Dawnguard or Vampires: Which Skyrim Faction Should You Choose?

The choice between joining the Dawnguard or the Volkihar vampires in Skyrim’s Dawnguard DLC is a pivotal one, shaping your character’s abilities, role-playing experience, and the overall tone of your adventure. There’s no single “best” answer; the ideal faction depends entirely on your playstyle, preferred character build, and personal preferences. Ultimately, if you prefer a heroic, sun-loving vampire hunter, choose the Dawnguard. If you crave immense vampiric power and embrace the darkness, the Volkihar vampires are for you.

Dawnguard: Slayers of the Undead

The Dawnguard is a fortified order of vampire hunters dedicated to eradicating the undead menace, particularly the Volkihar clan led by the ancient vampire lord Harkon. Joining them offers a distinct “good guy” playthrough, focusing on righteous vengeance and protecting the innocent from bloodthirsty creatures of the night.

Key Benefits of Joining the Dawnguard:

• Powerful Crossbows: The Dawnguard provides access to unique and incredibly effective crossbows, especially devastating against vampires. Enhanced crossbows and exploding bolts further amplify their lethality.
• Armored Trolls and Huskies: You can recruit armored trolls and huskies as loyal companions, offering significant combat support, particularly in melee encounters.
• Sun Damage Immunity (Partial): While not immune to the sun, Dawnguard members suffer no penalties while using the Auriel’s Bow with Sunhallowed Elven Arrows, allowing for devastating ranged attacks even during the day.
• Moral High Ground: Enjoy a story arc focused on heroism, justice, and protecting Skyrim from a grave threat.
• Familiar Combat Style: If you prefer playing a traditional warrior or archer, the Dawnguard’s combat style will feel more natural.

Considerations Before Joining:

• Limited Transformations: While you can become a Vampire Lord later in the questline (with Serana), siding with the Dawnguard initially means delaying this transformation and potentially making it feel less integrated into your character’s story.
• Stricter Morality: Playing as a ruthless criminal might feel out of place within the Dawnguard’s ranks.
• Less “Unique” Experience: The Dawnguard’s gameplay loop of hunting vampires can become repetitive for some players, lacking the unique mechanics and challenges of being a Vampire Lord.

Volkihar Vampires: Embrace the Darkness

Joining the Volkihar vampires is all about embracing the power and decadence of undeath. Led by Lord Harkon, this ancient clan seeks to plunge Skyrim into eternal darkness and establish vampire dominance. This path offers a darker, more powerful, and arguably more complex gameplay experience.

Key Benefits of Joining the Volkihar:

• Vampire Lord Transformation: Gain the ability to transform into a powerful Vampire Lord, a unique and customizable form with its own skill tree and abilities. The Vampire Lord form offers incredible power, including flight, draining life, summoning gargoyles, and more.
• Vampiric Abilities: Enhance your natural vampire abilities, becoming stronger, faster, and more resistant to disease. Unlock powerful spells and perks related to vampirism.
• Unique Quests and Characters: Experience a unique questline from the vampire perspective, interacting with intriguing and morally ambiguous characters within the Volkihar court.
• Darker Narrative: Embrace a narrative focused on power, ambition, and the corruption of the mortal world.
• Powerful Rewards: Access unique vampire-themed weapons, armor, and artifacts.

Considerations Before Joining:

• Sunlight Vulnerability: As a vampire, sunlight will harm you, requiring you to feed regularly and plan your travels carefully.
• Negative Reactions: NPCs may react negatively to your vampiric appearance, making social interactions more challenging.
• Sacrifices: The Volkihar questline involves morally questionable actions, potentially conflicting with a “good” character’s alignment.
• Complex Skill Tree: Mastering the Vampire Lord skill tree takes time and dedication.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify the choice between the Dawnguard and the Volkihar vampires:

1. Can I switch sides after making a choice?

No, once you commit to either the Dawnguard or the Volkihar vampires during the “Bloodline” quest, you cannot switch sides without using console commands (on PC) or reloading an earlier save. Choose carefully!

2. Does joining one faction lock me out of content from the other?

Yes, siding with one faction locks you out of their respective questline and rewards. However, both factions offer ample content and replay value.

3. What are the main differences in the questlines?

The Dawnguard questline focuses on hunting down and destroying the Volkihar vampires, while the Volkihar questline centers around enacting Lord Harkon’s plan to blot out the sun and establish vampire dominance. Each offers unique locations, characters, and challenges.

4. How does sunlight affect vampires?

Vampires are weakened by sunlight, suffering reduced health, stamina, and magicka regeneration, and taking direct damage while exposed. The severity of the effect depends on your stage of vampirism.

5. How do I feed as a vampire?

You can feed on sleeping NPCs by sneaking up to them and activating them. Feeding reduces your stage of vampirism, mitigating the negative effects of sunlight.

6. What are the stages of vampirism?

Vampirism has four stages. The higher the stage, the stronger your vampire powers become, but also the more severe the negative effects of sunlight and the more hostile NPCs become. Feeding lowers your stage.

7. Can I cure vampirism?

Yes, you can cure vampirism through a quest that starts by speaking to Falion in Morthal. You’ll need a filled Black Soul Gem.

8. What are the benefits of being a Vampire Lord?

The Vampire Lord transformation grants immense power, including flight, draining life, summoning gargoyles, and powerful spells. You also have access to a unique skill tree.

9. What are the downsides of being a Vampire Lord?

You cannot wear armor or use weapons while in Vampire Lord form. Additionally, you are still vulnerable to sunlight.

10. Are there any companions unique to each faction?

Yes, the Dawnguard offers Armored Trolls and Huskies as followers, while the Volkihar vampires have access to unique vampire followers.

11. Does my race affect my choice?

While your race doesn’t inherently dictate which faction to join, some races might find certain aspects of each faction more appealing. For example, Nords might be more inclined to join the Dawnguard due to their cultural reverence for the sun.

12. Can I still do other quests in Skyrim after joining either faction?

Yes, joining either the Dawnguard or the Volkihar vampires doesn’t lock you out of other quests in Skyrim. You can still complete the main questline, join guilds, and explore the world freely.

13. Is there a “good” or “evil” choice?

The Dawnguard is generally considered the “good” choice, while the Volkihar vampires are considered the “evil” choice. However, both factions offer compelling narratives and motivations, making the choice more nuanced than simply good versus evil.

14. Does joining either faction affect my relationships with other factions?

Joining the Volkihar vampires might lead to negative reactions from some NPCs, especially those affiliated with vampire hunters. The Dawnguard is generally viewed more favorably.

15. Which faction offers better rewards?

The “better” rewards depend on your playstyle. The Dawnguard offers powerful crossbows and armored allies, while the Volkihar vampires offer the Vampire Lord transformation and unique vampiric abilities. Ultimately, the best rewards are the ones that complement your character build and playstyle.

Choosing between the Dawnguard and the Volkihar vampires is a significant decision in Skyrim. Weigh the pros and cons of each faction, consider your preferred playstyle, and ultimately, choose the path that resonates with you the most. Both factions offer compelling narratives and rewarding gameplay experiences.