• Need to feed: You must feed on sleeping NPCs to maintain the condition.

Vampirism with the Dawnguard DLC

The Dawnguard DLC introduces a significant overhaul to the vampire experience, including the ability to become a Vampire Lord.

Becoming a Vampire Lord

The only way to become a Vampire Lord is to accept Lord Harkon’s gift during the Dawnguard questline. Here is the process:

1. Start the Dawnguard Questline: Begin by heading to Fort Dawnguard and speaking with the people there. Alternatively you can head to Riften and speak with a guard there.
2. Progress to the Bloodline Quest: Once you are a part of the Dawnguard or the Vampires, you will eventually reach the “Bloodline” quest.
3. Accept Lord Harkon’s Gift: During this quest, Lord Harkon will offer to turn you into a Vampire Lord. Accepting will unlock the ability to transform into the new form.

Vampire Lord Abilities

The Vampire Lord transformation grants you access to a host of new powers and abilities. They include:

• Transformation Ability: You can transform into a Vampire Lord at will. This cancels any sunlight weakness.
• Bat form: Gain the power of flight and powerful melee attacks.
• Blood Magic: Access to powerful spells, such as drain life, summon gargoyles, and other abilities.
• Vampire Lord Talent Tree: Invest perk points in your Vampire Lord form to further enhance your abilities.

Dawnguard Vampire Strengths and Weaknesses

The vampire lord is powerful, however there are drawbacks. These include:

Strengths:

• Powerful Abilities: The vampire lord form is extremely powerful, and will allow you to dominate any combat situation.
• No Sunlight Weakness: In vampire lord form, you do not have to worry about sunlight.
• Unique Skill Tree: You can become a powerful vampire in a unique way.

Weaknesses:

• Limited Transformation Time: Your Vampire Lord form is time-limited. This can be extended by leveling up your skills.
• Vulnerability in Vampire Lord Form: While powerful, your vampire lord form is not indestructible.
• Can’t Use Certain Abilities: You cannot use normal abilities or equipment while in Vampire Lord form.

Dawnguard: Curing Vampirism

If you decide you no longer want to be a vampire, the Dawnguard DLC provides a method to cure yourself. To do this, you must:

1. Complete the Dawnguard Main Quest: Finish the Dawnguard questline on either side.
2. Speak to Falion: Once the questline is complete, find Falion in Morthal. Falion is a mage who is rumored to be able to perform rituals to undo unnatural acts.
3. Obtain a Black Soul Gem: He will require a black soul gem to be able to cure you. Black soul gems can be found throughout Skyrim in dungeons.
4. Perform the Ritual: After acquiring the necessary materials, speak to Falion, and he will perform a ritual to cure you of vampirism.

Final Thoughts

Becoming a vampire in Skyrim is a compelling and transformative experience. Whether you choose to embrace the night as a traditional vampire or harness the power of the Vampire Lord, this guide has provided you with the necessary information to navigate the world of the undead. Experiment with different playstyles, master your new abilities, and decide for yourself if the power of vampirism outweighs its risks. Happy hunting, traveler!