Best vampire build?

For quite some time now I've been wanting to create a vampire build. I'm in need of some help of certain elements to do with it.

1. What's the strongest playtype for vampires? mage, archer, melee?

2. After answering that question above, what is the best race to have, then?

3. A good cave to find some vampires to contract the disease.

4. Any tips on being a vampire?

5. Will it be more fun to be evil-based? Stalking the night, killing innocent soles?

6. Based on question 1, what stats should I focus in?

I'll greatly appreciate any detailed answers. If it's enough help, I'll give you a reputation point.

I can answer some.

3. The Morvath cave right outside Morthal.

4. Enjoy being a shadow of the night? Apparently you can become very sneaky once you become full blown vampire.

5. It will be fun to an extent of playing that type of character. If you've tried it in Oblivion like I did, you'll eventually get annoyed because you can only be out during the night.

Number 3 will help a bit.

Can anyone answer 1,2,4,5?

I have actually really enjoyed being a vampire in previous games, and I am currently one in Skyrim. I'll give you my opinion on some of your questions.

1. I like being an archer/thief type as a vampire. You get sneaking bonuses as a vampire and it really enhances your ability to ambush from a distance. I think they also get a bonus to illusion spells so a mage would probably be a good choice too, but I've never tried it.

2. I think the Dark Elf is a great choice for a vampire. They have a resistance to fire (I think 50% but I would have to double check) which offsets the weakness to fire that you get when you become a vampire.

4. Be prepared to spend time finding victims to feed on. My favorite tactic is to fast travel to the farmhouses that are outside most of the major cities and wait until 1 or 2 am and break in and feed on the farmers. The locks on their houses are usually pretty easy and its a good way to get your blood fix. I also like to enchant my armor with frost/fire resistance to make my character more powerful. If you choose frost, it will add to the frost resistance that you already get as a vampire and make you very strong against frost attacks. You could also choose fire to help offset the natural weakness to fire.

During the day, your health and stamina will not regenerate as a vampire. You could also try to enchant/find armor that gives you a bonus to regeneration to offset this as well, though I've never tried it, I just prefer to do things at night.

5. I play a character that is pretty much neutral. If I can gain something by killing an innocent, then I will kill them. However, I will still give money to beggars and do good deeds if I can benefit from it. I have always seen vampires as noble creatures. Yes, they feed on innocent people and they are seen as evil by the public at large but that doesn't necessarily mean they have to be totally evil. I do enjoy ambushing hunters or marching Imperial troops. I think this one is really up to you and what type of character you want to role play.

6. My character was a rogue before he became a vampire so I chose to focus on stamina and health. I think these are important to focus on as a vampire because they don't regenerate during the day (outside in direct sunlight) If you get caught in a fight in the middle of the day, it would be good to have a strong base of health and stamina. Personally after I became a vampire, it seemed that I struggled a lot with melee based characters because I didn't have enough points in health so that might be a good stat to boost.

"They have a resistance to fire (I think 50% but I would have to double check) which offsets the weakness to fire that you get when you become a vampire." Killjoy Smith

It is 50%. Glad someone who plays vampire could give a detailed guide on playing one.

Thanks for the reply!

I've decided to do this:

I realised I have a khajiit assassin with 100 sneak, and 28,000 gold, ebony dagger, blade of woe, cicero's clothes, ect. I turned him into a vampire. Seem's very powerful. I've decided to be evil-based, as I'll stay at level 4 vampire at all times. (It's sort of a mess-around account. I don't do the main quests or stuff on it). Thanks for the help anyway!

Did all you crazy blood suckers know that you can get a torture chamber in your hideout at the end of the assassins guild quest line. There are four people strapped in cuffs and ready to be fed upon, never been a vampire but they could be all the blood you DNA drinkers ever needed.

Thanks thats very useful.

1. Assassin/ Archer

2. Dark Elf due to their resistance to fire.

3. Haemar's Shame, Broken Fang Cave, Movarth's Lair, Pinemoon Cave,Shriekwind Bastion, Bloodlet Throne, and Fellglow Keep.

4. Feed everyday, or two(Go to the Temple of Kyraneth in Whiterun for easy prey), run from fire-breathing dragons, try to get as high in Illusion as possible,explore at night (w/ a torch).

5. Yes, I've done it before and it was really fun. To take on that persona just clicked with me somehow. Unless, you want to be a vampire who is forsaken by his curse but still wants to help people, which in reality isn't all that fun.

6. Illusion (Will help you get out of tough situations), Sneak (When you're Stage 4, you want to be able to at least sneak by your enemies), Restoration (Pick up Necromage as soon as possible.)

Another fantastic reply.

I posted this thread along time ago, and haven't been on Skyrim in about 4/5 months, however reading this has made me want to get back into it and create a vampire using what you suggested above. Thanks for the reply!

Anytime, friend!

HERES MY VAMPIRE

Awww yeah'

dat music

1. What's the strongest playtype for vampires? mage, archer, melee?

I would have to say a sneaky mage type only because being a vampiric necro and messing with peoples heads via illusion tree is fun that and if played right you wont get hit alot.Other than in 1vs1 fights.

2. After answering that question above, what is the best race to have, then?

Dumer is the best race which is stated above in posts.

3. A good cave to find some vampires to contact the disease

If your looking to become a vampire from level one i would reccomend haemar's shame due to the fact its close to helgen and no High end creatures in your way.One simple fight with a thrall and the next encounter will be a vampire.

4. Any tips on being a vampire?

Theres a way easyer way to feed if you plan to stay out of stage 4.Go to any Guilds hall.Example jorvaskar then just simply walk down to where everyones bed is and wait,And as soon as someone falls asleep with none watching.Feed till your hearts content.

This applies to most guilds.But i would reccomend jorvaskar due to the fact you dont acualy have to join the guild inorder to feed.

If you do become a mage i would recomend getting the necromage/respite perks due to the fact.Necromage perk helps a lot if ur enchanting your gear and Respite perk due to the fact your heals also heal stamina which is great if you acualy want to play around during the day.

5.Will it be more fun to be evil based? Stalking the night,Killing innocent souls

Due to the fact that my char's a necromancer.Which kinda defeats the purpose of me being a goody goody i would say yets its alot of fun to be evil.If you have say a character in theory that sounds like he would be this evil person.Otherwise in my opinion it just seems the game trys to force fed you to be that goody goody instead of giving you options to ither be good,Go evil or be that neutral character.

6. Based on question 1, what stats should i focus in

This really depends on what character you will be choosing.My favourite way of distribution between stats is in a 2-1 fashion.Example mage ( 2-1-0 ) or warrior (0-2-1) or theif (0-1-2)

This post might be a bit late, but I would say a Mage is good for a vampire. You can use robes to regen magic, and use vampiric drain for health. I also believe there is a perk in regeneration magic that makes healing spells also regen stamina. Therefor, you will have a better chance sieving at day. Also, having a high sneak skill will hep you feed.

1. Sneak/Mage
2. Dark Elf
3. Broken Fang Hideout
4. i ussually join the dark brotherhood for my vamps+sucking the blood of the sleeping contract kills to kill them is FUN!!
5.Slit throught as an illusion assassin by day. Suck the blood of innocent unsespecting victims by night
6. (in order from most to least important) Sneak, Illlusion, One Handed, Light Armor. /for the first 6 levels i do 2 in magic 3 in health and 1 in stamina

1. I agree with the people here : sneak/mage assassin

2. Again I agree with the people here: Dark Elves because of the Fire resist. Breton would be second because of the Magic Resist (most fire that you will face are magical though)

3. Broken Fang Cave or Morvarths Lair

4. Get the Necromage perk in Restoration. You get +25% on pretty much every effects, including the effects of your enchantments. Also, get Illusion so if you get stage 4, then walk around invisible. The DB is one of the rare people that don't care much if you are a Vampire in plain sight. Don't even try the companion though, they will skin you alive .

5. For me, a vampire is evil base to start with, so there is no question here.

6. As a sneak/mage assassin, you should get around 300 magicka, 400 health and 400 stamina at level 81. Get your Magicka up first, till you get 250-300 magicka. With that and magicka reduction cost perks/enchantment, you will be able to cast everything you need. Life drain and Heal spells will take care of your health at the start. Get the Respite perk in Restoration to regen stamina faster. Then focus on Stamina. Also get the wind walker perk in light armor and wear light armor. And health to finish.

Skills: Sneak, Illusion, Archery/one-handed (choose your favorite method of killing), Restoration, Light armor, Archery/One-handed (your secondary method of killing)