This guide is designed to help new players decide if they should become a Vampire or a Werewolf in the Elder Scrolls Online.
Vampires and Werewolves in the Elder Scrolls Online are quite different from those in Skyrim and other Elder Scroll games and the recommendations for newer players (players below level 50 CP150+) will be different from those players who are higher level and have enough Champion Points (CP) to negate or make trivial any of the negatives from Vampirism.
TLDR Summary: Primary difference between Vampires and Werewolves is that Vampires have always on passives and are Magicka based, while Werewolves are more about active abilities and are Stamina based. Vampires offer some group utility whereas Werewolves have more initial damage and solo survivability early on before level 50 CP150.
If you are just starting out in ESO you may be temped to become infected (or perhaps you just accidentally do) with either Sanguinare Vampiris or Sanies Lupinus. Both are fun and rewarding but may impact your play style significantly.
For Vampires they have an always on passive, known as “Vampire Stage” that ranges from 1 to 4 based on time in game and when you last fed. Without feeding you will stay at Stage 4 which will always provide your character with -21% Ability Costs (great for ability spamming builds, Tanks and Healers) -75% Health Recovery, +25% from Fire Damage.
- Ability Cost reduction is great for pretty much any build, but especially healers and tanks in pve.
- While the health recovery penalty sounds substantial, as you progress in the game and gain additional passives and abilities this drawback eventually becomes somewhat trivial.
- The increased fire damage can be very
significant early on if you are any race other than Dunmer. Most enemies within
ESO will use fire damage against the players so it is recommended to always
feed before a dungeon if you are tanking.
- You can also mitigate Fire Damage as a non Dunmer by investing points into Elemental Defender within the Lady constellation or enchanting jewelry with Glyph of Fire Resist.
- Vampire abilities are all Magicka based and involve damage over time with heal over time combinations or escaping from combat. See list of Vampire skills.
- Vampire abilities will level similar to other abilities as long as slotted.
- For new players being a Vampire will involve managing, or at least being aware of, your Vampire Stage while continuing to rely heavily on your Class, Weapon or World abilities.
Werewolves being more active focused have no visual changes or passives applied to players without Transformation slotted. You will have increased stamina regeneration while Werewolf Transformation is slotted. All Werewolf abilities fit on a single bar giving you the standard two weapon swaps along with a “third” Werewolf bar with your specific cone attack, leap, crowd control and heal. See list of Werewolf skills.
- There are no taunt or group heal abilities you can use while in Werewolf form which makes the skill line of little use for dedicated tanks and healers.
- Because Werewolf Transformation is a “R” Ultimate slot, gear with the Decisive Trait or sets such as Hide of the Werewolf are beneficial in helping gain ultimate faster while not in Werewolf form.
- Werewolf abilities only level while in Werewolf form, so you must actively maintain your transformation.
- For new players being a Werewolf will involve trying to remain in Werewolf form as often as possible for damage dealers and solo survivability.
While it is possible to become infected with Sanies Lupinus and never use or level Werewolf abilities with no visual or passive impact to your character, it is not possible to become infected with Sanguinare Vampiris and ignore it.
So, should you be a Vampire or a Werewolf?
- For players starting off who want to mostly solo, be damage dealers in groups or use a lot of stamina abilities in your build then Werewolf may be a good choice.
- For players who like magicka abilities, like healing or tanking in dungeons and don’t mind some micromanagement of their character, then Vampire may be a good choice.