Can You Have Your Own Child in Skyrim? The Adoption Route and Beyond
Unfortunately, the answer is a straightforward no. In the vanilla version of Skyrim, your Dragonborn cannot biologically sire or bear children. The game mechanics simply do not support this feature. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t experience parenthood! Adoption is a core element of the Hearthfire DLC, providing players with the opportunity to bring orphaned children into their homes and lives. While these children are not biologically related to you, they offer a rich layer of role-playing and domestic life within the game.
Adoption in Skyrim: A Heartwarming Alternative
The adoption system in Skyrim is designed to be accessible and relatively simple. To adopt, you first need a suitable home. This means you must own a house with a child’s bedroom or have built a house with the Hearthfire DLC that includes beds and chests for children. Once you have the necessary accommodations, you can visit the Honorhall Orphanage in Riften or look for orphaned children in various cities throughout Skyrim.
Once you’ve found a child you wish to adopt, speak with them, and if you meet the requirements, you’ll have the option to offer them a home. After they accept, they will move into your house and become part of your family. Adopted children bring a sense of liveliness to your home, offering unique interactions, gifts, and even the occasional pet.
Expanding Parenthood with Mods
While the base game limits you to adoption, the vast modding community for Skyrim offers numerous ways to expand your parental experience. Several mods introduce options for romancing Serana, adopting non-human children like Khajiit or Argonian, and even adding more depth to the existing adoption system. However, be aware that mods introducing biological children are complex and often unsupported, potentially leading to glitches or instability in your game.
Frequently Asked Questions About Children in Skyrim
Here are 15 frequently asked questions about having children in Skyrim, providing additional valuable information for players interested in experiencing parenthood within the game:
1. What kind of child should I adopt in Skyrim?
The choice is entirely yours! Vanilla Skyrim offers several human children available for adoption, each with their own background and personality. Sofie in Windhelm and Lucia in Whiterun are popular choices due to their particularly dire circumstances. If you prefer a boy, consider Alesan in Dawnstar. Additionally, many mods introduce adoptable children of various races, allowing you to expand your family in diverse ways.
2. Can my adopted child grow up in Skyrim?
Sadly, no. In both the vanilla game and with most mods, adopted children will remain children. They will not grow up or age, preserving the family dynamic you establish upon adoption.
3. Can you adopt a child in Skyrim without being married?
Yes, you do not need to be married to adopt a child in Skyrim. All that is required is a suitable home with a child’s bedroom or beds and chests in your self-built house.
4. What happens if I adopt a child in Skyrim?
Adopting a child in Skyrim brings a unique dimension to your gameplay. Your home will feel more lived-in, and you’ll receive gifts from your child occasionally. They might also bring home pets, adding further to the atmosphere of your household. Interacting with your adopted child provides heartwarming moments and adds depth to your character’s role-playing experience.
5. Can you have multiple wives in Skyrim?
No, you can only have one spouse in Skyrim. Even if your spouse dies, you cannot remarry within the base game.
6. Can you adopt a Khajiit child in Skyrim?
In the vanilla game, no. However, mods like “Khajiit Child Ma’isha” introduce adoptable Khajiit children, allowing you to adopt a Khajiit orphan and provide them with a loving home.
7. What can I gift my child in Skyrim?
You can gift your child various items, including:
- A dagger (any type).
- A wooden sword.
- A child’s doll.
- Items of children’s clothing.
Gifting items to your child is a small way to interact with them and enrich their in-game experience.
8. Can I adopt Aventus Aretino?
Yes, with the Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch (USSEP) or compatible mods, you can adopt Aventus Aretino after completing the “Innocence Lost” quest. Simply speak to him in the Aretino Residence or, if you have USSEP installed, at the Honorhall Orphanage.
9. Can Serana have children?
In the vanilla game, Serana cannot have children, nor can she be married. However, there are mods that allow you to romance Serana. Although some mods might exist to enable Serana to have children, they are often unsupported and potentially unstable.
10. Why can’t I adopt Lucia in Skyrim?
Ensure you have the necessary requirements to adopt. This includes having a home expansion with a child’s bedroom and a “Child’s Bed” and “Child’s Chest” built. Without these items, the adoption option will not be available.
11. How do you get a pet in Skyrim?
You can find stray dogs throughout Skyrim and recruit them as animal companions. If you bring a dog to a Hearthfire home with children, they will ask to adopt it, and it will become a family pet.
12. How many kids can you adopt in Skyrim?
The maximum number of children you can adopt in Skyrim is two, regardless of the house you use. You can also choose to have each child live in a different house if you have multiple properties.
13. Can you get a Khajiit wife in Skyrim?
While you can marry a female Argonian named Shahvee, there are no Khajiit that can be married in the vanilla version of Skyrim. However, modders have created some mods that allows to marry a Khajiit.
14. Are there any Orc children in Skyrim?
There are no Orc children found in the vanilla game. As a result, the Dragonborn is not able to adopt an Orc child without the use of mods.
15. Can your spouse divorce you in Skyrim If your wife dies?
There is no divorce feature in Skyrim. Marriage is permanent. Once a spouse has died, you cannot remarry in the vanilla game.
Embracing the Adoptive Life in Skyrim
While Skyrim doesn’t allow you to have biological children, the adoption system offers a meaningful way to experience parenthood within the game. The interactions, responsibilities, and heartwarming moments that come with adopting a child provide a unique and fulfilling aspect to your Dragonborn’s journey. Embrace the adoptive life and create a family that reflects your character’s values and desires. Remember that mods can further enhance this experience, adding depth and variety to your parental role-playing. Exploring the interactions between NPCs in video games may have an impact on social behaviors, such as prosocial behavior, aggression, and social bias (e.g., prejudice). For additional research in that area, feel free to visit the Games Learning Society website, GamesLearningSociety.org.