Why do Skyrim's vampires suck?

[Dunmer999]

In Oblivion, I liked being a vampire. It was mostly the coolness, and it didn't have drawbacks at stage one. Now at stage one, you can't really adventure during the day. I found myself saying "I HATE being a vampire." I was stressed and impatient the whole vampirism curing quest. How'd they mess up so bad? I love vampires.

[Moirae]

Because in the time between Oblivion's release and Skyrim's, the Twilight movies have come out. Skyrim vampires are Twilight vampires.

That's why you hate being a vampire in Skyrim, because even if you didn't realize that on a conscious level, deep down your brain made the connection.

[Dunmer999]

I hope you ain't serious. Anyway I'll roleplay as a vampire sometime. But my main character, it don't work for a main. Takes away like half the available adventuring time. And hard to find someone to feed on til midnight.

[AKB]

Because in the time between Oblivion's release and Skyrim's, the Twilight movies have come out. Skyrim vampires are Twilight vampires.

That's why you hate being a vampire in Skyrim, because even if you didn't realize that on a conscious level, deep down your brain made the connection.

No, that's not true.

The vampires simply are terrible this time around. Basically, Sanguinare Vampiris is a terrible strain of vampirism.

[Dunmer999]

I would like a different disease, please, doctor. Preferrably one with less gay, and more badass.

[Elegost]

I think its been done to really show you what being a vampire is like. (it sucks)

[Dunmer999]

That's what I thought. They can be powerful and cool, but ya gotta travel at night and stay away from people mostly. It'd be better for roleplaying, with the big impact, but not good for a main.

[JDizzle]

My main character is a level 37 Dunmer vampire and I love it! The boost to illusion is nice; it really helps whittle down a group using frenzy spells. Also I find it highly amusing to go into a giant camp and make them turn on each other and their mammoths! The daytime drawbacks can be dealt with using stamina, health and magicka regen enchanted items - personally I use stamina regen boots and the Archmage's robes in combination with restoration healing spells and the respite perk. Most quests take place in dungeons anyway where the main drawback of no regeneration doesn't apply so I do plenty during the daytime. I play on master too, so really I don't get what all the fuss is about; then again this is my first TES game so I have no previous incarnations of vampires to compare Skyrim's to.

Anyone else got any vampire love or is it just me?

[Red Guardian]

I was about to say the same thing.

Thanks to Dark Spark I got the idea to create my Oblivion main character (which is a vampire) in Skyrim. Started yesterday and already felt the downs.

Magicka, stamina and health drop by a large number, people attack you on sight, hard to feed (many NPC's go to sleep at what? 2 am? The Hell)...

The only thing annoying about Oblivion was the constant sun damage but other than that nothing. In Skyrim, there's plenty of downs. I blame it on the disease. Porphyric Hemophilia was better.

Bethesda should at least use some things regarding the Immortal Blood book but no, they made Skyrim's vampires weaker than the ones from Cyrodill.... What a shame.

[JDizzle]

I think vampirism is supposed to be a curse, not just a way to make your character awesome. Having read the wiki it seems that Oblivion's vampires were a bit ridiculous in that respect, with the only draw back at stage one being a 20% fire weakness. It is caused by a disease after all; it should be in some regards - even at stage one - still like a disease and not just a way to give your character super powers.

I don't understand how people manage to get there vampirism to stage 4 where they're attacked, you only have to feed every three days to stop this or is there something I'm missing? Also about feeding, try a guard barracks. They typically have someone sleeping at any time, day or night.

[Reizoko13]

Honestly, I prefer the Skyrim vampires over Oblivion. I'd much rather have the -regen and weaknesses over constant damage in the sunlight, especially where Skyrim involves so much running everywhere. Having the constant damage--even at low levels--would make me a dead vampy halfway to Solitude. And really, I see the abilities as mixed. I love the illusion and sneak bonus, and the frost resistance makes up for the weakness to fire. It just means you have to be more careful about what/when you fight. As for being attacked on sight, I've only had that issue once. As soon as I saw hostile guards, I popped an invisibility potion, went to a house, hid, and waited for the owner to go to sleep. It really isn't that difficult to find people to feed off; guilds make it even easier.

With all the complaints I see about things being game-breaking, it surprises me that people are ragging on something simply because it isn't overpowered. I enjoyed playing as a vampire. It forced me to change my style up, and actually use tactics.

[Kerr]

Lack of sun damage annoys me, I think vampires be harmed by the sun. For that reason I doubt i'll ever play a vampire in this game. However werewolves are pretty cool.

[GhostOfNumenor]

Lycans are supposed to be the main draw in this game. While I think ESIVs vamps were better..this gen's aren't THAT bad tho.

[azuarc]

Nobody's made a joke about the words vampire and suck. I'm disappointed.

I've never really had a desire to play as a vampire. In Oblivion it was too big a pain to be bothered with because of the sun damage, and because I'd rather not end up looking like a monster if I don't feed my habit. In that regard, being a vampire is more tenable in Skyrim, but there's also less reason to want to do it.

[Abel]

Nobody's made a joke about the words vampire and suck. I'm disappointed.

I was right about to do so. Now you've ruined it.

[enyamerT]

Well, when I saw the thread title I was about to reply "Because that's how they feed".

Although I suppose they could bring a little tap with them and draw a pint...

[Reizoko13]

One thing I did like about being a vampire in Oblivion was that you could find bottles of blood lying around. Portable feeding would make Skyrim vampires a little bit better; you could just pop a bottle open if you're at stage 4 and need to sell stuff.

[Wolfie]

uh in oblivion those bottles did not work, unless you had a mod or something.


Vampires in oblivion where messed up IMO, it made it seem like being a vampire was awesome, news flash its a curse, its supposed to be bad

[Geonis]

I find skyrim's variant more enjoyable than oblivion's variant, but that is not saying much. I am still not sold on the gets stronger when not feeding thing. Sure, more feral as it grows closer to starvation, but it would lack more cognitive powers as a trade off.

I want in on the old 400 year old strains, they had clans, cattle, an identity. These western vampires cannot rub two sticks together in comparison.

[azuarc]

One thing I did like about being a vampire in Oblivion was that you could find bottles of blood lying around. Portable feeding would make Skyrim vampires a little bit better; you could just pop a bottle open if you're at stage 4 and need to sell stuff.

Are you sure you're not thinking of Fallout 3?

[Reizoko13]

Maybe. I thought blood in Oblivion worked the same way, but I haven't played it for several years. My bad.

[Theificka]

It's a curse, Vampires are forced to walk all eternity tricking and sucking on people while living with the knowledge that they're monsters.

The vampire thing in this game is rather balanced:

Being in sunlight makes you easier to be killed
Illusion spells are stronger, but you are more revered by society at later times
You sneak easier, so it is easier to suck blood
With the Powers, you can become invisible, able to see with night vision, and calm otherwise hostile beings
You are immune to disease and poison

Vampires have great advantages, but the constant hiding is what makes it hard

[SuperNull]

I haven't actually played as a vampire yet but I do play as a stealth illusionist. Judging from the wiki page, being a vampire it is beneficial if you actually design your character in a way that takes advantage of it's benefits.

- Have mana regen gear. What a Stealth illusionists wants from gear is +steath, +bow damage, +illusion, +mana regen and +backstab.
You get a stealth bonus from being a vampire and you can do more with the cheaper lower level illusion spells. This leaves more room for +mana regen enchants.
(daggers don't take advantage form +onehanded enchants so forget about that)

- High stealth and invisibility means you can go anywhere, anytime without being seen. This makes it easy to deal with stage 4 vampireism.

- Take the restoration perks that boosts mana regen and the one that allows you to heal stamina. This makes the daytime penalty so much more bearable.

- Stealth illusionists kill with frenzy or with sneak attacks. It is quite possible to do a whole dungeon without taking any damage at all. This means that the fire resistance penalty is not a big deal.

[Red Guardian]

- High stealth and invisibility means you can go anywhere, anytime without being seen. This makes it easy to deal with stage 4 vampireism.

Not really because invisibility is a power that can only be used once a day.

And for whatever reason, when I try to use the power of invisibility + night eye everyone can still see me, even when I'm quiet and sneaking...

[Wolfie]

- High stealth and invisibility means you can go anywhere, anytime without being seen. This makes it easy to deal with stage 4 vampireism.

Not really because invisibility is a power that can only be used once a day.

And for whatever reason, when I try to use the power of invisibility + night eye everyone can still see me, even when I'm quiet and sneaking...

they dont see you they hear you