How can anybody srsly play as a Vampire Hunter?

[GetTheJojDone]

You do know that Serana can be convinced to cure her vampirism when you finish the questline (as long as you pick the more compassionate dialogue options when talking to her), right?

[Hyacathusarullistad]

I think the root of the OP's sentiments lies in a fundamental misunderstanding of what a "vampire hunter" can be. A vampire hunter doesn't have to be a kill or be killed, us vs. them psychopathic spree killer. It's perfectly feasible that one could completely believe Serana when she tells him that if someone's after her, there's something bigger going on. Especially if you consider the fragments of conversation one overhears while making their way to the inner sanctum where she's buried. To blunder in and slaughter someone like Serana, who hasn't tried to hurt you and is clearly a piece of a much larger puzzle, is reckless and irresponsible.

 

Sounds to me like OP is all Dean and no Sam - the Dawnguard story isn't all black and white. In fact there really is no white at all, just a mess of grey with a big deep pit of black at the centre.

Edited June 6, 2014 by Hyacathusarullistad

[lofgren]

I really don't think it necessary that the game support every single RP option conceivable. You can't play as somebody who kills every Argonian on sight either. Vampirism is a disease in the Elder Scrolls games, one that can be spread to others against their will and once contracted is extremely difficult to cure. Vampires fall into a range of alignments just like every other character in the game. Killing them indiscriminately is well outside the range of moral codes the game can conceivably support. Murdering everything you see for no reason other than blind hatred is just as unsupported as playing a total pacifist.

 

That said I'm sympathetic the OP's plight because there are at least two factions (Vigilants and Dwanguard) that take a kill'em-all-and-let-the-Aedra-sort'em-out approach to vampires, and one of them is joinable. Plus they went out of their way to make Serana the WORST kind of vampire to these zealots, one who chose vampirism willingly (albeit possibly due in part to some sense of familial obligation) AND is totally unrepentant about it. They could have at least provided some dialogue cover of plausible deniability for the player who wants to RP as a member of one of those two factions instead of simply shutting off the option without comment or justification.

[disastrox3]

I can see how someone would want to have the option to complete Dawnguard with having killed Serana, but as others have said, it's not feasible to be able to make every moral path or decision a choice. There's just too many variables for everyone to be satisfied with the options that are presented. That being said, mods & console commands are always an alternative to fixing things you don't like in the storyline.

 

Personally, I was kind of disappointed that I couldn't be a vampire hunting vampire. The only things my Dovahkiin really had in common with the Volkihar vampires were that they needed to drink blood to survive & that they ate human flesh. In the game I was Namira's champion & a vampire, but I had RP'd a moral code to only feast & feed upon solely 'evil' or 'bad' things (whether it be Vampires, Bandits, etc). In fact, I frequently would kill vampires by draining them of their blood in combat and then cannibalizing the corpse afterward. I saw it as kind of the ultimate desecration -- a big "f*#@ you" to them, if you would. The only thing that disappointed me with Serana is that she had no remorse for having become a vampire. It's hard to sympathize with her plight when you're RPing a vampire who feasts on 'evil' (willing) vampires.

 

However, it did not stop me from enjoying Dawnguard. I would just make up head canons to support my decisions in that DLC.

[MidbossVyers]

I can see how someone would want to have the option to complete Dawnguard with having killed Serana, but as others have said, it's not feasible to be able to make every moral path or decision a choice. There's just too many variables for everyone to be satisfied with the options that are presented. That being said, mods & console commands are always an alternative to fixing things you don't like in the storyline.

 

Personally, I was kind of disappointed that I couldn't be a vampire hunting vampire. The only things my Dovahkiin really had in common with the Volkihar vampires were that they needed to drink blood to survive & that they ate human flesh. In the game I was Namira's champion & a vampire, but I had RP'd a moral code to only feast & feed upon solely 'evil' or 'bad' things (whether it be Vampires, Bandits, etc). In fact, I frequently would kill vampires by draining them of their blood in combat and then cannibalizing the corpse afterward. I saw it as kind of the ultimate desecration -- a big "f*** you" to them, if you would. The only thing that disappointed me with Serana is that she had no remorse for having become a vampire. It's hard to sympathize with her plight when you're RPing a vampire who feasts on 'evil' (willing) vampires.

 

However, it did not stop me from enjoying Dawnguard. I would just make up head canons to support my decisions in that DLC.

No, actually, I'm sick and tired of vampire and dhampir protagonists that are self-loathing emos (Twilight and Castlevania), but then again, I'm also sick and tired of dhampir protagonists that are hypocrites (Blade and Vampire Hunter D). I want unabashed (and possibly oblivious) vampire and dhampir protagonists, such as Shintarou from Kanpai! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanpai or Arcueid from Tsukihime http://typemoon.wikia.com/wiki/Arcueid_Brunestud

[disastrox3]

 

I can see how someone would want to have the option to complete Dawnguard with having killed Serana, but as others have said, it's not feasible to be able to make every moral path or decision a choice. There's just too many variables for everyone to be satisfied with the options that are presented. That being said, mods & console commands are always an alternative to fixing things you don't like in the storyline.

 

Personally, I was kind of disappointed that I couldn't be a vampire hunting vampire. The only things my Dovahkiin really had in common with the Volkihar vampires were that they needed to drink blood to survive & that they ate human flesh. In the game I was Namira's champion & a vampire, but I had RP'd a moral code to only feast & feed upon solely 'evil' or 'bad' things (whether it be Vampires, Bandits, etc). In fact, I frequently would kill vampires by draining them of their blood in combat and then cannibalizing the corpse afterward. I saw it as kind of the ultimate desecration -- a big "f*** you" to them, if you would. The only thing that disappointed me with Serana is that she had no remorse for having become a vampire. It's hard to sympathize with her plight when you're RPing a vampire who feasts on 'evil' (willing) vampires.

 

However, it did not stop me from enjoying Dawnguard. I would just make up head canons to support my decisions in that DLC.

No, actually, I'm sick and tired of vampire and dhampir protagonists that are self-loathing emos (Twilight and Castlevania), but then again, I'm also sick and tired of dhampir protagonists that are hypocrites (Blade and Vampire Hunter D). I want unabashed (and possibly oblivious) vampire and dhampir protagonists, such as Shintarou from Kanpai! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanpai or Arcueid from Tsukihime http://typemoon.wikia.com/wiki/Arcueid_Brunestud

 

 

I never saw it as a self-loathing thing. It was more of having a different moral compass than the vampires that exist in Skyrim. It was actually pretty cool being a vampire; I just didn't like the idea of the Volkihar vampires because they were sort of taking the easy way to survive. They had cattle, weakened and ready to go, and it's hardly honorable to just hunt someone that can easily go down. I like the idea of hunting worthy prey for your meals. IMO, the shame in being a vampire comes in part with deliberately hurting people who are weaker than you, as well as taking pride in it.

 

As for oblivious vampires, it's an interesting concept but I find that it's unsubstantiated in Skyrim's lore. I don't think you could possibly ignore, let alone not even be *aware* of the blood lust you'd experience. I suppose in that sense, being a vampire would be moot? It wouldn't be any more different than playing as a god mode-y human.

[KanesGhost]

...........

I never saw it as a self-loathing thing. It was more of having a different moral compass than the vampires that exist in Skyrim. It was actually pretty cool being a vampire; I just didn't like the idea of the Volkihar vampires because they were sort of taking the easy way to survive. They had cattle, weakened and ready to go, and it's hardly honorable to just hunt someone that can easily go down. I like the idea of hunting worthy prey for your meals. IMO, the shame in being a vampire comes in part with deliberately hurting people who are weaker than you, as well as taking pride in it.

 

As for oblivious vampires, it's an interesting concept but I find that it's unsubstantiated in Skyrim's lore. I don't think you could possibly ignore, let alone not even be *aware* of the blood lust you'd experience. I suppose in that sense, being a vampire would be moot? It wouldn't be any more different than playing as a god mode-y human.

 

I play a Werewolf (born Werewolf, infect him as soon as his hands unbound) who hunts in a similar vein, though for him it's not 'honor', it's the excitement of the 'challenge'...he feeds on/eats Humanoid and large Predator meat in both his Werewolf and human forms (though as a born Werewolf, I don't consider him human)....he doesn't bother with Civilians, they don't give him an appetite, he hunts for his food in the wilderness among the Bandits and such...He is unable to eat Vampires though, I have been RP'ing this lack as his complete aversion to and distaste for dead things, his aversion explaining his deep seated burning hatred for the animated dead such as Vamps and Draugr's, I figure him being so deeply bound to nature as such a primal being, a Werewolf, he really cannot tolerate such entities....I am curious though, are you using a Mod to be able to eat Vamps? If so, may I ask which one? I would love to take a look... :smile:

[MidbossVyers]

 

 

I can see how someone would want to have the option to complete Dawnguard with having killed Serana, but as others have said, it's not feasible to be able to make every moral path or decision a choice. There's just too many variables for everyone to be satisfied with the options that are presented. That being said, mods & console commands are always an alternative to fixing things you don't like in the storyline.

 

Personally, I was kind of disappointed that I couldn't be a vampire hunting vampire. The only things my Dovahkiin really had in common with the Volkihar vampires were that they needed to drink blood to survive & that they ate human flesh. In the game I was Namira's champion & a vampire, but I had RP'd a moral code to only feast & feed upon solely 'evil' or 'bad' things (whether it be Vampires, Bandits, etc). In fact, I frequently would kill vampires by draining them of their blood in combat and then cannibalizing the corpse afterward. I saw it as kind of the ultimate desecration -- a big "f*** you" to them, if you would. The only thing that disappointed me with Serana is that she had no remorse for having become a vampire. It's hard to sympathize with her plight when you're RPing a vampire who feasts on 'evil' (willing) vampires.

 

However, it did not stop me from enjoying Dawnguard. I would just make up head canons to support my decisions in that DLC.

No, actually, I'm sick and tired of vampire and dhampir protagonists that are self-loathing emos (Twilight and Castlevania), but then again, I'm also sick and tired of dhampir protagonists that are hypocrites (Blade and Vampire Hunter D). I want unabashed (and possibly oblivious) vampire and dhampir protagonists, such as Shintarou from Kanpai! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanpai or Arcueid from Tsukihime http://typemoon.wikia.com/wiki/Arcueid_Brunestud

 

 

I never saw it as a self-loathing thing. It was more of having a different moral compass than the vampires that exist in Skyrim. It was actually pretty cool being a vampire; I just didn't like the idea of the Volkihar vampires because they were sort of taking the easy way to survive. They had cattle, weakened and ready to go, and it's hardly honorable to just hunt someone that can easily go down. I like the idea of hunting worthy prey for your meals. IMO, the shame in being a vampire comes in part with deliberately hurting people who are weaker than you, as well as taking pride in it.

 

As for oblivious vampires, it's an interesting concept but I find that it's unsubstantiated in Skyrim's lore. I don't think you could possibly ignore, let alone not even be *aware* of the blood lust you'd experience. I suppose in that sense, being a vampire would be moot? It wouldn't be any more different than playing as a god mode-y human.

 

The Gray Prince in Oblivion went from oblivious to suicidal.

[Gilibran]

Play it for what it is or mod the hell out of it. What i think think Skyrim is? A great game for 13 to 17 years old "hunger games and Twillight fans. For the rest (majority of mature players?) of us it's simple hack and slash, throw a fireball install some nude and eyecandy mods and 200 others and have fun. Wait for little gems like Viconia de Vir (oblivion) Quarls underground (Morrowind) for more mature oriented content (and that does not neccesarely mean sex, simply darker and mature subjects and content)

 

With the flaws brought by all it's linearity, if you want a good RPG play the Witcher 1 and 2 and wait for 3.

 

Hopefully, and i think it will taken into account the limitations already mentioned here for rpg's, it will wake Bethesda up and force them to step up the Elder scrolls to a more mature standard as far as moral choices and the consequenses of those choices is concerned. The Witcher tries and almost succeeds very well so far. No completely different endings that bring future problems to continuity, as with Fo NV, but different enough to have a real impact and making you go back to replay a certain scene to see what you could or should have done to keep in character with how you want to roleplay Gerald.

 

Dont get me wrong, i thoroughly enjoy Skyrim with all the ridiculous choices forced on you. As a paper & pencil rpg-er for 25 years i also respect people trying to trully rp and stay in character. Yes they could and should have think through quests alot better, but they did not. Respect again but a bit silly to still try and stay in character with a game like Skyrim. No not even the witcher manages that, but they are doing what Bethesda should have been doing since Morrowind. Improving instead of dumbing down.

 

Hopefully Bethesda will, if they ever release Elder scrolls 4, and take The witcher 3 as an example (provided it will be the ultimate sandbox, alot people hope it will be. Then we will no longer be confronted with dumbed down quests like dawnguard and forced choices out of lazyness or simple nice looking relwase dates. 11-11-11. It would have been alot better if they released it 12-12-12 and the DLC's 11-12-13

 

So far my thoughts. Going to rescue my beautifull hot Serana now and rid the world of all but one vampire :-) ;-)

[PsiComa]

Whatever the case, it will never make sense to escort and guide Serana and her Elder Scroll home, before running off to Isran saying "holy s#*!, they've got an elder scroll!", followed by "I was lucky to make it out alive". I love this game, and I'm quite forgiving on plot problems in games like this, but this facepalm was of epic proportions.