Whether you’re interested in Vampirism or Lycanthropy, there are three ways to afflict your character with the desired curse:
Option 1: Battle Infectious Monsters
If you’re hoping to contract a curse on your own, you’ll need to pick a fight with an appropriately cursed monster. Some Bloodfiends are capable of transmitting Noxiphilic Sanguivoria, a mysterious disease that can lead to Vampirism. Some Werewolves are capable of transmitting Sanies Lupinus, an ailment that can lead to Lycanthropy.
Infectious monsters are very rare—most of the Vampires and Werewolves you’ll encounter out in the wild are incapable of transmitting curses.
To maximize the chance of infection, you should:
- Pick the right zone. Limit your search to Bangkorai, Reaper’s March, or the Rift. Infectious Bloodfiends and Werewolves only appear in these areas.
- Search at night. Monsters capable of transmitting curses rarely (if ever) appear during daylight hours.
- Look for paired enemies. Infectious monsters are typically found in teams of two.
- Keep moving. When these rare monsters appear, they do so at randomly selected locations. Traveling up and down a zone’s main road is often more effective than staking out one known (or suspected) spawn point.
- Be patient. Finding a rare spawn is largely a matter of luck. If your enthusiasm wanes, focus on other tasks. Complete quests, gather crafting materials, or search for chests and skyshards—anything that keeps you in the area improves your chances of stumbling across an infectious monster.
If you suspect you’ve found an infectious monster, move in and let it attack you. Curses are spread through bites and scratches, so resist the urge to defend yourself. Absorb as many attacks as you can tolerate, then retreat or retaliate. After the encounter, check the Character menu to see if you’ve gained the desired affliction.
Once you’ve contracted Noxiphilic Sanguivoria or Sanies Lupinus, you can begin the related quest line. Head to the zone’s primary town (Evermore in Bangkorai, Rawl’kha in Reaper’s March, or Riften in the Rift) and seek out the appropriate quest giver. Follow their instructions to develop your affliction into a full-fledged curse.
Option 2: Befriend a Cursed Player
The Vampire and Werewolf skill lines both contain Passive Abilities that allow cursed players to infect willing victims. The Blood Ritual Passive Ability allows Vampire players to infect one target every seven days; the Blood Moon Passive Ability allows Werewolf players to infect one target every seven days.
This method is more predictable than searching for rare spawns, but there are a few caveats:
- The cursed player must have invested in the required Passive Ability.
- The cursed player must have avoided infecting anyone for at least seven days.
- The target player must not have an existing curse.
- Both players must be standing near a curse-related ritual site.
Once you’ve been infected, head to the zone’s primary town and begin the process of developing your affliction into a full curse.
Option 3: Visit the Crown Store
If you wish, you can simply purchase Vampirism or Lycanthropy from the Crown Store. Doing so instantly curses your character, allowing you to enjoy the benefits (and drawbacks) of your chosen affliction without completing the related quests.