Becoming a vampire in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion might sound cool at first—enhanced abilities, supernatural powers, and a gothic aesthetic. But soon enough, the drawbacks start piling up: burning sunlight, hostile NPCs, and the constant need to feed. If you’ve had enough of skulking in the shadows and want to return to normal life, there are ways to cure vampirism.
How You Become a Vampire
Vampirism starts with contracting Porphyric Hemophilia, a disease spread by vampire attacks. Unlike other diseases, this one doesn’t show up with obvious symptoms—just a minor fatigue drain. If left untreated for 72 in-game hours, your next sleep turns you into a full vampire.
Stages of Vampirism
Once transformed, vampirism progresses through four stages, each with increasing strengths and weaknesses:
- Stage 1 (25%): Slight stat boosts, minor fire weakness.
- Stage 2 (50%): Stronger abilities but sunlight starts damaging you.
- Stage 3 (75%): Greater powers, but NPCs may refuse to talk to you.
- Stage 4 (100%): Maximum vampire abilities but severe sunlight damage.
Feeding on sleeping NPCs resets you to Stage 1, but if you want a permanent cure, keep reading.
Option 1: Cure Vampirism Before It’s Too Late
If you’ve just been infected and haven’t yet turned, you can still stop the transformation. Any standard disease cure will work:
- Cure Disease Potions (sold at alchemy shops)
- Praying at a Chapel (free and easy)
- Eating Mandrake Root or Shepherd’s Pie (food with disease-curing effects)
Act fast—once those three days pass, you’ll need more drastic measures.
Option 2: The Vampire Cure Quest
If you’re already a vampire, the main way to cure yourself is through the Vampire Cure quest. It’s long and involves multiple steps, but here’s the breakdown:
Step 1: Visit the Arcane University
Head to the Arcane University in the Imperial City and speak with Raminus Polus about vampirism. He’ll direct you to Count Hassildor of Skingrad.
Step 2: Meet Count Hassildor
Travel to Castle Skingrad and talk to the steward, Hal-Liurz, to arrange a meeting with the Count. Hassildor reveals he’s a vampire himself and points you toward Melisande, a witch living near the Corbolo River.
Step 3: Gather Ingredients for Melisande
Melisande agrees to help—but not for free. She demands:
- Five Empty Grand Soul Gems
- Buy them from magic vendors (if they’ll sell to a vampire).
- Steal them (try the Arcane University or Mages Guild halls).
- Six Garlic Cloves
- Found in kitchens or bought from food merchants.
- Five Nightshade Leaves
- Grows in the wilderness, especially southwest of Skingrad.
- Two Bloodgrass Shoots
- Found inside Oblivion Gates.
- Blood of an Argonian
- Melisande gives you a dagger—stab any Argonian (hostile ones avoid bounty issues).
- Ashes of Hindaril (a powerful vampire)
- Travel to Redwater Slough, kill Hindaril, and collect his remains.
Step 4: Wait for the Potion
After delivering everything, wait 24 hours for Melisande to brew the cure. She gives you two potions: one for yourself and one for Count Hassildor’s wife.
Step 5: Complete the Quest
Return to Skingrad, deliver the second potion, and wait another 48 hours before talking to the Count for your reward. Only then should you drink your own cure—doing it early can bug the quest.
Option 3: The Faster Alternative (Font of Renewal)
If the quest sounds tedious, there’s a quicker fix—Deepscorn Hollow, part of the Vile Lair DLC (included in Oblivion Remastered).
- Travel to Deepscorn Hollow (southeast of Leyawiin).
- Swim underwater to find a hidden entrance inside a hollow log.
- Enter the lair, locate the Font of Renewal, and grab Purgeblood Salts nearby.
- Use the salts at the Font to instantly cure vampirism.
This method skips the quest entirely, but you miss out on the gold reward.
Important Notes Before Curing
- Permanent Cure: Once cured, you cannot become a vampire again without console commands or mods.
- Bug Warnings: Some players report issues with Melisande not recognizing ingredients—reloading a save may help.
- Alternative Playstyle: If you enjoy vampirism but hate sunlight, feed regularly to stay at Stage 1 and avoid severe penalties.
