Oh, that was bad. Sorry, sometimes I can't help myself. Awful puns aside, one of the big questions in Elder Scrolls games is this - Is being a vampire fun or just annoying? Yes, the concept of being a bloodthirsty creature of the night is pretty awesome, but Elder Scrolls packs enough disadvantages into it to put some people off. I've been playing as a vampire for some time now, so I thought I'd share my opinion (which is obviously totally right).
The biggest disadvantage of being undead in Oblivion was it gave your character a fugly-face. Seriously, after hours of creating my character, turning into a vampire aged her thirty years. I couldn't have that, so I reloaded my save and cured myself before the corruption could take hold. In Skyrim, that problem didn't really seem to crop up. I'm playing a dark elf, so I've already got red eyes, and dark elves kind of have a Romulan forehead thing going on (thanks, Felicia Day!). So the only noticeable difference upon becoming a blood-sucking fiend was my skin was a slightly paler green. I can live with that.
Aesthetics aside, do I think being undead is fun? Yes, but maybe not for the reasons one might expect. I'll just say this right off, if you're playing a tanky-type character with lots of sword and shield skills and hit points up the ass, being a vampire is not worth your time. A full list of the various bonuses and penalties can be found here. You will find that the most important benefits are a hefty bonus to your Sneak and Illusion skills. You get some extra spells, and being immune to disease is nice (thank god I don't have to worry about catching Rockjoint anymore), but the skill bonuses are where turning really shines. So, if you're a hacky-slashy type of character who solves their problems up front in the light of day with a giant axe, you're not going to reap many benefits.
The reason I'm having so much fun playing a vampire is really because of the kind of character I'm playing - both in a statistics and role-playing standpoint. The very first questline I ever finished was the Dark Brotherhood. This involved (minor spoilers ahead) killing a woman at her own wedding reception. So very early in the game my concept of Kikkari was that she was cold, ruthless, somewhat evil, and incredibly mercenary. Also, the bonuses exactly compliment my playstyle. I do not kill things up front. If I can sneak up on pretty much any enemy I can kill it in one shot. Just to brag for a second, there was this dragon guarding a word wall, and I killed it in one hit with a dagger. So having that 25% Sneak bonus is perfect. The other thing I enjoy doing is casting a Frenzy spell on a group of enemies so that they'll kill each other off, thereby thinning the herd I have to deal with myself. 25% bonus to Illusion means my spells can work on higher level enemies.
So if you're playing a character like me, a backstabbing strike-from-the-shadows type, being a vampire is incredibly beneficial. Straight mages might benefit as well - the Sneak bonus can help you hide from large groups of enemies while you pick them off with Fireballs. But early on in my undead career I had to learn a few things which I will now share.
First - feeding. NPC's will continue to treat you like a normal person until the very last stage of vampirism, which takes a few days. At that point, you become a "blood-starved vampire" and virtually everyone will attack you on sight. I like to keep myself well fed to avoid this problem, and while it might be annoying at first there are many ways to keep yourself satiated. Go into an inn or tavern around 3am and you will more than likely find someone asleep in their room. Close the door, and snack away. But always stay in sneak mode or they might wake up while you're chowing down. Awkward. Also, housecarls. I finally found a use for Lydia - just tell your loyal follower to go to sleep. Instant snack. This works for spouses as well. And the bonus is you don't have to wait until nighttime to pull this little trick. The last easy source of blood is factions. If you are a member of their club, they will never attack you for being a vampire. My favorite is the Thieves Guild, because I can fast travel to right outside the hideout. So if you're a blood starved vampire you can usually duck inside before any villagers see you. The sleeping area is right inside the door, and those thieves keep weird hours. My personal favorite meal is this guy named Rune, and I've found him down there sleeping in the middle of the day.
The second thing is travelling. If you're like me, sometimes you like to experience the lovely vistas of Skyrim in the daytime. With preparation this is totally possible. Like the Wiki page says, you take penalties to your Health, Magika, and Stamina based on what stage you're at. But the most important thing to remember is none of those three things will regenerate as long as you're in the sun. I do not recommend taking on any dragons in the daylight. Or, if you do, have plenty of potions on hand. They don't weigh that much, and it might be the difference between you absorbing a dragon soul and having your ass barbequeued. Potions aren't the only line of defense - calming spells are amazing. The Kyne's Peace shout will make almost any wild animal not be interested in eating your face anymore. Harmony will work very well on those rogue mages that seem to just wander around fighting each other - especially since your Illusion bonus makes your spells more powerful.
With a little careful planning, being a vampire cam be incredibly fun. Every once in a while NPC's will comment on how your skin is so pale, and your eyes have a "weird hunger to them" which always makes me giggle. Like the one time this Guard in Riften whispered "Hail Sithis" to me. And feeding on Lydia is incredible rewarding - after all she really only sits around eating my food so its only fair.
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