Skyrim Werewolf Guide

Nords and Ladies, is humanity keeping you down?  Do you sometimes just want to release the beast within?   Do you like dogs?  If you answered yes to one or all of these questions, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has the answer for you!  This guide will teach you everything you need to know about lycanthropy in Skyrim

Let’s define terms.  Lycanthropy is the term that describes the human transformation into a werewolf.  Elder Scrolls delivers werewolves with Skyrim.  In most fantasy and science fiction, lycanthropy is a disease contracted by getting bitten by a werewolf.  In Skyrim, it is no different.

Lycanthrope can be contracted two different ways.   The first is though a werewolf attacking you.  Similarly to contracting vampirism, have the werewolf attack you until you contract the lycanthrope disease.  A strategy for receiving the disease is to single out a werewolf, have it attack you, and just heal constantly (magic or pots) while it attacks you.  Eventually you should get the disease.

The more popular way to become a werewolf is though the Companions Guild in Whiterun.  After you complete the quest with the Jarl of Dragonreach in Whiterun, you can visit the Companions.  Complete their quests and then meet them in Underforge.  One mystical ritual later, some blood drinking, and wa-lah, you are a werewolf.

You can check your status to see if you’ve contracted the lycanthrope disease or not.  Open your magic menu, scroll to the bottom so you can see your ongoing buffs and debuffs.  Blue stats are positive stats while red ones are negative.  If you see lycanthropy, you are a werewolf. 

Being a Werewolf:

Based on your race and gender, your werewolf will have slightly different coloring.  Becoming a werewolf unlocks 4 new abilities.  These new abilities are unlocked through Radiant Companions Quests.  One of these abilities to turns you into a werewolf once a day.  The other 3 are abilities you can use WHILE you are a werewolf. 

Abilities:

Beast Form – Once per day: Become a werewolf for 2.5 minutes.  Every time you feast on a corpse (done by looting it in werewolf form) you gain an additional 30 seconds to the form.  You also restore 50 HP though your feasts.

Howl of Rage: Fear enemies level 25 and below.

Scent of Blood: Detect Life for 60 seconds.

Howl of the Pack: Summon two wolves to aid you.

As a special note, while you can only turn into a beast once a day, there is a ring you can get that has a power to allow werewolves to transform an additional time per day.  This item is the Ring of Hircine.  Receive this ring though the 'ILL MET BY THE MOON' quest.  Choose to NOT kill Sinding and kill the hunters instead.  You will be rewarded this ring.

Advantages:

  • 100% disease resistance in both wolf and humanoid form.
  • +100 HP, werewolf only.
  • +100 Stamina, werewolf only.
  • Sprint faster than a horse, werewolf only.
  • Wolves treat you friendly werewolf only.
  • Crimes as a wolf don’t carry over to your humanoid form.

Disadvantages (while in werewolf form):

  • Your health doesn’t regenerate, you need to feast to get HP back.
  • Weak to silver and Daedric weapons.
  • Can’t loot or pick up items.
  • Can’t fit in narrow passageways.
  • Your followers may flee, attack you, or do nothing.
  • Citizens will flee or try to fight you.
  • Can’t equip items, use abilities, use spells, use shouts, use items, and can’t open your inventory screen.
  • If anyone watches you transform that is a 1000 GP bounty in that region.

Curing Lycanthropy:

The cure for lycanthropy is permanent.  Once you are cured of the beast within, you can never become a werewolf again.  With that said, here is how it is done.

  • Complete the Companions quest line.
  • A Radiant Quest: Purity becomes available.
  • Cut the head of the Glenmoril Witch.
  • Bring the head to Tomb of Ysmgramor.
  • Draw the wolf spirit out of yourself and defeat it.