Becoming a vampire in Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion offers a powerful and immersive transformation that dramatically alters gameplay. Vampirism grants your character enhanced abilities, stat boosts, and access to unique powers, but it also comes with challenges like sunlight weakness and the need to feed on sleeping NPCs. If you’re curious about how to become a vampire in Oblivion, this guide walks you through every step, from getting infected to understanding the full benefits and drawbacks of undead life.
How to Become a Vampire in Oblivion
To become a vampire in Oblivion, you must contract the disease Porphyric Hemophilia and allow it to progress for 72 in-game hours without curing it.
Step 1: Get Infected with Porphyric Hemophilia
You can catch this disease by being attacked by vampires. Vampires can be found in various dungeons and caves across Cyrodiil, most commonly in:
- Memorial Cave (east of the Imperial City)
- Bloodcrust Cavern (south of Cheydinhal)
- Redwater Slough
- Lipsand Tarn
When a vampire hits you with a melee attack, there’s a chance you’ll become infected. You’ll know you’ve contracted the disease when you see a notification saying:
“You have contracted Porphyric Hemophilia.”
Step 2: Wait 72 Hours (In-Game)
After infection, you have three in-game days (72 hours) before the disease fully transforms you into a vampire. If you sleep or wait after the 72-hour mark, the transformation will begin the next time you rest. You’ll then receive a message that your body feels different, and your character will become a vampire.
If you cure the disease before the transformation time is up (with a Cure Disease potion, spell, or chapel altar), you will not become a vampire.
Symptoms and Changes After Turning
Once you become a vampire, you’ll receive stat boosts and new abilities—but they come at a cost.
Vampire Abilities and Bonuses:
- Increased Strength, Speed, and Willpower
- Night-Eye and Hunter’s Sight
- Resistance to Disease and Paralysis
- Powerful spells like Vampire Seduction and Embrace of Shadows
The longer you go without feeding, the stronger your vampire powers become—but so do the penalties.
Vampire Weaknesses:
- Sunlight Weakness: You’ll take damage in daylight if you haven’t fed recently
- Social Penalty: NPCs will avoid or react negatively to you
- Must Feed Regularly: To maintain lower-stage vampirism and reduce sunlight damage
How to Feed as a Vampire
To feed and keep your vampire stage manageable, you need to drink the blood of a sleeping NPC.
Here’s how:
- Find someone sleeping in an accessible bed (taverns, homes, camps)
- Sneak up and press Activate (like you’re going to pickpocket)
- You’ll see the option: “Feed”
- Feeding resets your vampirism to stage 1
Feeding regularly prevents sunlight damage and helps you blend into society more easily.
Stages of Vampirism
There are four stages of vampirism in Oblivion, which progress the longer you go without feeding.
| Stage | Hours Since Last Feeding | Powers Gained | Sun Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | 0–24 hours | Minor bonuses | None |
| Stage 2 | 24–48 hours | Moderate bonuses | Moderate |
| Stage 3 | 48–72 hours | High bonuses | Severe |
| Stage 4 | 72+ hours | Max bonuses | Extreme |
At stage 4, most NPCs will refuse to talk to you, and sunlight will kill you quickly. You’ll need to sneak into a house and feed ASAP.
Benefits of Being a Vampire
- Strong passive buffs for stealth and magic-focused characters
- Access to exclusive vampire powers
- Unique immersion and roleplaying opportunities
- Immunity to most diseases and paralysis
Downsides to Consider
- Sunlight damage makes daytime travel dangerous
- Need to feed regularly to maintain lower stages
- Some quests and dialogue options are restricted when NPCs fear you
Still, for many players, the vampire experience is worth the tradeoff—especially if you’re playing a dark, stealthy, or magical character.
Final Thoughts
Becoming a vampire in Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion opens up a whole new way to experience the game. With enhanced stats, new powers, and a constant need to feed, it introduces both danger and reward. If you’re ready to walk the line between predator and pariah, Porphyric Hemophilia is just one vampire bite away.
Already turned and not loving the lifestyle? Check out our guide on How to Cure Vampirism for the full reversal process. Or if you’re still testing the dark side, explore How to Use Spells to grow your magical potential.