Vampire noob here. Just wondered what the deal was with powers receding when I feed? You would think that a vampire would become more powerful with feeding. Also I was attacked and killed by 2 gargoyles in the daytime while in my lord form. Is this a bug or what? Am I right to starve myself to become stronger?

I don't play as a vampire, but yes you always go back to level 1 as you feed. I suppose the logic was that as your levels increase it becomes harder and harder to feed (with NPCs becoming hostile at one point) so to balance it your powers should increase to make it easier to feed, but then recede as they are no longer needed.

After feeding, you are more human, less vampire.

When you feed, the beast is sated and recedes, which means that your powers recede (it no longer needs blood, so there's no need for superpowers). When you're hungry, the beast wakes and needs blood so it starts getting more powerful to facilitate the ability to get blood.

Skyrim_Vampire != Hollywood_Vampire

I happen to like the way it's done (but I don't like reverting all the way to stage 1 after a single feeding). If you don't like how it's done, and you're on PC, there are several very good vampire mods that reverse the vampire stage logic. If you're not on PC, then you need to come to terms with Bethesda's concept of vampire-hunger-powers.

This.

But just remember that starving yourself for power also carries a price. There are fairly significant debuffs as your condition progresses.

As in my topic about the feeding, There are several different species of vampires, only playable one is the Cyrodiilic Vampires. Their inher ability is that of concealment, as the more they feed, they less they show their true nature. Read the in-game book Immortal blood to learn more.

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Immortal_Blood

One of my fav books. But I always thought it was only Cyrodillic Vampires that feed to blend in and it was a trait special only to that clan. When did other vampires get the backwards feeding? Unless it was a retcon.

Retcon. Cyrodiilic vampires were suppose to have backwards feeding and feeding on sleeping people, and also using vampire's seduction to feed on people(mentioned in Oblivion, but never shown).

The more you feed the more human you look, whereas if you don't feed your powers grow stronger and you apparently look more like a vampire, making it harder for you to blend in amongst the "herd". That's the reasoning anyways. I Don't really see a downside besides more vulnerability to fire and vulnerability to sunlight. Both of which can be avoided. It used to be you'd get attacked on sight by npc's if you got to stage 4 but that's no longer an issue with the dlc enabled.

Honestly I wish their were stronger blood magic, like a stronger vampiric drain, which does get stronger and caps at 5 life per second at stage 4, which is still really weak considering flames does like 8 dps baseline, frostbite does 12 with the perks. Sure you can make it drain stamina and magicka as well if you use the blood chalice, but still it's overall weaker especially considering npc vampires drain does up to 20 health per second i think it caps at, if not just baseline. There's no progression there it's just the novice skill and you can't get better versions.

It's also a bit disappointing you can't kill enemies by feeding on them unless you get lucky with a power attack in VL form...

But yeah, no real downside to speak of, I just stay at stage 4 as long as i can, i get sad if I'm forced back to stage 1.

Bethesda has been know for screwing up vampires in every single TES. One slight exception was morrowind, don't forget the word slight. Bethesda tried to fix vampire gameplay in Skyrim and add to it by making Dawnguard. Don't get me wrong it is good, but it doesn't fix any old problems and add a whole lot more. List of what Bethesda should have done.

1.) Allow you to retain Cyrodillic strain (optional) you can still join the vampires if you want to.

2.) Make it so the more you feed the stronger you get

3.) Add sun damage

4.) Make npcs angry at you at stage four again

I would like the rank 4 starvation to cause attacks but only if you are not wearing a full helm or hood and stay away from civs

They cut and paste the Oblivion vampire system where lore wise the feeding was correct. Vampires fed regularly to blend in. In Skyrim the vampires are not at all what they should have been. Bethesda really dropped the ball on this.

Fixed.

I would like for you to look like the vampires in Castle Volkihar when you hit stage four.

well i wouldnt like sun damage or u could die by fast travelling *cough*oblivion*cough* and wat dissapoints me is in oblivion i remember reading that the volkihar vampires of skyrim could reach through ice and pull down their enemies to their death which is dissapointing since that doesnt happen, btw it was 1 main reason i got skyrim...