The Ultimate Guide to Unleashing the True Power of Werewolf Characters in Skyrim
Unleash your primal power and immerse yourself in Skyrim's captivating werewolf gameplay, offering unparalleled strength and thrilling storytelling possibilities
Skyrim's diversity extends beyond its landscapes and open world to the inhabitants themselves. Despite the Stormcloaks' claim that "Skyrim belongs to the Nords," the province is home to people of various races from all across the Empire. These individuals come from neighboring regions such as High Rock and Morrowind, and even from Elswyr, despite facing resistance from the native Nord population.
Beneath the surface, hidden in the shadows, exist sub-cultures of individuals who possess unique abilities: werewolves and vampires. Werewolves have always been a popular choice among players in Skyrim, and the Dawnguard expansion further enhanced their appeal with the addition of a skill tree. This expansion not only increased their popularity but also provided opportunities to optimize the werewolf character for any playthrough, with minimal drawbacks.
Where Do Skyrim's Werewolves Come From?
Werewolves in The Elder Scrolls trace their origins back to Hircine, the Daedric Prince of the Hunt. In the realm of Tamriel, these creatures have existed for a significant period of time, and their condition of lycanthropy is often viewed as a gift rather than a curse by those who worship Hircine. While various types of werebeasts exist, such as werebears, the Dragonborn character is solely capable of transforming into a werewolf. Possessing incredible strength and speed, werewolves are able to swiftly defeat most adversaries using their sharp claws and unnatural power.
One notable advantage werewolves possess is their complete immunity to diseases, including Sanguinare Vampiris, which significantly simplifies combat against vampires. This resistance to diseases proves to be a significant benefit, effectively eliminating any concerns related to illnesses in Skyrim. With the assistance of the Ring of Hircine, werewolves gain complete control over their transformations, allowing them to shift forms multiple times within a 24-hour period, rather than being restricted to a single transformation. Although werewolves naturally revert back to their human form, they can prolong their werewolf state by consuming the flesh of the deceased.
The Downsides of Werewolves in Skyrim
Werewolves have minimal drawbacks, which can easily be avoided or are worth taking the risk. These include the potential bounty for transforming in public, dealing with hostility from guards, and losing the Well-Rested bonus from sleeping. On a deeper level, there are significant implications for the story that trouble many of the other werewolves encountered by the Dragonborn.
Within the Companions, certain werewolves opt to cure their lycanthropy due to the fact that every werewolf's soul is claimed by Hircine and taken to his Daedric plane upon death. Individuals like Kodlak from the Companions decide to cure themselves to ensure they can instead reach the Nordic afterlife of Sovngarde.
The savagery of the werewolves is not only evident in gameplay, but also in the lore of the game. In the Dawnguard expansion pack, players encounter wild werewolves that attack innocent travelers. Additionally, there is the character Sinding from the quest "Ill Met By Moonlight", who has been cursed by Hircine and cannot control his transformations, leading to the death of a child.
This aspect of the game adds an interesting conflict for the Dragonborn, who must battle their own inner monster. From a gameplay perspective, obtaining Hircine's Ring grants the player complete control over the Dragonborn's werewolf transformations. Furthermore, the skill tree in the Dawnguard expansion pack offers additional perks for werewolf abilities and allows for longer transformation times. This makes it more advantageous than ever for players to embrace lycanthropy.
Skyrim's werewolves offer numerous advantages without any major drawbacks, unlike vampires. The ability to transform regularly is not necessary to enjoy the benefits of being a werewolf. In addition to the practical advantage of a 100 percent disease resistance bonus, there are various reasons to become a werewolf in Skyrim for roleplaying and story purposes. These reasons include a deep commitment to the hunt, a strong devotion to Hircine, and embracing the Dragonborn's primal nature.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim can be played on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
