Can You Make Aela the Huntress a Vampire in Skyrim?
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The short, disappointing answer is no, you cannot make Aela the Huntress a vampire in the base game of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. This beloved character, known for her prowess as a warrior and a prominent member of the Companions, possesses a biological trait that makes her immune to vampirism: she is a werewolf. This inherent immunity stems from the fact that both lycanthropy and vampirism are considered “diseases” within the game’s mechanics, and one cannot contract the other while under the influence of the first.
While the idea of transforming Aela into a powerful vampire warrior might seem intriguing, the game’s design explicitly prevents it. Many fans have voiced their desire to see this transformation, but unfortunately, it remains an impossible scenario without the use of mods.
Understanding the Immunities
The core reason behind Aela’s vampirism immunity lies in her lycanthropic state. All werewolves, including other members of the Companions like Vilkas and Farkas, are immune to contracting vampirism. The game mechanics essentially treat these as mutually exclusive conditions. Once you become a werewolf, the potential to contract the “disease” of vampirism is negated. This makes narrative sense as well. Lycanthropy is the gift of Hircine, and the curse of Vampirism is often in conflict with the nature of lycanthropy.
Why the Desire to Turn Aela?
Aela the Huntress is a fan-favorite character for several reasons. She’s a skilled archer, a confident warrior, and one of the most popular marriage candidates in the game. Her unique personality and strong presence make her a compelling companion, and many players are drawn to the idea of enhancing her abilities further. The notion of a vampire Aela, with her already impressive combat skills amplified, is a tempting thought for many Skyrim players. It’s a unique combination that players would love to see, but cannot.
Alternative Paths and Considerations
While you cannot turn Aela into a vampire, it’s worth exploring other related topics:
Hybrid Status: Werewolf and Vampire
Although Aela cannot become a vampire due to her werewolf status, a complex leveling exploit exists that allows players to become both a werewolf and a vampire hybrid at the same time. However, it’s difficult to achieve and isn’t intended behavior from the game developers. Most players ultimately choose only one, or neither.
Turning Other Followers
It is possible to turn some NPC followers into vampires through the Dawnguard DLC, after becoming a vampire yourself. However, this is a path that requires significant gameplay and is not available for all followers. For example, Lydia, your housecarl, can be turned into a vampire, which would alter her appearence and stats, giving her increased abilities and vampire weaknesses.
Other Marriable Vampire Candidates
If your goal is to have a vampire spouse, you could choose Ysolda, a merchant in Whiterun. She is a popular choice among players for her unique vampire appearance and the ease of marrying her.
The Popularity of Aela
Aela is considered by many to be one of the most appealing characters in Skyrim as a follower and as a spouse. This is partly because she is an essential character, meaning she cannot permanently die without special game mechanics, making her ideal to take into combat.
Serana: A Pureblood Vampire Follower
If you’re seeking a powerful vampire follower, Serana is often considered the best choice. She’s a pureblood vampire and a powerful mage. Serana is a unique and well-developed character introduced in the Dawnguard DLC.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some common questions players have regarding Aela, vampirism, and Skyrim in general:
1. Is Aela the Huntress a good follower?
Yes, Aela is an excellent follower. She is a skilled archer, can use melee weapons, and is considered an essential character, so she cannot permanently die during combat. This makes her a reliable companion for various adventures.
2. Can I marry Aela the Huntress?
Yes, Aela is a very popular choice for marriage. You need to complete the Companions questline to marry her, and while she is a werewolf at the start of her questline, you can cure your lycanthropy to marry her.
3. Can Aela the Huntress die?
As an essential character, Aela can be brought to her knees during combat, but she cannot permanently die unless you use specific in-game exploits or console commands. She’s one of the safest followers you can have.
4. What are the advantages of marrying Aela the Huntress?
Marrying Aela provides a reliable and combat-capable spouse, granting free archery training. As a follower she can carry a large amount of items, and can also provide you with bed rest for well-rested buffs. She is an excellent companion both in battle and at home.
5. Can other Companions members become vampires?
No. Like Aela, Vilkas and Farkas are also werewolves and thus immune to vampirism. The other companions that are not werewolves can become vampires, but as a quest reward you will only be able to have one or the other and you will never see them as a vampire on their own.
6. What are the downsides of becoming a vampire in Skyrim?
The major downside is the weakness to sunlight, which prevents health, stamina, and magicka regeneration. There is also a social penalty if players are in the fourth stage of vampirism, because NPCs will often turn hostile.
7. How can I cure vampirism in Skyrim?
To cure vampirism, you need to speak with Falion in Morthal. He will perform a ritual to remove the vampiric curse. This can be done multiple times if you become a vampire again.
8. Can I become a Vampire Lord?
Yes, players can become a Vampire Lord through the Dawnguard DLC. You will get two opportunities to do this: from Lord Harkon in “Bloodline” and then from Serana during “Chasing Echoes”
9. What is the best vampire follower in Skyrim?
Most players agree that Serana is the best vampire follower due to her powerful skills in destruction, conjuration, one-handed combat, and light armor. She also has a compelling backstory and unique dialogue.
10. Can I be a werewolf and a vampire at the same time?
While the game mechanics usually prevent this, there are glitches that allow players to become a hybrid werewolf-vampire. This involves a specific set of steps but will be more of a glitch rather than a standard mechanic.
11. Is there a mod to turn Aela into a vampire?
Yes, there are mods available on platforms like Nexus Mods that may allow you to turn Aela into a vampire. However, this is not possible without these mods.
12. Can Lydia become a vampire?
Yes, Lydia is one of the followers that can be turned into a vampire, provided you are a Vampire Lord and she is following you.
13. Who is the most loving wife in Skyrim?
Many players find Muiri in Markarth to be the most loving spouse, because she is known for her loving and caring dialogue. Though others feel it is Aela, as she is confident, strong, and kind.
14. What are some popular marriage options besides Aela?
Other popular marriage options include Ysolda, Mjoll the Lioness, and Lydia. Each has unique dialogue, traits and personality.
15. What causes Aela to become invisible in Skyrim?
Aela can become invisible if you have incompatible mods installed. In particular, issues can arise from using both the Diverse Werewolves Collection and Bijin Warmaidens mods simultaneously, so the specific patch that corrects this should be used.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while it’s impossible to turn Aela the Huntress into a vampire in the vanilla game, there are still many exciting possibilities and characters to explore within Skyrim. Her status as a beloved character and a powerful companion keeps her a fan-favorite. While mods can open doors to alternate scenarios, it is still impossible to turn Aela into a vampire without them.