The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimis an action RPG that permits players the chance to shape their character’s very own story. Much of what makesSkyrimso engaging is the countless multiple-choice scenarios the game forces onto the Dragonborn and the freedom it gives players to align themselves with different factions.
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As part ofSkyrim’sDawnguardDLC, the player is forced to decide whether they shouldjoin the Dawnguard factionand become a Vampire-hunter orside with Harkon and become a Vampire Lord. While both routes come with unique perks and bonuses, one is arguably better than the other.
Joining The Dawnguard
If players decide to join the Dawnguard, they willgain access to Fort Dawnguardand will be able to interact with most of the members who reside there. They will also gain access to a variety of unique weapons and armor sets that Vampires simply do not have access to.
Joining the Dawnguard grants playersregular access to Crossbows. Though it’s easy to acquire a Crossbow as a Vampire, the only way to obtain the superiorEnhanced Dwarven Crossbowis to side with the Dawnguard. Not only that, but being a member of the Dawnguard also allows players to purchase and craftDwarven BoltsandExploding Dwarven Bolts; Vampires do not have this option. Dawnguard members can alsorecruit Armored Trollsto serve as followers, an option unavailable to those who sided with Harkon and his legion of Vampiric followers.
Joining The Vampires
If the Dragonborn sides with Harkon and agrees tobecome a Vampire,they will not be able to enter Fort Dawnguard without the NPCs there becoming hostile. Because of this, they will lose out on several benefits of being a Dawnguard member, such as the freedom to purchase and craft Dwarven Bolts. While they will still be able to acquire and use Crossbows and Dwarven Bolts by killing members of the Dawnguard and looting their bodies,they will not be able to perform Crossbow upgrades, as the ability is reserved solely for members of the Dawnguard.
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Joining the Vampires does come with a few perks; however, as a Lord Vampire, the Dragonborn will be free to transform into a bloodthirsty monster whenever the player wishes. Completing the Dawnguard questline after siding with Harkon will alsoreward the Dragonborn with Castle Volkihar itself, making it a home of sorts, while also granting players access to an endless sequence ofVampire-exclusive Radiant quests.
Should You Join The Dawnguard Or The Vampires?
In short,joining the Dawnguard is by far the best choice players can makewhile playing theDawnguardDLC. This is primarily due to how the benefits of being a Dawnguard member outweigh the benefits of being a Vampire Lord; the main reason most players will consider siding with Harkon is because of his ability to transform the Dragonborn into a Vampire Lord, but Serana is also capable of performing this feat toward the climax of the questline,even if players chose to join the Dawnguard.
The only real downside to not joining the Vampires is that players will not be able toadopt Garmr or CuSith, the two Death Hounds roaming the halls of Castle Volkihar. As a member of the Dawnguard, however, they will be able to adoptBran and Sceolang, the Huskies that reside in Fort Dawnguard.
No matter which faction players choose to align themselves with,the Dawnguard questline will always play out in one specific way. The choice itself only really affects what players have access to both during and after the quest’s completion. With that in mind, players who wish for the Dragonborn to have permanent access to Castle Volkihar should choose to side with the Vampires; those who want to align themselves with a more trustworthy faction while also gaining access to better weapons should side with the Dawnguard.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimis available for PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
