Apart from Nords and the other meddling races whom Skyrim totally doesn't belong to, the frigid northland of Tamriel is also dwelling house to vampires and werewolves. One might even say that they're the well-nigh agile in that region, particularly now that The Elder Scrolls Online tapped into Skyrim in one case again and dumped a bunch of lycanthropes and bloodsuckers in the area.

Every bit for players who might take been tempted to go dorsum to The Elderberry Scrolls V: Skyrim after this, a hard bifurcation exists between choosing to be a vampire or a werewolf. You lot can only be either, not both at the same time. Hence, here'south a guide so that Dragonborns who are sick of being measly humanoids can weigh which supernatural creature to transcend to.

Updated November 16, 2021 by Sid Natividad: Information technology'due south high time for another playthrough of The Elder Scrolls Five: Skyrim. For certain, you're probably tired of the usual path (mage, warrior, thief) and volition want to spice things upward since you've technically been playing the game for ten years on and off. Some multifariousness is in guild and the vampire/werewolf conversion will spice things upward.

Sure enough, yous can only pick one of those and while we've already detailed why i might be better than the other, there are more arguments to be had regarding which is the better between the two. Hence, we revisit the ii oldest sentient monster factions in Skyrim and pit them against each other in one case more than and so that you come up out equally the winner.

14 Why Vampire: Better Accessories

skyrim-vampire-header

In line with vampires existence more intellectually advanced creatures than werewolves, they crafted their own spellcasting paraphernalia to meliorate suit their strengths. Vampires in Skyrim thus take a good for you option of magical rings to choose from and almost all of them look groovy.

You tin can acquire all these rings in the Rings of Blood Magic quest. Werewolves do go their rings but they lack diversity since the only viable werewolf playstyle is to maul enemies to death.

13 Why Werewolf: More than Chaotic Gameplay

skyrim-werewolf side view

Vampires get more than command over their powers, but werewolves offering more fun to exist had with their lust for carnage. Unlike in Elder Scrolls three: Morrowind, you don't reluctantly turn into a werewolf at a fixed time. Instead, you can plough once a day and there's a short duration (two minutes and thirty seconds).

That sounds rather limited but you can prolong the werewolf duration by killing and feeding on your victims. This adds an important layer of gameplay where yous must always keep killing in order to maintain the class. Because once the werewolf duration is over, your character will revert back to their measly humanoid course wearing cypher merely undies. By comparison, vampire gameplay is more bourgeois.

12 Why Vampire: They Used To Rule Parts Of Skyrim

Skyrim-Become-Vampire

Before the Nords came forth and started shooing every other race out of Skyrim, the vampires (along with the beast races) partly ruled the frigid northlands of Tamriel. Lord Harkon, as well as Serana, are proof of this as their beingness most likely precedes the Nords' dominion in Skyrim.

Even as the Nords took over almost of Skyrim, the vampire clans and families nevertheless had plenty of ability and would piece of work in the shadows to proceed a healthy supply of mortal races similar poultry. In fact, they did have a plan to take over several of the major holds like Falkreath and Morthal before the Dragonborn ruined everything.

xi Why Werewolf: Better Build Synergy With Certain Races

skyrim grey werewolf

Of form, the beauty of playing Skyrim again is that you don't have to adhere to standard builds. You can remember up of overpowered combinations and a werewolf allows for an piece of cake way to achieve this. A sure combat-oriented race such as the Orc has a racial bonus that makes them monsters in melee range. That would be Berserker Rage.

Pair that with the werewolf transformation also as some of the other werewolf perks and melee rings and you can build a brutal character capable of taking on the whole garrison of Whiterun without cheats. No need for the comprehend of darkness or Magicka to boost damage. It's a pretty straightforward murder car.

10 Why Vampire: They're More than Sophisticated

Skyrim-Vampire-Lord-Harkon

Well-nigh all literature involving vampires and werewolves portray the former as intelligent, calculating beings while the latter are primal and instinctive. That very well means vampires are more than civilized and make for great conversationalists.

After all, they've spent a dizzying number of years being alive and conscious every bit well as introspective. This does take its negative results too such as vampires being snobs and elitists but it's all part of their charm. They do know how to dine finely... fifty-fifty if they're eating raw blood.

nine Why Werewolf: No Daylight Woes

Werewolf in Skyrim

Of course, the one weakness vampires have to balance out their immortality is the sunlight. In Skyrim, it's non that deadly for them-- they only become big stamina, health, and magicka penalties.

Nonetheless, information technology's quite significant peculiarly if vampires are stuck in a daylight gainsay encounter outdoors. Werewolves simply do not take this problem and are free to roam around with reckless abandon.

8 Why Vampire: Easier Entry

vampire skyrim

To become a vampire in Skyrim, one only needs to be attacked by a random vampire roaming effectually Skyrim. With the Dawnguard expansion, this becomes easier given their increased population.

Meanwhile, becoming a werewolf is pretty much the Skyrim equivalent of a fraternity hazing. Contracting the lycanthropy disease which is a prerequisite to becoming a werewolf is more irksome as it requires players to put up with the Companions' shenanigans.

seven Why Werewolf: No Upkeep

werewolf-skyrim screenshot

Despite the higher bar of entry for becoming a werewolf, players tin consider that as a ane-fourth dimension entrance fee. Whereas existence a vampire requires a constant dosage of hemoglobin from the citizens of Skyrim or as vampires would like to phone call them: food.

Being a werewolf is less taxing on the necks of Nords and other races. Information technology doesn't require anything to maintain though the benefits are not as nowadays every bit a vampire'due south. For those that feel vampirism can be a chore, beingness a carefree werewolf is improve.

six Why Vampire: More Flexible Powers

Skyrim-Vampire-Lord-Skill-Tree screenshot

Speaking of benefits, information technology would seem that vampires do take more access to them as one can merely tap into their principal powers without the need to transform, unlike a werewolf. Vampires besides have better spellcasting abilities, making them perfect for mages.

Moreover, their Illusion spells are more effective and you tin easily play as a necromancer (or neck-romancers, ba-dum-tss). This makes combat with them more than interesting compared to the usual mauling involved in existence a werewolf.

5 Why Werewolf: Good Way To Commit Crimes

Skyrim-werewolf-murder against guard

Being a murder-hobo in Skyrim is always a welcome experience once-in-a-while whenever an NPC looks the wrong way or mutters a loose comment. This can be a problem if one forgets to save their game. Thankfully, being a werewolf while doing that makes the mass murder inconsequential for you.

Unless the player transforms in front of witnesses, no ane will be able to pivot the werewolf killing spree to them. This can besides be used strategically for whenever players want to do assassinations in an urban and well-guarded expanse and non take to worry well-nigh bounties.

iv Why Vampire: Perfect For Stealth

Scary vampire in Skyrim

Fifty-fifty if werewolves are situationally immune to bounties, at that place are still better ways of assassinating a specific target. Stealth is certainly a more interesting option and information technology but and then happens that vampires make for adept expert stalkers.

They become all kinds of bonuses in sneaking and hiding in the nighttime likewise as some course of night vision too. Information technology'due south a great complement to being a fellow member of the Thieves' Guild or being a hitman for the Dark Alliance.

3 Why Werewolf: The Companions Are Cool

20-Skyrim-Werewolf-Ritual photo

Say what you volition about the Companions' abrasiveness, just they're some of the coolest Nords in Whiterun once they let the players into their inner circle. Turns out they're not only ho-hum rowdy mercenaries merely besides harbor some lethal secrets.

Some of them are also awesome and useful companions such equally Vilkas or Farkas or even Aela the Huntress. They're a get-to for the standard barbarian-type graphic symbol who prefers to talk using axes and swords because words are for mage nerds.

2 Why Vampire: Better Questline

Skyrim-Dawnguard-Harkon-Vampire-Lord-Form screenshot

Bold players accept Dawnguard, whatsoever lengthy story quest involving vampires is just meliorate than what the companions put y'all through. Fifty-fifty if you join the Dawnguard faction, a sure vampire lord will notwithstanding give y'all the option to get ane of them.

Moreover, it involves Serana, an interesting add-on to the A.I. companion puddle of the game. The rewards for the main quest of the Dawnguard faction can also be a lot ameliorate and have the players to more interesting places in Skyrim.

1 Why Werewolf: Perfect For Melee

sinding-the-werewolf in skyrim

With all that'south said and done, one of the well-nigh enjoyable ways to play Skyrim is past beingness a good old-fashioned Nord with too much ale in their brain and too many axes in their easily. Fighting in melee is nevertheless one of the least clunky ways to play Skyrim.

The werewolf greatly bolsters this playstyle by making melee more ferocious and making the players more invincible. The post-werewolf results can be unpredictable, of grade, and might involve a nasty hangover and fur coming out of the players' ears.

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