There are two things that a lot of people are complaining about. I can explain them right now, and I hope that you wont complain again.


First off, we have the "laggy" transformations for the vamp lord. This lag is not what you expect. You see, when you turn into a vampire lord, EVERYTHING you are wearing is un-equipped or re-quipped, depending on if your turning into a VL or turning back. Now think. You have a full set of armor, a ring, a necklace, and possibly a mask. Un or re-equipping all that at the VERY SAME TIME will cause lag, it's impossible not to. You console players have all experienced minor lag when putting armor on or off, I am sure of it.

Second and final are the complaints of not being able to open chests. Why is that? I can answer. When you turn into a vampire lord, you are changing your species into a whole new one. The humanoid species' you know and love are built with inventory's. The vampire lord species does not have one. That is why you cannot loot chests, because your species doesn't have an inventory to put items into. If you could loot chests, you would have two seperate inventory's. Would you REALLY want to switch between the two constantly for reasons so massive I cannot even begin to describe for you? NO.

Your second point seems a little flaky. I thought it was more for balance, since wolfies can't do it either.

The vamp lord and the lets say nord vampire should just use the same inventory. The ability to change equipment and other things should just be locked.

Not sure why wolfs can't, in skyrim from what I understand your one of the few that has full control over your actions when your a werewolf.

It's the same thing. Beast form is a seperate species aswell. Read my second point again, but just pretend that your reading werewolf when I say VL

I think your second point is lacking just give them the same inventory theres no need for the goofy diable of chests as a vamp or werewolf.

This.

Eh, I think the chest thing is just for balance. You're already becoming a super buffed up killing machine by transforming into a wolf or vampire, acting exactly the same as you do in human form just makes being a human redundant.


Plus, when you let the beast out, you're kinda doing just that, the beast wants to kill, not fiddle with locks and pick up rings.

This.

The lack of looting is probably due to mechanics. It was certainly not for balance.

Developer 1: Hey guys should we balance this Werewolf?
Developer 2: But isn't he already weaker in normal combat anyway?
Developer 1: Hmm I guess you're right.
Developer 2: Also if we balanced the Werewolf we might be expected to put thought into balancing other things such as Smithing, Enchanting, Alchemy, Destruction and Sneak.


Your character actually changes race (as far as game mechanics are concerned) when you are a Vampire or transform into a Werewolf / Vampire Lord. This is why changing your race via the developer console on PC can cause issues when you are a said things, it is also why the Riften face changer cannot work on Vampires.

Nothing was done the way it was in Skyrim because of balance and you would have to be pretty naive to think otherwise. As I'm sure many know changing into a Werewolf while dual wielding two weapons that are exactly the same causes issues with the Werewolf. This is most likely linked to a reason as to why inventory is disabled.

The OP is also right about the lag, it's due to the game changing your equipment during transformation. To remove this lag spike Bethesda would have to rework the mechanics of the Vampire Lord transformation in how it handles equipment.

I think you are right as on the vampire perk menu it says your species is vampire Lord

I honestly think it's the devs intention that you don't spend long periods of time in VL form.

I believe it's a hulk out option and a situation based weapon, not intended as any kind of permanent character role.

Stuff gets hairy.... TRANSFORM! Killy, killy, kill, kill, revert... loot, move along citizen.

I feel that if that was the case, they wouldn't have spent E3 talking about how you can play through the entire game in your transformed state as if it was a selling point.

"We included this super-special-awesome Vampire Lord in Dawnguard! It's great, and you can play through the entire game in it!

.....But we really don't want you to."