Unveiling Serana’s Hood: A Skyrim Style Guide

Serana, the enigmatic vampire companion from the Dawnguard DLC in Skyrim, sports a unique hooded appearance that has intrigued players for years. The hood she wears is a variant of the Thieves Guild/Guild Master’s Hood, but with key differences. It’s characterized by a grey color palette and a baggier design in the back. While the Guild Master’s Hood comes closest in appearance, Serana’s version is distinct and not directly obtainable by the player through normal gameplay.

Serana’s Outfit and Armor Preferences

Understanding Serana’s hood requires a deeper dive into her overall clothing preferences and how the game’s mechanics influence her choices.

Light Armor Preference

Serana prefers light armor. This is a crucial factor when considering alternative armor for her. Equipping her with light armor enchanted with Muffle and Fortify Sneak will enhance her already impressive stealth capabilities.

Default Vampire Lord Armor

Serana begins the game equipped with Royal Vampire Armor, a unique set tailored for female characters. This armor offers decent protection, so any replacement must be an upgrade to entice her to switch.

Alternative Armor Options

If you wish to outfit Serana in different armor, you’ll need to consider its armor rating relative to her default gear. Popular choices include the Forsworn armor set, but tempering it is often necessary to make it a worthwhile upgrade. This means investing in smithing skills and resources to improve the armor’s protective qualities. Serana is capable of wearing both light and heavy armor, but it has to be an upgrade for her to equip it.

The Hood Dilemma: Circlets and Fast Travel

Many players have attempted to remove Serana’s hood by equipping her with a circlet. While this often works initially, the effect is frequently temporary. After fast traveling, Serana often reverts to wearing her hood, unequipping the circlet. This behavior is due to the game’s scripting and how it manages her default outfit.

Understanding Hoods in Skyrim

To further clarify Serana’s unique headwear, it’s important to understand the general availability and types of hoods within Skyrim.

Black Hoods and the Blackguard’s Set

A black hood exists within the game as part of the Blackguard’s Armor set. This set is found in the basement of Glover Mallory’s house in Raven Rock, accessible after completing the “Paid in Full” quest.

Other Hood Variations

While Serana’s specific hood isn’t directly obtainable, Skyrim offers several hood variations. These include the Redguard hood (turban), and regular hoods found throughout the game world. Unfortunately, none of these exactly replicate Serana’s unique grey and baggy design.

FAQs: Unraveling the Mystery of Serana’s Hood

Here are some frequently asked questions to provide further insight into Serana’s clothing, behavior, and related topics:

1. Why won’t Serana wear Daedric armor?

   Serana will wear Daedric armor if its armor rating is higher than her default Royal Vampire Armor. Ensure the Daedric armor is of superior quality and has been tempered to maximize its protective value.

2. Is there a way to permanently remove Serana’s hood without mods?

   Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed vanilla method to permanently remove Serana’s hood. The circlet trick is unreliable due to the game’s scripting. Mods offer the most reliable solution.

3. Does Serana benefit from armor enchantments?

   Yes, Serana benefits from armor enchantments. Enchants like Muffle, Fortify Sneak, and resistances can significantly improve her combat effectiveness and stealth capabilities.

4. What is Serana’s combat style?

   Serana primarily utilizes magic, including spells like Raise Zombie, drain life spells, and ice magic. She also resorts to melee combat when enemies get too close.

5. Can Serana be cured of vampirism?

   Yes, Serana can be cured of vampirism after completing the Dawnguard DLC. She can be brought to Falion in Morthal, who will perform a ritual to cure her.

6. What are the consequences of curing Serana?

   Curing Serana removes her 100% resistance to frost and poison and prevents her from turning you into a Vampire Lord. Some players also report her gaining undesirable visual traits, such as jaundiced eyes, even after being cured.

7. Is Serana a romance option in Skyrim?

   No, Serana is not a romanceable character in the vanilla version of Skyrim. Despite the close bond the player develops with her, marriage is not an option without using mods.

8. Can Serana die?

   Serana cannot die in the traditional sense. Like most followers, she enters a “kneeling” state when her health is depleted, recovering after combat.

9. Why is Serana always crouching?

   Sometimes, Serana will get stuck in sneak mode, which can be very annoying for players. Killing your own reanimated zombies while sneaking may cause Serana to stuck in sneak mode. She will sneak constantly or use “stealth roll” to move around. To trigger this go in sneak mode, hit your own reanimated zombie with sneak attacks until zombie goes hostile and then kill it with killcam move.

10. Is Serana affected by Dawnbreaker’s explosion?

    In the unmodded game, Serana is vulnerable to the Dawnbreaker‘s explosion effect when killing undead. Certain mods offer protection, making her immune to the AoE damage.

11. What is the rarest item in Skyrim?

    Some rare items in Skyrim include the Master Sword, Champion’s Tunic, And Hylian Shield Set, and the Roasted Ox Head.

12. Is Serana good or bad?

    Serana’s alignment can be described as somewhere between Chaotic Neutral and Lawful Good. While she has vampire traits, she values truth and integrity and ultimately fights against evil.

13. How to improve my relationship with Serana?

    To improve the relationship with Serana, players should side with her during quests, respect her opinions, and engage in meaningful conversations with her.

14. Can Serana give you vampirism?

    Serana can give you vampirism if you ask her to turn you into a Vampire Lord. This is part of the Dawnguard DLC questline.

15. Is Serana hostile?

    Under normal circumstances, Serana is not hostile. However, certain actions, such as attacking her or accidentally harming her summons, can trigger her hostility.

Conclusion

While Serana’s hood remains a unique and unobtainable item within Skyrim, understanding her armor preferences, the game’s mechanics, and available alternatives can help players customize her appearance to their liking. Remember that her default Royal Vampire Armor is quite strong, so be ready to invest in improving any replacement armor.

The complexities of game design and character customization often spark interesting discussions and community creations. If you’re interested in further exploring the intersection of games and learning, be sure to visit the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/. You can learn more about the research being done in games and learning, and get more involved.