So I've gotten to the crossroads were your given the choice to join the vampires or reject the gift and join the Dawnguard. What I want to know is what faction is better for my character as a whole. I have a Breton who focuses on conjuration for bound wraps and necromancy, archery and sneak at the moment. I've been exclusively using bound bow since the early single digit levels and I continue to use it because it's effective for my me. However I was curious about how powerful the enchanced dwarven crossbow is compared to the bound bow with overdraw perk at max. Keep in mind I play on master and with the bound bow I can usually one shot anyone if I'm sneaking and I'm faster enough to draw my bow before the enemy gets out of stagger. Although the bound bow doesn't always stagger enemies nearly as much as the crossbow but if the bound bow is more powerful and more viable, should I go for it? Also, I want to be the vampire lord, does the bloodstone chalice really offer that much for me, and if not, should I just join the Dawnguard instead for the crossbows? Thanks

all the bloodstone chalice does is allow you to sap magicka and stamina aswell as health.

Hmmm I thought I read somewhere that you could upgrade the bloodchalice but I suppose that was false. That magicks and stamina add on happens when u get it initially.

all the upgrading does is make the effect of the chalice last longer.

Ah ok. Well it looks like I'm going Dawnguard then.

If you use archery then definetely side with Dawnguard as Enhanced Dwarven Crossbow ignores 50 percent of armor which means lots of damage

This. There's also the exploding fire, frost, and electric bolts plus not to mention that you can enchant crossbows too.

So bound bows would be useless compared the enhanced crossbows? The reason I'm asking is because I've already invested in bound weapons doing my damage so ya.