Curing Vampirism in Skyrim: Beyond Falion’s Reach
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So, you’ve contracted Sanguinare Vampiris, or perhaps you’ve embraced the full power of vampirism, but you’re looking for a cure that doesn’t involve the enigmatic mage Falion in Morthal? While Falion is the go-to NPC for the quest “Rising at Dawn,” there are alternative paths to shedding your undead skin in Skyrim. The methods available to you depend heavily on the stage of vampirism you’re in. In the early stages, it’s straightforward. But, after fully transforming, options become scarce. However, they aren’t non-existent. Let’s explore those options.
Initial Infection: Before the Thirst Takes Over
Potions of Cure Disease and Praying at Shrines
The easiest, and frankly, preferable method is to cure the Sanguinare Vampiris disease before you fully turn. Remember, you have a three-day window from the moment you’re infected until you become a full-fledged vampire. During this grace period, Potions of Cure Disease are your best friend. You can find these potions readily available at most apothecaries throughout Skyrim, loot them from dungeons, or even craft them yourself if you have the Alchemy skill.
Additionally, you can pray at a shrine. Activate any of the numerous shrines dedicated to the Divines scattered across the world. Shrines located within temples and holds are generally safer bets. A blessing received will automatically remove any diseases you’re suffering from, including Sanguinare Vampiris.
Console Commands (PC Only)
If you’re playing on PC, you have access to the almighty console commands. These commands essentially allow you to manipulate the game world directly. Use these if you find yourself in a pinch. Keep in mind that achievements are disabled if you use console commands. However, there are mods to solve this particular issue.
Removing Sanguinare Vampiris:
To instantly remove the Sanguinare Vampiris disease, open the console (usually by pressing the ~ key) and type:
player.removespell 000B8780
Curing Full Vampirism:
While Falion’s quest is the intended route, console commands can bypass it. Here are a few options:
- Progress the Quest: You can manually advance the “Rising at Dawn” quest to the stage where you’re cured. Open the console and type:
setstage 000EAFD5 200
This command essentially completes the quest, removing vampirism.
- Change Race: Forcefully changing your race resets your character, effectively wiping away vampirism. Open the console and type:
showracemenu
Be warned: This method resets your character’s appearance and skills. So, you’ll need to re-customize them. It also may have unintended consequences, so save your game beforehand.
The Werewolf Route
This isn’t strictly a “cure” for vampirism, but more like a replacement. If you complete the Companions questline in Whiterun, you will be offered Lycanthropy. Accepting the beast blood will overwrite your vampirism. You would need to proceed far enough along the questline to become a werewolf, and that has its own set of drawbacks.
Why Falion is Usually the Best Option
While these alternative methods exist, Falion’s questline is generally the most stable and bug-free way to cure vampirism in Skyrim. It’s a designed and tested mechanic. He is there to help you deal with the problems with vampirism that are hard to deal with otherwise.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I cure vampirism after becoming a Vampire Lord?
Yes, you can cure vampirism even after becoming a Vampire Lord. You’ll still need to follow the same methods – either visit Falion, use console commands, or embrace Lycanthropy. However, note that curing vampirism will remove your Vampire Lord powers granted by the Dawnguard questline.
2. What happens if I don’t cure Sanguinare Vampiris in time?
If you don’t cure Sanguinare Vampiris within three in-game days, you’ll become a full-fledged vampire. This brings on both advantages and disadvantages. This includes sunlight weakness, increased skill levels, and access to vampire abilities.
3. Where can I find Potions of Cure Disease?
Potions of Cure Disease can be found at apothecaries, in chests, or by looting enemies. You can also craft them yourself if you have the Alchemy skill. Common ingredients include Charred Skeever Hide, Mudcrab Chitin, and Vampire Dust.
4. Does being a werewolf prevent me from becoming a vampire?
Yes, Lycanthropy and Vampirism are mutually exclusive. You cannot be both a werewolf and a vampire at the same time. Becoming a werewolf will cure any existing vampirism.
5. Can I get vampirism again after being cured?
Yes, you can contract Sanguinare Vampiris again. To be cautious, avoid fighting vampires without disease resistance. Additionally, take potions to counteract disease after taking damage from enemies.
6. Is there a downside to using console commands to cure vampirism?
Using console commands can disable achievements and may cause unforeseen bugs or glitches in your game. It is generally a good idea to save your game before using them.
7. What if Falion isn’t appearing in Morthal?
Falion should be in Morthal. Try waiting, fast traveling away, and then fast traveling back to Morthal. Make sure you’re checking around his house and the nearby area. If he still isn’t there, you can use console commands to force him to appear, but it’s better to avoid that if possible.
8. Can I cure Serana of her vampirism?
Yes, you can convince Serana to seek a cure for her vampirism after completing the Dawnguard questline. The dialogue option will only appear if you have already cured yourself and completed the questline.
9. What are the stages of vampirism in Skyrim?
There are four stages of vampirism. As you advance through the stages, your vampire powers become stronger, but your weakness to sunlight also increases. Feeding on blood decreases your stage.
10. Can I join the Dawnguard as a vampire?
You can join the Dawnguard as a vampire, but Isran will insist you cure yourself before proceeding too far into the questline.
11. What’s the difference between Sanguinare Vampiris and being a full vampire?
Sanguinare Vampiris is the disease that leads to vampirism. It has a cure. Once the three-day window has passed, and you have become a full vampire, you have more powers and weaknesses than you do with the disease.
12. Is it better to be a vampire or a werewolf in Skyrim?
It depends on your play style. Vampires gain access to potent magical abilities and stealth bonuses, but suffer from sunlight weakness. Werewolves are powerful melee fighters with immense strength, but are unable to access their normal skills while transformed.
13. Does race affect vampirism in Skyrim?
Yes, your race can affect your initial vampire stats. For example, Dunmer (Dark Elves) have innate fire resistance, which can help offset the weakness to fire that vampires have.
14. Why won’t the innkeepers give me the quest to talk to Falion?
If you’ve already started the Dawnguard questline, the innkeepers may not offer the quest “Rising at Dawn.” You can still go directly to Falion in Morthal to initiate the quest.
15. How can I learn more about the mechanics of Skyrim and other video games?
Understanding the mechanics of games, like Skyrim, can be incredibly enriching. Resources like the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org can provide deeper insights into the design, development, and impact of video games.
Hopefully, this guide has given you the information you need to deal with vampirism.