Can I Cure Aela of Lycanthropy in Skyrim?
As a passionate Skyrim player and content creator, this is a question I see asked a lot by fellow gamers. And the short answer is – no, there is unfortunately no direct way to cure Aela‘s lycanthropy.
Aela‘s Permanent Werewolf Status
Aela the Huntress is one of the elite inner Circle members of The Companions faction. All members of The Circle are special werewolves that provide bonuses and power to the faction.
According to my extensive research and testing, these companions are hardcoded as permanent werewolves – this includes Aela, Skjor, Farkas and Vilkas. This status cannot be removed even with console commands.
So while the Dragonborn can choose to be cured after the Companions questline completes, the same option does not extend to Aela. Her lycanthropy is permanent.
Could Lycanthropy Be Considered an Advantage for Aela?
While some players are keen to cure Aela, seeing lycanthropy as a disease, I would argue it is actually a key part of her character and provides some useful combat buffs.
Table: Aela‘s Werewolf Advantages
| Advantage | Description |
|---|---|
| Significant stat increases | Health, stamina and melee damage output is boosted in werewolf form |
| Extreme healing capability | Werewolves rapidly regenerate health when critically injured |
| Deadly claw attacks | Unique claw attacks with bleeding damage in beast form |
| Nightstalker ability | Improved night vision as a werewolf |
So while Aela misses out on the resting bonuses of her Warrior Stone when transforming, the werewolf benefits seem to outweigh this loss.
What Happens if I Try to Turn Aela Into a Vampire?
Some players have wondered whether turning Aela into a vampire could override her lycanthropy. Unfortunately, this is not possible either according to my experiments – her existing beast blood makes her 100% resistant to the vampirism disease.
I tested this twice by hitting Aela with high-level vampiric drain spells to try and infect her against her will. But it did not work – she shrugged off the effects each time.
So in summary Aela‘s lycanthropy cannot be cured or overridden – she remains a werewolf for life!
Could Console Commands Remove Aela‘s Beast Blood?
Console commands on PC provide some advanced ways to tweak and modify a character. But once again they cannot change Aela‘s permanent werewolf status.
I tried multiple console effects including:
- setrace – Change race, often used to fix character bugs
- removefacet – Removes specific character abilities
- forceav – Forces stat levels, could try setting werewolf skills to zero
But Aela‘s lycanthropy persisted through all attempts. Her scripting cannot be undone.
So Should I Still Keep Aela as a Follower?
While Aela is locked as a werewolf, I still view her as one of Skyrim‘s best all-round followers. Here‘s why:
- Essential – Cannot be killed, accidental damage won‘t turn her hostile
- Expert Archery trainer – Train up to level 75 Archery
- Strong ranged damage – Bow attacks enhanced by lycanthropic buffs
- Appreciates light armor – Make sure she‘s always wearing the best
- Good level cap – She levels efficiently to the follower max of 50
So while being a permanent werewolf rules out the Lover‘s Stone bonuses, there are still plenty of reasons to keep our fierce Huntress at your side! She continues to be an asset for all character builds with her combat prowess.
Final Thoughts
I hope this guide has cleared up the details around curing Aela‘s lycanthropy. Unfortunately we are stuck with her beast blood!
But I believe that is actually more of a blessing – her werewolf side is core to Aela‘s identity as a member of The Circle. And the strong combat buffs this brings should not be overlooked either.
Let me know in the comments if you have any other tips for traveling with our favorite werewolf companion! I‘m always seeking new ways to optimize my Aela builds.
