Can You Cure Being a Vampire Lord in Skyrim? A Comprehensive Guide
Yes, you absolutely can cure being a Vampire Lord in Skyrim. The process is similar to curing regular vampirism and involves seeking the help of Falion in Morthal. You’ll need a filled Black Soul Gem to complete the ritual. Let’s dive into the details and explore everything you need to know about this transformative process, including answers to frequently asked questions.
The Cure for Vampirism: Step-by-Step
The journey back to humanity involves a few key steps:
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Contracting Vampirism: First, you need to be a Vampire Lord. This typically happens during the Dawnguard DLC questline. Choose to accept the gift from Lord Harkon or Serana.
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Finding Falion: Locate Falion, a mage residing in Morthal. He’s known for his expertise in soul magic and is your key to reversing the transformation. He usually wanders around Morthal but can also be found at his home.
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Rumors and Dialogue: Speak to an innkeeper anywhere in Skyrim and ask about rumors. Eventually, you’ll hear about Falion and his unique abilities. This triggers a dialogue option with Falion himself, initiating the quest to cure your vampirism.
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Acquiring a Black Soul Gem: You’ll need a Black Soul Gem, and it needs to be filled. These gems can trap the souls of sentient beings (humans, elves, etc.). You can find empty Black Soul Gems in various locations, such as within vampire lairs or from certain merchants. Filling them requires the Soul Trap spell and a humanoid target to cast it on before they die.
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The Ritual: Once you have a filled Black Soul Gem, speak to Falion again. He will take the gem and instruct you to meet him at a summoning circle just outside of Morthal at dawn. Wait until dawn and meet Falion at the marked location. After a brief conversation, Falion will perform the ritual, curing you of your Vampire Lord status.
Important Considerations
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Multiple Cures: You can repeat this process multiple times. If you become a Vampire Lord again (through Serana, for example), you can return to Falion for another cure.
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Consequences of Siding with Vampires: Be mindful of the consequences of siding with the Volkihar Clan. While the Vampire Lord form is powerful, it comes with drawbacks, such as vulnerability to sunlight and potential hostility from certain NPCs.
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Serana’s Role: Serana plays a significant role in both becoming and potentially curing vampirism (both for yourself and, ultimately, for her). Her arc is one of the most compelling aspects of the Dawnguard DLC.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Curing Vampire Lord
Here are some of the most common questions players have about curing their Vampire Lord status in Skyrim:
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How many times can you cure Vampire Lord?
You can cure your Vampire Lord status as many times as you want, provided you have a filled Black Soul Gem each time and Falion is willing to perform the ritual.
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Can you cure Vampire Lord and still join the Dawnguard?
Yes, you can absolutely cure your vampirism to join or continue with the Dawnguard. In fact, it’s often a requirement to progress through their questline, as they are vehemently opposed to vampires.
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How do you stop being a Vampire Lord in combat?
To revert from Vampire Lord form, access your Powers menu (usually by pressing the “Up” directional button) and select “Revert Form”. Then, use your Shout button. There may be a short delay before the transformation completes.
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Is Vampire Lord or Werewolf better?
This is subjective and depends on your playstyle. Vampire Lords are often considered stronger, especially at higher levels with the right perks, due to their powerful spells and abilities. Werewolves offer raw physical strength and immunity to diseases but lack the versatility of the Vampire Lord form. For more in-depth discussions on the educational applications of games like Skyrim, consider exploring resources from organizations like the Games Learning Society (link: https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/). Their work highlights how complex games foster problem-solving and strategic thinking skills.
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Can I become a Vampire Lord again after being cured?
Yes, if Serana is still a vampire, she can turn you back into a Vampire Lord at any time before she herself is cured.
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Why won’t Falion cure me?
Ensure you’ve progressed far enough in the questline by speaking to an innkeeper and hearing the rumor about him. Also, make sure you have a filled Black Soul Gem in your inventory. If he’s not offering the dialogue option, try fast traveling away from Morthal and then returning.
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Can Falion cure me more than once?
Yes, Falion can cure you multiple times, as long as you provide him with a filled Black Soul Gem each time.
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Can I become a Vampire Lord whenever I want?
You can become a Vampire Lord as part of the Bloodline quest. Even if you initially side with the Dawnguard, Serana can turn you later.
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Can you join Dawnguard as a vampire?
You can join the Dawnguard initially as a vampire, but you will eventually be asked to cure yourself to continue the questline. They won’t give you any further quests until you do.
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What are the disadvantages of being a vampire in Skyrim?
The major disadvantages include weakness to sunlight (reduced health, stamina, and magicka regeneration) and potential hostility from NPCs, especially at later stages of vampirism.
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Can you marry Serana?
Officially, no. The base game Skyrim does not allow you to marry Serana. You need to use mods to marry her.
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Will Serana follow you forever?
If you complete the entire Dawnguard questline, Serana becomes a permanent follower.
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Is Serana weaker after being cured?
Functionally, no. Curing Serana does not impact her combat abilities. The GamesLearningSociety.org often discusses the narrative implications of choices within games, such as this one, highlighting how player decisions can impact the overall experience and character development.
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Does Serana like the Dragonborn?
While the relationship is not overtly romantic (without mods), Serana expresses gratitude and seems to enjoy spending time with the Dragonborn. Her dialogue often hints at a deeper connection.
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Who is the most powerful vampire in Skyrim?
Without DLC, the Volkihar Master Vampire is a strong opponent. With DLC, the title goes to Lord Harkon, due to his unique powers and abilities.
Conclusion
In conclusion, curing your Vampire Lord status in Skyrim is a manageable process. You can embrace the role of a vampire as much as you want, then switch back to a normal human whenever you want. By following the outlined steps and addressing any potential roadblocks with the information provided in this comprehensive guide, you can successfully navigate the complex world of vampirism in Skyrim. Now, go forth and determine your own fate.