p So, you’ve tied the knot in Skyrim. Congratulations! You’ve braved dragons, giants, and the dreaded mudcrabs, and found someone special to share your adventures with. But maybe ’til death do us part’ isn’t quite long enough for you. Perhaps you envision an eternity of undeath, feasting on the blood of your enemies alongside your beloved. If that sounds like your cup of tea (or blood), then this guide is for you. We’re going to delve into the somewhat convoluted, occasionally buggy, but ultimately satisfying process of turning your spouse into a Vampire Lord in Skyrim, specifically using the Dawnguard DLC. /p
p Before we begin, a few disclaimers are in order: /p
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li /li This guide assumes you own the Dawnguard DLC. It’s essential for this process. /li
li /li Turning your spouse into a Vampire Lord isn’t officially supported by Bethesda. We’re exploiting game mechanics and potential loopholes, so proceed with caution. There’s a small risk of glitches or unexpected behavior. /li
li /li Make a backup save! Seriously. If something goes wrong, you’ll be grateful you have a save to revert to. This process can be finicky, and a backup save is your safety net. /li
li /li Not all spouses are created equal. Some spouses may be more receptive to this…transformation…than others. (Okay, they don’t actually have a say, but their dialogue might be amusing.) /li
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p With that out of the way, let’s get started! /p
h2 Prerequisites: /h2
ol
li /li **A Spouse:** Obviously. You can’t turn someone into a vampire if you’re not married to them. If you’re still single, head to Riften and speak to Maramal in the Temple of Mara. You’ll need to purchase an Amulet of Mara and then find a suitable spouse. Common choices include Lydia (your housecarl), Aela the Huntress (from the Companions), and Ysolda (in Whiterun). /li
li /li **Dawnguard DLC Completed (or at least progressed far enough):** You need to have progressed far enough in the Dawnguard questline to have access to Serana as a follower and the ability to become a Vampire Lord yourself. This usually means completing the quest “Bloodline”. /li
li /li **Serana as a Follower:** Serana is crucial for this process. She’s the key to initiating the transformation. /li
li /li **The Amulet of Mara:** You will need this item in your inventory./li
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h2 Step-by-Step Guide to Vampiric Matrimony: /h2
p This process can be a little delicate, so pay close attention to each step. /p
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li /li **Dismiss Your Current Follower:** If you have another follower with you, dismiss them. You need Serana and your spouse as the only followers. Head back to where you got your current follower, or tell them to wait at your house./li
li /li **Recruit Serana:** Make sure Serana is actively following you. If you’ve dismissed her at some point, find her at Fort Dawnguard (if you sided with the Dawnguard) or Volkihar Keep (if you sided with the vampires). /li
li /li **Find Your Spouse:** Locate your spouse. They’ll usually be at your house or running their shop (if they own one). /li
li /li **The Tricky Part: Dialogue and Positioning:** This is where things get a bit…unconventional. You need to position yourself, Serana, and your spouse in a specific way. The goal is to get Serana to target your spouse with her Vampire Lord transformation spell. This is easiest to do in a small area like inside a house. The smaller the better. /li
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li /li **Positioning:** Have your spouse stand relatively close to you. Then, position Serana slightly behind and to the side of you, facing your spouse. The distance is key here; Serana needs to be close enough to cast the spell but not so close that she’s engaging in melee combat. Experiment with the positioning. A good starting point is to have Serana about 5-10 feet away from your spouse. /li
li /li **Dialogue:** This is where the console commands (if you’re on PC) or strategic save scumming (if you’re on console) come in. The goal is to initiate a conversation with your spouse at the *exact* moment Serana begins casting her Vampire Lord transformation spell. This is incredibly difficult to time perfectly, which is why the next steps are so important. /li
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/li
li /li **Console Commands (PC Only):** If you’re playing on PC, you can use console commands to slow down time and make this process significantly easier. Open the console (usually with the tilde key `~`) and type `tfc 1` (this enables free camera mode). Then, type `slowtime 10` (this slows down time by a factor of 10). This will give you much more time to react and initiate the dialogue. To revert back to normal speed type `slowtime`. /li
li /li **The Transformation Attempt:** Now, the moment of truth. With Serana positioned, and (if on PC) slowtime enabled, spam the interact button (usually ‘E’ on PC or ‘A’ on Xbox/ ‘X’ on Playstation) to talk to your spouse and also make sure Serana is in range to cast the Vampire Lord Transformation spell. What you’re hoping for is that as you are initiating a dialogue, Serana starts to cast the spell at your spouse. /li
li /li **Listen Carefully:** Pay close attention to the audio cues. You want to hear the sound of Serana beginning to cast her Vampire Lord transformation spell *while* the dialogue box with your spouse is opening. /li
li /li **If it Works:** If you timed it correctly, you might see your spouse briefly flicker or display visual effects associated with the Vampire Lord transformation. The dialogue will likely be interrupted. If you are lucky, this means that you spouse will have a Vampiric appearance, such as glowing eyes. /li
li /li **If it Doesn’t Work:** Reload your save and try again. Adjust Serana’s position slightly and experiment with the timing of the dialogue initiation. This may take several attempts to get right. Persistence is key! /li
li /li **Post-Transformation Assessment:** If you’ve managed to trigger the transformation, observe your spouse carefully. Check their appearance for any visual changes (e.g., glowing eyes, a slightly paler complexion). Try initiating combat with them. If they transform into a Vampire Lord, congratulations! You’ve successfully turned your spouse into a creature of the night. However, it is unlikely that they will transform into a Vampire Lord. More likely, they will have some slight visual differences, and you can RP that they are a vampire. They will not have any of the powers of a vampire lord./li
li /li **Troubleshooting:** This process is notoriously buggy. Here are some common issues and potential solutions: /li
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li /li **Spouse Doesn’t Transform:** This is the most common outcome. Reload your save and try again, paying close attention to the timing and Serana’s positioning. /li
li /li **Spouse Becomes Hostile:** If your spouse attacks you after the transformation attempt, it likely means something went wrong with the game’s scripts. Reload your save. You can also try using a Calm spell on your spouse to stop them from attacking you./li
li /li **Game Crashes:** If the game crashes, it’s likely due to the script overload. Reload your save and try again. Make sure you have sufficient RAM and a stable system. /li
li /li **Serana Won’t Cast the Spell:** Make sure Serana is close enough to your spouse and that there are no obstructions in her line of sight. If she’s still not casting the spell, try dismissing her and re-recruiting her. /li
li /li **Spouse is stuck in Vampire Lord Form:** If you are extremely lucky, your spouse may get stuck in vampire lord form. If you are happy with this, then congratulations! If not, try reloading a previous save. /li
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h2 Additional Tips and Considerations: /h2
p Here are some extra tips to increase your chances of success and enhance your vampiric roleplay: /p
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li /li **Location, Location, Location:** Choose a small, enclosed space for the transformation attempt. Your house in Whiterun (Breezehome) is a good option, as is any small interior cell. Avoid open areas like plains or forests, as it will be much harder to control Serana’s positioning. /li
li /li **Boost Your Speech Skill:** A higher Speech skill can sometimes influence dialogue options and make it easier to initiate conversations at the right moment. /li
li /li **Experiment with Different Spells:** While Serana’s Vampire Lord transformation spell is the primary method, some players have reported success using other spells that cause visual effects, such as paralysis spells. However, these methods are even more unreliable than the Serana method. /li
li /li **Embrace the Roleplay:** Even if your spouse doesn’t fully transform into a Vampire Lord, you can still roleplay as if they have. Dress them in vampire-themed clothing, give them a dagger called ‘Fang’, and feed them blood potions. You can even install mods that add vampire-related dialogue options for spouses. /li
li /li **Mods:** There are mods that aim to make this process easier, or allow your spouse to become a fully fledged vampire. Do some searching on the Nexus and see if there’s anything to your liking!/li
/ul
h2 Consequences and Considerations:/h2
pBefore you take the plunge, there are a few more things to keep in mind:/p
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li /li **NPC Reactions:** Don’t expect the citizens of Skyrim to suddenly treat your spouse differently. They won’t recognize that your spouse is now (potentially) a creature of the night. This is purely a cosmetic and roleplaying experience. /li
li /li **Sunlight Weakness:** Your spouse will not suffer from sunlight weakness as a vampire. However, you could roleplay this yourself, and only take your spouse out at night!/li
li /li **Potential Bugs:** As mentioned earlier, this process is prone to bugs. Be prepared for unexpected behavior and have a backup save ready. /li
/ul
h2 Conclusion: /h2
p Turning your spouse into a Vampire Lord in Skyrim is a challenging, often frustrating, but ultimately rewarding experience. It requires patience, persistence, and a healthy dose of luck. While the results may not be perfect, it’s a fun way to add a unique twist to your Skyrim marriage and embrace the dark side of Tamriel. So, grab your Amulet of Mara, recruit Serana, and prepare for a lifetime (or unlife) of adventure with your vampiric spouse! Just remember to save often, and don’t blame us if things get a little…bloody. /p