Elder Scrolls 4 Reasons Why Dawnguard is the Heart of Skyrim (number four is just crying out for psychological help!)

[Stella Brando]

Why Dawnguard is the heart of Skyrim​

(the cold, vampiric heart)​

PC Gamer once printed a revocation of their Morrowind review, stating that although the game had its highlights, it had left them feeling lonely, isolated; unable to do anything meaningful.

Skyrim’s 'Dragonborn' character is exactly this sort of lonely hero.

He has the potential to become an arch-mage, a king of thieves, a master assassin, or a chief among fighters, yet he lacks the ability to be get involved in one simple human relationship.



1. Serana is the Series' First Fully Fleshed Out Character

Dawnguard has the first genuine character in the Elder Scrolls series (and I've been playing since Daggerfall)

The adventure is truly surprising with it’s focus on the character of Serana.

Serana is an appealing and seductive character, with a lot of depth; a 4000 years young vampire (older than Cyrodiil's Empire) with dark secrets in her past.

Serana will comment on your environments, on the weather, on the story you're going through, as well her backstory.

The search for Serana's mother in Castle Volkihar is excellent -- it's truly focused on Serana's personal journey, as well as her relationship with her abusive parents.

This tendency comes and goes however -- In the Dwemer ruins mission she just seems happy to tag along.

If Dawnguard had kept up the character-driven approach, I would have rated the DLC 10/10.



2. It was Created By Rogue Elements within the Bethesda Machine

A vengeful Todd

This is the first time we've seen Todd's team concentrate on character above the usual computer RPG-slogging.

Was the DLC produced by some rogue team within Bethesda?

Our sources say: maybe.

If this is true, I wish this team best for the future -- after all, they created the first sign of life* in the Elder Scrolls.

*Undead life.



3. It Has Skyrim's Most Beautiful Scenery

Dawnguard adds some beautiful new areas to Tamriel.

The final quest is long and combat intensive -- it looks absolutely gorgeous, though.

Our sources indicate that if you have started the main quest, you will get a dragon battle on and under Dawnguard's frozen lake.



4. With the Secret Power of Modding, You Can Now Make Serana Your Waifu.

Unfortunately, you can’t make Serana your wife in vanilla Skyrim, she's too traumatised, and unsure whether to truly trust you.

The relationship just needs time, and possibly Skyrim's equivalent of therapy (which probably involves a lot of mead).

However, with the power of modding, you can bring marriage into your game.

I would recommend the simple Live With Serana -- it involves returning to the most beautiful vista in the adventure, and saying: forget about Mara and her fancy temples. We can get married right here. Who could say no to that?

My mail-order marriage to Wyrmlord certainly started off less auspiciously.

Let's not even mention marrying Kruno.

Or god forbid, Melcar.

You wouldn't believe the things that guy is into...



Er, anyway, try Dawnguard.

I will think you will find the character of Serana captivating.

You certainly won't regret being a part of her on her journey.

As Serana says: 'lets make some more stories together.'

-- Stella Vindaloo-Krunovsky-Melcarius-Brando

Feel free to contact me regarding employment or marriage opportunities

 

[mondblut]

Touch grass.

 

[Yosharian]

Meh. Dawnguard is pretty average. It also shoves vampire attacks into towns and cities which often breaks the game, especially when mods make vampires (rightfully) more challenging enemies.

Serena is ok I guess, nothing special - part of the problem is that companions in Skyrim are generally ass

 

[Gargaune]

Skyrim’s 'Dragonborn' character is exactly this sort of lonely hero. He has the potential to become an arch-mage, a king of thieves, a master assassin, or a chief among fighters, yet he lacks the ability to be get involved in one simple human relationship.

Astute observation, Dawnguard plugged that gap with the power fantasy of a relationship with Kate Beckinsale.

 

[Stella Brando]

It also shoves vampire attacks into towns and cities which often breaks the game

Didn't Bethesda patch that out? In my game they just sent a few Dawnguard guys, and they were pretty useless.

 

[Yosharian]

It also shoves vampire attacks into towns and cities which often breaks the game

Didn't Bethesda patch that out? In my game they just sent a few Dawnguard guys, and they were pretty useless.

Oh ok, maybe? I haven't played in a while

 

[Stella Brando]

Lol, just after reading this, I loaded up my new playthrough, and the Riften coachman got murdered by vampires.

It seems I may have less right than some people.

 

[ColaWerewolf]

The heart of Skyrim is the freeroam, the setting, the worldbuilding, the sandbox, the mods.

Serana just teased the thirsty, lonely, romance fans because she was considered attractive. It was just a tease, but the romance ghouls ate it up.

They tried to bring companions to life and make them more relevant and impactful in Starfield, but none of them were remotely hot or attractive so nobody actually cared. Meanwhile BG3 already quenched the desperate thirst for sex that gamers, in their isolation, have.

If BGS ever managed to master the art of thirsttrapping they would be unstoppable. But Todd is too wholesome and pure to let the wickedness and degeneracy in.

 

[Butter]

That's a lot of words to tell us you're gay OP.

 

[Lemming42]

I barely remember it. I don't think Serana made much of an impact on me, and the only other thing I remember is Serana's mother who had a hilariously 80s-vamp look, and the Soul Cairn, which looked cool but was boring to play. As with all Bethesda DLCs, ultimately I just couldn't wait to get the fuck out of there and back to the normal game.

Oh, and the secret ancient vampire castle that's in full view of a highly-populated city and can be reached with a two minute walk.

Dawnguard had the bit where you're knocked out by an explosion or something near the end, right? And it goes all cinematic with you seeing your own hands in front of you as you crawl across the floor. Made me laugh because it's so utterly unlike anything else in a Bethesda game and looked fucking stupid.

Serana may be the first genuine character in the Elder Scrolls series (and Ive been playing since Daggerfall.)

I dunno, the characters are usually drawn pretty thinly but I always found the Daggerfall main quest NPCs pretty intriguing. Elysana with her plan to obsfucate stupidity while secretly assassinating her rivals, Akorithi clearly being stressed beyond belief to the point where she just asks you why she's meant to care if you bring her the proof of Woodborne's plot, Aubk-i and Gothryd desperately trying to cover their own involvement up, Nulfaga who seems to have had her mind torn between two dimensions, etc. You don't spend much time with any of them but they're all conceptually interesting.

I guess Serana is kind of conceptually interesting but Emil can't write dialogue at all, it all just comes across as inane and bland. The voice actor gives a really dull performance too, though it's probably not her fault - Bethesda's voice directors seem to actively want bad performances. I imagine most actors go in and try to give decent performances at first, but Todd's in the recording booth with them whispering "less. less passion. more disinterest. sound more monotone. sound more bored".

 

[Stella Brando]

I turned my article into clickbait.

Hopefully someone will actually want to read it now.

 

[Stella Brando]

 

[Cat Headed Eagle]

stop liking evil women

 

[Stella Brando]

I'll never stop.

 

[Gargaune]

I turned my article into clickbait.

Which means I've retroactively commented on a clickbait article! Damn you, Edit function!

 

[Harthwain]

Holy fuck... Was this done on the smartphone or something? This shit is unreadable thanks to formatting alone.

 

[Velut]

I think you need a dating sim, not an RPG. Ever heared of Baldur's Gate 3?

 

[Stella Brando]

Is that the one with the talking cats?

 

[Velut]

I think so. It also has vampire romance that you wanted so badly.

 

[Fargus]

Used to play with a quest mod that lets you fuck Serana throughout your Dawnguard journey. One day she asked me to fuck her mom Valerica too. Skyrim with mods is a pretty cool game.

 

[MerchantKing]

4. With the Secret Power of Modding, You Can Now Make Serana Your Waifu.

Ah yes. The classic "Modder will fix our game" by Bethesda.

 

[Silverfish]

stop liking evil women

 

[Eisen]

Super autism the thread

 

[jaekl]

This is embarrassing, you're ruining the rpgcodex reputation as the coolest guys on the internet

 

[NotSweeper]

Waifufaggotry was a mistake.