Diseases in Skyrim refer to the status ailments that players can contract from the world. Being infected by Diseases weakens specific skills or attributes of the player. A Disease effect will remain active until it is cured. Players can check their magic menu to look for active effects that will show diseases that are actively affecting them. Players can cure the disease by using a potion, eating garlic bread or visiting a shrine. There are a number of ways to contract diseases in Skyrim, perhaps most commonly by contact with a creature, animal, or even some NPCs. See below for the full list of diseases, their effects and how to prevent them.
Skyrim Diseases Guide
Disease resistance in Skyrim
Disease resistance in Skyrim does not reduce disease effects. It instead reduces the chance for players to contract a disease when hit by an attack or effect that would give them a disease. Players can give themselves more disease resistance through finding enchanted armor or enchanting armor themselves.
Wearing the rare headgear Hevnoraak will grant 100 points of disease and poison resistance, Hevnoraak cannot be disenchanted. A necklace of disease resistance or a necklace of disease immunity can be found and be disenchanted to learn and use their disease resistance enchantments.
Racial abilities from both Argonian and Bosmer grant players a 50% disease resistance. Werewolves and Vampires are also said to be immune to diseases and cannot catch diseases from enemies, however traps may still apply disease.
Spell Absorption can protect players from disease, absorbing and nullifying the effect, acting similarly to disease resistance by providing a chance to negate the disease effect.
Curing Disease in Skyrim
In Skyrim diseases do not naturally go away, a player must cure the disease. There are a few ways to cure diseases, not including vampirism that has its own unique method.
- Drink a Potion of Cure disease
- Eat a Hawk Feather ingredient which has a cure disease alchemy effect
- Eat Garlic Bread
- Pray at a shrine
- Vigilants of Stendarr can cure diseases if asked
Vampirism and Lycanthropy in Skyrim
Players in Skyrim can contract a disease from vampires that will turn them into vampires if left untreated. Disease resistance affects the chance of contracting the Sanguinare Vampiris disease from vampires. Vampirism can be cured when becoming a werewolf with werewolves being unable to be infected by Sanguinare Vampiris. See Vampirism for more details.
Becoming a Werewolf requires players to complete the Companions questline, doing so will cure them of Vampirism and also make them immune to contracting Sanguinare Vampiris for as long as they are a werewolf. Lycanthropy does not actually function as a disease but has many relations to Vampirism and provides disease immunity. See Lycanthropy for more information.
Other Notes on Diseases for Skyrim
- Many NPCs will comment on a player's "sickly appearance" if the player has contracted a disease.
- Players can check their magic menu to look for active effects that will show diseases that are actively affecting them.
- The Bloodspring from the Dawnguard DLC infects the player with multiple diseases when interacted with, and can infect them with any of the game's diseases.
List of Diseases in Skyrim
Name |
Sources of Disease |
Effect on Player |
Ataxia |
Skeevers, Traps | Picking locks and picking pockets is 25% harder |
Black Heart Blight |
N/A, cannot be contracted in Skyrim | Drains 10 points from Carry Weight |
Bone Break Fever |
Bears, Traps | Drains 25 Points of Stamina |
Brain Rot |
Hagraven, Traps | Drains 25 points of Magicka |
Droops |
Ash Hoppers, Traps | One-handed and Two-handed weapon damage is 15% lower |
Rattles |
Chaurus, Traps | Stamina regenerates 50% more slowly |
Rockjoint |
Fox, Wolf, Traps | You are 25% less effective with melee weapons |
Sanguinare Vampiris |
Vampires | Reduces Health by 25. Progresses to Vampirism |
Witbane |
Sabre Cat, Traps | Magicka regenerates 50% more slowly. |
