Oblivion Remaster: Will We Finally Get an Easier Cure for Vampirism?

The sun beats down mercilessly. You cough, a searing pain blossoming across your skin. No, not just pain… burning. You scramble for the meager shadows, desperate to escape the light, the very air suddenly an enemy. Welcome to the life of a vampire in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. A life of power, yes, but also one of crippling weakness and, for many players, the burning desire to return to the… less crispy side of the living.

The rumblings about a potential Oblivion Remaster are growing louder, fueled by the success of past Bethesda remasters and the persistent love for this classic RPG. As the hype train chugs along, one feature keeps popping up in fan discussions: the cure for vampirism. The original cure quest was… let’s just say memorable for all the wrong reasons. Tedious, complicated, and often bug-ridden, it became a trial by fire (literally!) for any player unfortunate enough to contract the Sanguinare Vampiris disease.

This article dives deep into the current state of vampirism and its cure in Oblivion, examines the potential improvements a remaster could bring, and explores the burning desires (pun intended) of the player base for a more user-friendly experience. Will the potential Oblivion Remaster finally give us an easier path back to humanity? Let’s find out.

The Trials and Tribulations of Oblivion Vampirism

So, you’ve been bitten. An encounter in the dead of night with a shadowy figure, or perhaps a delve into a forgotten crypt, and now you’re a walking blood bank. Initially, the allure of vampirism in Oblivion is undeniable. The increased strength, speed, and various magical abilities can make you feel like an unstoppable force. But that honeymoon phase quickly fades as the downsides begin to manifest.

The most glaring weakness, of course, is sunlight. As a vampire, prolonged exposure to the sun causes constant damage, eventually leading to death. This severely restricts your activities to nighttime hours, significantly impacting your ability to explore, complete quests, and generally enjoy the game. Moreover, as your vampirism progresses through its stages, your appearance becomes increasingly… monstrous. People will recognize you and refuse to interact with you.

Then there’s the feed. Vampires need blood to survive, and neglecting your thirst will lead to further penalties. Slinking into people’s homes at night to feed introduces a new layer of challenge, especially with the ever-watchful guards and the risk of being discovered and earning a hefty bounty.

But the final straw for many players is the cure.

The Agonizing Quest for a Cure

The cure for vampirism in Oblivion is a convoluted questline that sends you on a wild goose chase across Cyrodiil. First, you need to find a character, specifically Janus Hassildor, Count of Skingrad. This involves asking the townsfolk of Skingrad about rumors until you get information about the Count’s hidden vampirism. He reluctantly agrees to help, but only after you’ve completed a series of tasks that would make even a seasoned adventurer groan.

The quest then requires you to obtain ingredients, some of which are incredibly rare and difficult to find. This often involves hours of searching through dungeons, caves, and forests, hoping for that lucky spawn. There are Purified Blood Salts, Argonian Bloodgrass, Garlic, Nightshade, and the ashes of a powerful vampire. You also must deal with a Witch character named Melisande, and fight another vampire.

To add insult to injury, the quest is time-sensitive. If you reach the final stage of vampirism, where your appearance is completely monstrous and your sunlight weakness is at its worst, some NPCs might refuse to interact with you, making the quest impossible to complete. This creates a frustrating situation where players are punished for not curing their vampirism quickly enough, even though the quest itself is designed to be time-consuming.

Fan Frustrations and the Potential for Remastered Redemption

The Oblivion community has long voiced their frustration with the vampirism cure. Online forums and social media platforms are filled with stories of players abandoning characters, resorting to console commands, or even rage-quitting the game entirely due to the sheer difficulty and inconvenience of curing their vampirism.

“I spent three days looking for Argonian Bloodgrass!” one player lamented on Reddit. “I just wanted to be a normal adventurer again, but the game seemed determined to keep me as a vampire.”

“The bugs are the worst,” another player complained on the Bethesda forums. “I got stuck in a dialogue loop with one of the NPCs and couldn’t progress the quest. Had to reload an old save and lose hours of progress.”

This widespread dissatisfaction presents a golden opportunity for Bethesda to improve the vampirism experience in a potential Oblivion Remaster. By streamlining the cure quest, making ingredients easier to obtain, and balancing the vampirism weaknesses, they could transform what is currently a frustrating ordeal into a more enjoyable and rewarding experience.

Remastered Cure: A Vision of Hope

So, what could a remastered cure for vampirism look like? The possibilities are numerous:

Streamlined Questline

The quest could be simplified by removing unnecessary steps or providing clearer guidance. Quest markers could be added to help players locate the necessary NPCs and ingredients, eliminating the need for aimless wandering.

Increased Ingredient Availability

Rare ingredients could be made more common, either by increasing their spawn rates or introducing new merchants who sell them. Perhaps new side quests could be added that reward players with the necessary ingredients.

Balanced Weaknesses

The sunlight weakness could be toned down, allowing vampires to venture out during the day without immediately bursting into flames. Alternative ways to mitigate the effects of sunlight, such as potions or enchanted items, could be introduced.

Quality of Life Improvements

The game could provide clearer warnings about the onset of vampirism, giving players ample time to seek a cure before their condition becomes irreversible. It could also allow players to cure vampirism at any stage, regardless of how far they have progressed.

Learn from the Modding Community

The Oblivion modding community has already created numerous mods that address the vampirism cure, offering valuable insights into what works and what doesn’t. Bethesda could draw inspiration from these mods when designing the remastered cure, incorporating the best ideas and features.

The Dream Cure: A Fan-Fueled Vision

Imagine a world where the Oblivion Remaster offers a vampirism cure that is challenging but not tedious, rewarding but not unfair. A quest that respects the player’s time, provides clear guidance, and offers a sense of accomplishment upon completion.

Imagine being able to explore Cyrodiil as a vampire without constantly fearing the sun, without spending hours searching for a single ingredient, without being plagued by game-breaking bugs. A world where vampirism is a viable playstyle, not a curse to be avoided at all costs.

That is the dream, the hope that many Oblivion fans harbor for a potential remaster. A chance to right the wrongs of the past, to transform a frustrating experience into a memorable and enjoyable one.

A Call to Action

The possibility of an Oblivion Remaster hangs in the air, filled with both excitement and trepidation. Will Bethesda listen to the fans? Will they address the shortcomings of the original game, including the infamous vampirism cure?

Only time will tell.

But in the meantime, let your voices be heard. Share your thoughts, your hopes, and your desires for the Oblivion Remaster. Let Bethesda know that the vampirism cure is a feature that deserves their attention. Let them know that you want a remaster that is not only visually stunning but also mechanically sound, a game that respects its players and offers a truly immersive and rewarding experience. The fate of Cyrodiil, and its vampires, may very well depend on it.