Table of Contents

Can I Reverse Being a Vampire in Skyrim? The Definitive Guide

Absolutely! If you’ve found yourself walking the shadowed paths of a vampire in Skyrim, fear not, redemption is within reach. The game provides multiple avenues to cure your vampirism, allowing you to return to your mortal existence. You can use conventional methods, such as completing quests, visiting particular mage or even becoming a werewolf. Skyrim offers several ways to shake off the curse of vampirism.

Understanding Vampirism in Skyrim

Before diving into the cures, let’s briefly understand what it means to be a vampire in Skyrim. You contract vampirism through Sanguinare Vampiris, a disease that can be acquired from fighting vampires. If left untreated for three in-game days, it transforms you into a full-fledged vampire. This brings both benefits and drawbacks, like enhanced strength and resistance to diseases, but also weakness to sunlight and negative NPC reactions.

Methods to Cure Vampirism

1. The “Rising at Dawn” Quest with Falion

This is the most common and straightforward method to cure vampirism in Skyrim.

Find Falion: Locate Falion, a mage residing in Morthal.
Rumors and Quest Initiation: Speak to an innkeeper and ask for rumors. They should direct you to Falion. This will start the quest “Rising at Dawn.”
Gather a Filled Black Soul Gem: You’ll need a filled Black Soul Gem. These gems can trap human souls and are often found in areas frequented by necromancers or can be purchased from Falion himself.
The Ritual: Meet Falion at the summoning stones located just outside Morthal at dawn. Give him the filled Black Soul Gem, and he will perform a ritual to cleanse you of vampirism.
Repeatable Cure: This process can be repeated if you ever become a vampire again, making it a reliable solution.

2. Becoming a Werewolf Through the Companions

Another way to cure vampirism is by embracing lycanthropy.

Join the Companions: Head to Whiterun and join the Companions faction.
Progress Through the Questline: Complete the Companions’ questline until you are offered the chance to become a werewolf.
Embrace Lycanthropy: Accepting the beast blood will cure your vampirism and grant you the ability to transform into a werewolf.
Disease Immunity: Werewolves are immune to all diseases, including vampirism.

3. Curing Vampirism as a Vampire Lord

If you’ve become a Vampire Lord through the Dawnguard DLC, the process is slightly different. You still seek out Falion, but the context is tied to your Vampire Lord status. The process remains the same: acquire a filled Black Soul Gem and undergo Falion’s ritual.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How many times can I become a vampire lord after curing myself?

If you have the Dawnguard DLC installed, Serana can transform you into a Vampire Lord multiple times. However, she can only do this if you convince her not to cure herself of vampirism at the end of the questline.

2. Can I join the Dawnguard after curing vampirism?

Yes, you can join the Dawnguard after curing your vampirism. Your past as a vampire doesn’t disqualify you from aligning with this faction of vampire hunters.

3. Will Serana still follow me if I cure my vampirism?

Yes, Serana will still follow you even after you cure your vampirism. However, if you convince her to cure her own vampirism, she loses most of her vampiric powers.

4. Why won’t Falion cure me?

There might be a few reasons why Falion isn’t curing you:

Incorrect Dialogue: Ensure you’re selecting the correct dialogue options related to curing vampirism. If the options aren’t available, try leaving Morthal and returning.
Missing Black Soul Gem: Make sure you have a filled Black Soul Gem in your inventory.
Time of Day: Ensure you’re meeting Falion at the summoning stones at dawn (around 5 AM to 6 AM).

5. Is it better to join the vampires or Dawnguard?

The choice depends on your playstyle and preferences:

Vampires (Volkihar Clan): Offers unique vampire abilities, the Vampire Lord transformation, and access to Castle Volkihar. However, comes with increased vulnerability to sunlight.
Dawnguard: Provides access to powerful weapons, armor, and spells specifically designed for vampire hunting. A good choice if you prefer fighting against vampires.

6. Will Serana leave if I cure her vampirism?

No, Serana will not leave permanently if you convince her to seek a cure for her vampirism. After you suggest it, she will leave your company temporarily to seek a cure. She will then returns to Fort Dawnguard a few in-game days later.

7. What are the disadvantages of being a vampire in Skyrim?

The main disadvantages include:

Weakness to Sunlight: Reduced health, stamina, and magicka regeneration during the day. Advanced stages of vampirism significantly amplify these effects.
NPC Hostility: NPCs may become hostile, especially if you are in the later stages of vampirism.
Ugly Eyes: The visual effects can be quite unappealing.

8. Is it worth it to be a vampire in Skyrim?

Being a vampire offers some advantages:

Increased Strength: Vampires gain increased strength and stamina.
Resistances: Resistance to disease and poison.
Nightstalker’s Footsteps: Increased stealth in the dark.

Whether these benefits outweigh the disadvantages depends on your play style. Stealth-focused characters may find the bonuses more valuable.

9. What should I say to Serana to cure her?

To trigger the dialogue option for Serana to seek a cure, after completing the main Dawnguard questline, choose the dialogue option “Are you alright?” instead of directly asking her about a cure. This will eventually allow you to convince her to seek a cure at Fort Dawnguard after her father is dead.

10. Can you marry Serana?

Without mods, you cannot marry Serana in Skyrim. She is not flagged as a marriageable NPC in the base game. However, numerous mods, such as the “Marriable Serana” mod by C0drm0nk33, enable you to marry her.

11. Should I take Lord Harkon’s blood?

Accepting Lord Harkon’s blood turns you into a Vampire Lord, granting access to powerful abilities and the Vampire Lord transformation. However, it also comes with the aforementioned drawbacks of vampirism, so consider your play style before making this decision.

12. Why am I still a vampire in Skyrim?

If you’ve contracted Sanguinare Vampiris but haven’t become a full vampire yet, you need to cure the disease before the three-day period ends. If you’re already a vampire, you must follow the “Rising at Dawn” quest or become a werewolf.

13. Is it bad to cure Serana?

Curing Serana has both advantages and disadvantages:

Disadvantages: She loses her 100% resistance to frost and poison, and she can no longer turn you into a Vampire Lord.
Advantages: Curing her is the right thing to do and allows you to complete the quest without any negative effects.

14. What happens to Serana if you side with the Dawnguard?

If you side with the Dawnguard, Serana will still become your follower. She will assist you in your quest to defeat Harkon and uncover the secrets of the ancient vampires. Your choice doesn’t remove Serana.

15. What happens if you give the bow to Harkon?

Whether you give Auriel’s Bow to Harkon or refuse, he will eventually attack you. Giving him the bow does not change the ultimate outcome, and you will still have to defeat him.

Conclusion

Being a vampire in Skyrim can be a thrilling experience, offering unique powers and a different perspective on the game world. However, the drawbacks can be significant, and you may eventually desire a return to your mortal life. Fortunately, Skyrim provides multiple ways to cure vampirism, ensuring that you can always choose your own destiny. Whether you seek out Falion, embrace lycanthropy, or explore the Dawnguard questline, the path to reversing your vampirism is within your reach.

For more insights into the educational value of gaming and its impact on learning, consider visiting the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org.

Can I reverse being a vampire in Skyrim?