- Main article: Disease
There are eight diseases that can be contracted in Skyrim. They are as follows:
| Disease | Effect | Contracted from |
|---|---|---|
| Ataxia | Lockpicking & Pickpocket become 25% harder. | Traps, Skeevers, Frostbite Spiders, Slaughterfish |
| Black Heart Blight DB | Drains 10 points from Carry Weight. | |
| Bone Break Fever | Stamina -25. | Traps, Bears |
| Brain Rot | Magicka -25. | Traps, Hagravens |
| Droops DB | One-handed and two-handed weapon damage is 15% lower. | Ash Hopper |
| Lycanthropy | Ability to transform into a Werewolf. | The Companions quest line |
| Rattles | Stamina recovers 50% slower. | Traps, Chaurus |
| Rockjoint | 25% less effective with melee weapons. | Traps, Horkers, Bears, Wolves and Foxes. |
| Sanguinare Vampiris | Health -25, progresses to Vampirism. | Vampires, Bloodspring |
| Witbane | Magicka recovers 50% slower. | Traps, Sabre Cats |
The Bloodspring
At the end of the Redwater Den dungeon is a spring releasing a red, blood-like water known as the Bloodspring. Activating it will cause a non-vampiric player to contract several diseases. It is possible to contract almost all diseases from the spring (including Sanguinare Vampiris) with the sole exception of Lycanthropy. Redwater Den can be found East of Ivarstead and Northwest from Riften, and is exclusive to the Dawnguard add-on.
Curing Diseases
- The Temple of Mara in Riften cures diseases. To do so, one must get the preachers blessing.
- Most diseases can be cured at a shrine to a Deity. These shrines can be located in Hold Capitals, in Caves, or randomly in the landscape. For example, in Whiterun, Shrines are located in the Temple of Kynareth, the Hall of the Dead or the Statue of Talos (these locations are all in the Wind District).
- Talking to Falion in Morthal and participate in his ritual will cure the Dragonborn of Vampirism. So far this is the only way to get rid of one's vampirism aside from contracting Lycanthropy.
- PC PC players can remove Vampirism by changing their character's race with the console command showracemenu. Alternatively, using the command changesex can also help achieve the same result.
- The Shrine of Nocturnal in the Thieves Guild is also able to cure diseases. It can be found there after completing the main Thieves Guild quest line.
- Potions of Cure Disease also remove all diseases when used.
- The Vigilants of Stendarr also have the ability to cure disease. To trigger this, one must simply talk to one and ask to be cured.
- Lycanthropy is the only disease that is contracted (by choice, through a questline) and cured on the same questline (also by choice).
- Vampirism is contracted through the main questline in The Elder Scrolls V: Dawnguard. It cannot be cured in that questline, however if the players sides with the Vampires, their Lycanthropy is replaced with Vampirism. (This is the only known method of contracting Vampirism in Skyrim without having to experience Sanguinare Vampiris)
- Eating a Hawk Feather will cure diseases.
Notes
Having a disease does not protect against contracting another. The only exception is that having Lycanthropy protects against Sanguinare Vampiris, but Sanguinare Vampiris might not prevent Lycanthropy. In spite of what the Guide says, Lycanthropy and Sanguinare Vampiris, while increasing resistance to other diseases, does not confer 100% immunity.
Should the Dragonborn contract Lycanthropy while under the effects of Sanguinare Vampiris, they would still become a vampire, though their vampirism will be bugged and will not advance past stage 3. This has since been patched to make Lycanthropy/Vampirism cancel out each other.
If the player contracts a disease, NPCs might comment on how ill the player looks.
Although most diseases have negative effects, some have positive effects. For example, Lycanthropy gives you the ability to transform into a werewolf. Similarly, Sanguinare Vampiris (contracted from Serana or Harkon) grants you the ability to transform into a Vampire Lord.