I was just thinking about vampire lords, and I came up with a perfect idea on how to keep the vampire lords balanced. What if the only way you can transform into vampire lord is if you're at stage 4 vampirism. That way, it could keep players from spamming it and force them to choose whether to starve themselves in order to transform or feed to blend in with society. It does fit into the already current system of the longer you go without blood the stronger you get. Also, it could please the people who feel vampires are becoming too easy seeing as how normal vampires won't be attacked anymore. Maybe the reason they made it so that you won't be attacked at stage 4 is to not make it so hard on players who want to be vampire lords.

I think the sun is a good enough restriction

Not really, as even the sun doesn't affect vampires as much as it should. It only stops regeneration and doesn't burn, and even then that could be overcome with enchantments. Plus seeing as how the vampires are trying to block out the sun, whats to stop the vampire lords from becoming OP.

Isn't that their end-game though?

Isn't being OP almost a given with the whole "vampire lord" title? Same can be said about werewolves even prior to the dawnguard perk tree. To be fair the new form can't be anymore overpowered than the other play styles in Skyrim. The game wasn't really designed to be a challenge imo.

Yes, but as we all know players will start to complain as soon as the game becomes too easy. This restriction prevents players from going all crazy and killing everything in sight with ease.

When in Vampire Lord form you can't access you're usual spells or abilities we probably won't even have inventory access itsn't that enough of a restriction?

So, are we going to limit the number of weapons they can smith, enchantments they can cast, potions they can brew, Thu'ums they can Shout, and everything else that risks turning the character into an unstoppable juggernaut?

They are getting rid of the thing that people know your a vamp at stage 4. And no the sun is good enough for us, we don't need another restriction. We have enough as it is.

Being a vampire lord wouldn't be any fun if it didn't make you feel powerful. It would just be an aethstetic change, and that's no fun... at all...ever.

Sun is good enough and who is to say that when they overhaul all vamps that the feeding thing will be switched up? *I can only hope*
Edit: Hope we actually BURN this time

I don't think the Vampire Lord needs any restrictions. After all I think the point of the Vampire Lord is to be.....well OP.

Once you've killed a couple of towns worth of people, being a vampire lord will be boring and people will just not play as a vampire at all.
I enjoy getting attacked at stage 4 because it makes me go all stealthy at night and use invisibility to sneak into peoples houses and feed.
I don't want to be way too powerful. I want to be powerful and evil but I don't want to ruin the game for myself.
I completely agree that there needs to be more restrictions on being a vampire lord so that when I do become one I feel like I am extra powerful.

You do realize that its a transformation right that you go back and forth between human form and demonic vampire form right? that there is no reason to have to kill towns at all.
When you turn into the Vampire Lord's demonic vistage you lose access to your usual abilities and inventory until you change back. How is that NOT a major restriction.

I'd love that, but it's not gonna happen.
I'd actually like to see vamps take fire damage in sunlight that scales with stage... all the way up to Lord becoming kentucky fried in seconds.

People don't dig that idea though...

It's fine the way it is. If you make it to where it's a challenge killing a simple bandit as a vampire lord you'll break the fun of being a vampire lord. Definitely a lot faster than if you were to make the vampire lord all powerful, which I doubt they're doing.

Seriously but what's the point of being OP ? Sure it can be fun but only for a short while.

Because it would break gameplay more than it would help. Role playing can't be the sole focus or you'll end up with a horrible game. Remember, this is a game, gameplay matters more than role playing potential.

The Dovahkiin in overpowered to begin with... Just play the game and enjoy being a badass.

You said that you can change from human to vampire lord form anytime. I said that I think this should be restricted so you can only do it every few days.
You said that you can't access your inventory. Why would you need to when you are a winged soul eating monster?? You have awesome spells to use so why would you want to use a normal weapon.

You understand gameplay is what matters right? If you restrict it too much you'll kill the gameplay and break the fun of being a vampire lord.

No armor, no potions, no prorection from enchanted gear, and it takes time to go back and forth not something you can do in a tight spot.

I like the idea of it being OP. The Werewolves will also be pretty OP with this DLC... Ring + Perks = Unstoppable Werewolf.

Vampire Lord doesn't need to be reduced just like how the new Werewolf doesn't need to be reduced. If you misuse your OP Vampire Lord/Werewolf and kill a whole town without saving, that's your fault.

theres this simple thing called difficulty settings ie: Too easy = turn it up or Too Hard = turn it down also if you that much of a challenge hunter play on adept or master ? no need to change what already seems perfect!

Yeah but look at all the spells you have as a VL; Night Cloak - bats feed on enemies in melee range, Mist Form - turn into an invulnerable cloud of mist while regen health, magicka, and stamina, Corpse Curse - paralyze foes with a magical blast, Vampire Grip, Summon gargoyle, Raise dead. With all these powers along with your claws anything thats in melee range would be dispatched easily. Then, you can just pull anything out of melee range to you with vampire grip. Compared to werewolves, vampire lords are gods. Plus seeing as how normal vampires are no longer attacked, there will no longer be any drawbacks to becoming a vampire and will just be an OP form. At least, forcing players to be stage 4 in order to transform could keep players from spamming it.