🩸 The Blood of Dawnwalker: How to Unlock All Vampirism Abilities
If you're trying to unlock all Vampirism abilities in The Blood of Dawnwalker, there is an important distinction you need to know before hunting around Vale Sangora.
Not every vampire ability is unlocked in the same way.
Some of Coen's Vampirism abilities become available through normal progression, Corruption and skill points. But five abilities are locked behind specific Vrakhiri blood. You cannot unlock these five simply by feeding on enemies or increasing your Corruption.
Those abilities are:
- Blood Surge
- Scarlet Shield
- Shadowstorm
- Piercing Shriek
- Mesmerize
Each one is connected to a particular vampire's blood. You can obtain that blood by drinking directly from certain defeated Vrakhiri or, in several cases, by finding a Blood Phial through quests and exploration.
That makes the Blood Phial system one of the most important parts of Coen's vampire progression.
And if you're specifically searching for Blood of Dawnwalker Blood Phial locations, this guide has the routes you need.
⚠️ Spoiler warning: This guide contains quest names, vampire names, locations and progression details for several optional and main-game encounters.
🧛 How Vampirism Progression Works
Coen's Vampirism tree is designed around his transformation into a Dawnwalker.
The game gives you access to several basic vampire abilities, while more specialized powers are hidden behind the blood of powerful Vrakhiri.
The starting Vampirism abilities include:
- Voracious Hunger
- Death from Above
- Crimson Rush
- Rend
- Shapeshift
These abilities can be developed through normal Vampirism progression. Increasing Corruption allows Coen to access more of the tree and invest skill points into upgrades.
The five special abilities work differently.
Their first unlock requires specific blood.
That means you can have enough skill points and still see one of these abilities greyed out.
The game is essentially telling you:
You have not consumed the right vampire's blood yet.
🩸 The Five Blood-Locked Vampirism Abilities
Here is the quick reference you'll want if you're trying to collect everything.
| Ability | Required Blood | Main Blood Phial Source |
|---|---|---|
| Blood Surge | Xanthe | Svartrau Cathedral Treasury |
| Scarlet Shield | Ambrus | Xanthe's Recruiters: Just a Bit More |
| Shadowstorm | Bakir | Xanthe's Recruiters: Come Home |
| Piercing Shriek | Brencis | Xanthe's Recruiters: Taste of Power |
| Mesmerize | Lacra | The Night of Horrors |
The five abilities each require a specific Vrakhiri blood source. Drinking the wrong phial will not substitute for another ability.
There are also alternate routes for several of these abilities, so missing one particular quest does not necessarily mean the ability is permanently unavailable.
💥 How to Unlock Blood Surge
Blood Surge is connected to Xanthe's blood.
It is one of the most useful offensive Vampirism abilities because it causes affected enemies to explode, while bosses receive direct damage instead.
The most straightforward Blood Phial route takes you to Svartrau Cathedral.
Where to find the Phial of Xanthe's Blood
The phial is inside the treasury building near Svartrau Cathedral.
You need the Treasury Key before you can enter the relevant part of the building.
Step 1: Go to Svartrau Cathedral
Enter the cathedral during the day.
You'll encounter a scene involving Florin. Your choices during this particular scene do not determine whether you can obtain the key.
Step 2: Find the young acolyte
Look toward the northwestern area of the cathedral.
A young acolyte is cleaning a room.
Pay him 25 denarii to gain access.
Step 3: Take the Treasury Key
Inside the room, examine the book positioned on the table near the window.
This gives you the Treasury Key.
Step 4: Reach the Treasury
Leave the room and move toward the courtyard.
The treasury building is ahead.
Enter it and go upstairs.
Step 5: Open the golden casket
On the upper floor, look for the ornate golden casket.
Inside is the Phial of Xanthe's Blood.
Drink it and the blood requirement for Blood Surge disappears from the Vampirism tree.
Alternative method
You can also obtain Blood Surge by defeating Xanthe during The Cycle of Love and choosing to drink her blood.
🛡️ How to Unlock Scarlet Shield
Scarlet Shield is tied to Ambrus's blood.
Unlike Blood Surge, this ability is defensive.
It rewards players who rely on blocking because the ability can restore health through successful blocks.
The easiest Blood Phial route is connected to Xanthe's Recruiters: Just a Bit More.
🩸 Where to Find the Phial of Ambrus's Blood
Travel to the recruiter camp south of Svartrau City, around the Silts area.
The activity is called:
Xanthe's Recruiters: Just a Bit More
Clear the Blood Guards at the location.
You will eventually reach the blood container.
There is an additional complication here.
A Blood Addict can interfere with the encounter, so make sure you resolve that situation before leaving if you want the phial.
After collecting the Vrakhiri blood, the Phial of Ambrus's Blood is added to your inventory.
Drink it to remove the blood requirement from Scarlet Shield.
Another route: Lost Blood
There is also another source of Ambrus's blood.
The Lost Blood side quest can reward another Phial of Ambrus's Blood after you follow the blood trail and deal with the encounter in St. Tyna's Grove.
Direct boss route
You can also obtain Scarlet Shield by defeating Ambrus during The Gilded Gauntlet and drinking his blood.
🌑 How to Unlock Shadowstorm
If you're looking for a powerful crowd-control Vampirism ability, Shadowstorm is one of the major ones to collect.
It temporarily slows the world around Coen while allowing him to continue moving and attacking.
The easiest dedicated Blood Phial route is:
Xanthe's Recruiters: Come Home
But there are multiple ways to obtain Bakir's blood.
🧭 Where to Find the Phial of Bakir's Blood
The Come Home activity takes place around the Tantari Woods, southwest of Tantari and southeast of Svartrau City.
The activity introduces Yanos, whose situation can be handled in several ways.
Once you've dealt with the encounter, look for the golden reliquary.
You will have the option to collect or destroy the blood.
If you're trying to unlock Shadowstorm, collect the Vrakhiri blood.
That gives you the Phial of Bakir's Blood.
Alternative Bakir blood routes
There are additional sources:
- Complete the Leech Collector chain and trigger the Bloodletter encounter.
- Complete Ambrus's Collectors: Unsavory Solutions.
- Defeat Bakir during The Lunar Game and drink his blood.
These routes all provide access to Bakir's blood and therefore Shadowstorm.
🗣️ How to Unlock Piercing Shriek
Piercing Shriek comes from Brencis's blood.
This ability is particularly useful when you're surrounded because it can affect multiple enemies in front of Coen.
There are multiple ways to obtain it.
The most direct Blood Phial route is Xanthe's Recruiters: Taste of Power.
🩸 Where to Find the Phial of Brencis's Blood
The Taste of Power activity takes place in a courtyard in central Svartrau City.
Find Xanthe's Blood Guard recruiters.
After the confrontation, you'll find a golden blood reliquary.
This choice is important.
You need to select:
Collect Vrakhiri Blood
If you destroy the reliquary instead, you complete the activity without receiving the phial.
Collecting the blood rewards you with the Phial of Brencis's Blood.
Drink it to unlock the blood requirement for Piercing Shriek.
Another Brencis blood location
There is another useful route through The Beast of Balaur.
Travel toward Mount Balaur and enter the cave associated with the quest.
After dealing with the Beast of Balaur, continue exploring the cave rather than immediately leaving.
A hidden area contains the Phial of Brencis's Blood along with other valuable loot.
Story route
You can also receive Piercing Shriek through Our Rotten Roots, giving players another way to acquire the ability without relying entirely on the recruiter activity.
🌀 How to Unlock Mesmerize
The final blood-locked ability is Mesmerize.
This one is connected to Lacra rather than one of the three main Boyars.
Mesmerize is particularly interesting because it gives Coen a form of supernatural control over an enemy.
The relevant quest is:
The Night of Horrors
🌙 Where to Find the Phial of Lacra's Blood
The Night of Horrors is part of Lacra's questline.
You'll need to progress through her earlier content before the quest becomes available.
The quest takes Coen into the swamps and eventually toward the ancient vampire Kallias's crypt.
The journey involves following will-o'-the-wisps, investigating the area and eventually reaching the hidden cave.
At the end of the quest, the outcome can determine whether you receive Lacra's blood or unlock the related Vampirism rewards through the quest itself.
The Phial of Lacra's Blood is therefore less like the straightforward reliquary pickups found in Xanthe's activities.
It is tied directly to Lacra's storyline.
🧪 What Happens When You Drink a Blood Phial?
Finding the phial is only half of the process.
You actually need to drink it.
The phials are legendary consumables.
When you consume the correct one, Coen receives a Corruption increase and the associated blood requirement disappears from the Vampirism tree.
You'll also see the game's notification indicating that new vampiric powers are available.
Open the Vampirism tree afterward.
The ability should no longer show the blood requirement.
However, that does not mean the ability is completely free.
This is where some players get confused.
⚠️ Unlocking an Ability Is Not the Same as Buying It
There are effectively two steps.
Step 1: Remove the blood lock
Drink the correct Vrakhiri blood.
Step 2: Purchase the ability
Visit a Road Shrine and spend the required skill point.
Further levels then require additional skill points, Corruption and, depending on the ability, time.
So if you drink Xanthe's blood and see Blood Surge become available but still cannot activate it immediately, that's normal.
You still need to purchase the ability.
🧬 Blood Phial vs Directly Drinking a Boyar
There are generally two ways to obtain these powers.
Method 1: Blood Phials
You find a phial through quests, Court activities or exploration.
This is useful if you want the vampire ability without necessarily killing the associated Boyar.
Method 2: Drink the Boyar's Blood
When you defeat certain major Vrakhiri, you can choose to feed on them.
Doing so can grant their associated Vampirism power.
The four main Boyar connections are:
| Vrakhiri | Ability |
|---|---|
| Brencis | Piercing Shriek |
| Xanthe | Blood Surge |
| Ambrus | Scarlet Shield |
| Bakir | Shadowstorm |
This system gives the game's choices more weight.
You don't always have to wait for a specific phial if you're already pursuing a Boyar.
🔓 Why Is My Vampirism Ability Still Locked?
If you've collected a Blood Phial but the ability is still greyed out, check these things first.
1. Did you drink the phial?
Simply carrying the phial isn't enough.
You have to consume it.
2. Did you get the correct blood?
The blood types aren't interchangeable.
Xanthe's blood unlocks Blood Surge.
Bakir's blood unlocks Shadowstorm.
Ambrus's blood unlocks Scarlet Shield.
And so on.
3. Did you visit a Road Shrine?
Unlocking the blood requirement doesn't automatically purchase Level 1.
You still need to spend the required skill point.
4. Is your Corruption high enough?
Higher ranks have Corruption requirements.
Increasing Corruption is a central part of the Vampirism progression system.
5. Did you actually collect the blood?
Several Court activities give you a choice between destroying the blood container and collecting it.
If you destroy it, you don't receive the phial.
🗺️ Best Order for Collecting the Blood Phials
There isn't one mandatory order, but a practical route is to prioritize the abilities based on the activities you're already completing.
Early priority
Shadowstorm
The Leech Collector route provides an alternative path to Bakir's blood, while Come Home provides another reliable source.
Mid-game exploration
Piercing Shriek
The Xanthe recruiter activity and Brencis-related quests provide several ways to access the ability.
Svartrau exploration
Blood Surge
If you're already working through cathedral-related content, the Treasury route makes sense because the Blood Phial is hidden there.
Xanthe activities
Scarlet Shield
Just a Bit More provides Ambrus's blood, while Lost Blood offers another route.
Lacra storyline
Mesmerize
Save time for Lacra's questline and The Night of Horrors if you want this ability.
🧠 Don't Ignore Corruption
Blood Phials aren't simply collectible keys.
Drinking Vrakhiri blood increases Coen's Corruption, and that affects the broader Vampirism progression system.
This creates an important trade-off.
You can chase more powerful vampire abilities, but doing so pushes Coen further into his supernatural side.
The official game description emphasizes that Coen exists between his human and vampire identities, with different abilities and approaches available during day and night.
That means the Vampirism tree isn't just another RPG skill tree.
It's directly connected to the game's central character system.
📊 All Blood Phial Locations at a Glance
| Blood | Ability | Where to Look |
|---|---|---|
| Brencis | Piercing Shriek | Taste of Power, Beast of Balaur, related quest routes |
| Xanthe | Blood Surge | Svartrau Cathedral Treasury |
| Ambrus | Scarlet Shield | Just a Bit More, Lost Blood |
| Bakir | Shadowstorm | Come Home, Leech Collector chain, other Bakir routes |
| Lacra | Mesmerize | The Night of Horrors |
These are the five blood-linked Vampirism abilities currently documented across the game's progression.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How many Vampirism abilities require special blood?
There are five blood-locked abilities: Blood Surge, Scarlet Shield, Shadowstorm, Piercing Shriek and Mesmerize.
What Blood Phial unlocks Shadowstorm?
You need Bakir's blood. The Phial of Bakir's Blood can be obtained through activities including Xanthe's Recruiters: Come Home and the Leech Collector route.
Where is Xanthe's Blood Phial?
The Phial of Xanthe's Blood is located in the treasury near Svartrau Cathedral. You need the Treasury Key to access the building.
What does Ambrus's blood unlock?
Ambrus's blood unlocks Scarlet Shield. The phial can be obtained through Just a Bit More, while the Lost Blood quest provides another route.
Where do I get Brencis's blood?
One route is Xanthe's Recruiters: Taste of Power in Svartrau City. Another is the Beast of Balaur area at Mount Balaur.
How do I unlock Mesmerize?
Progress through Lacra's storyline and complete The Night of Horrors. This quest is connected to Lacra's blood and the Mesmerize unlock.
Can I unlock Vampirism abilities without Blood Phials?
Yes. Several abilities are available through normal Vampirism progression, while the five special abilities require specific Vrakhiri blood. You can also obtain several of those powers by drinking directly from defeated Boyars.
🔗 Read More
For the official game overview, mechanics and current platform information, visit The Blood of Dawnwalker official site.
For the official launch announcement from Bandai Namco, see The Blood of Dawnwalker launch announcement.
For a detailed reference covering all Vrakhiri blood sources and the five blood-locked abilities, see Gamer Guides' Vrakhiri Blood Locations guide.
For the detailed Xanthe recruiter route and Brencis's Blood, see Taste of Power walkthrough.
For the detailed Lacra quest route, see The Night of Horrors walkthrough.
🎯 Final Thoughts
The Vampirism system in The Blood of Dawnwalker is more involved than simply increasing a vampire skill tree.
Five of Coen's most specialized powers are tied directly to the blood of other Vrakhiri.
Blood Surge comes from Xanthe.
Scarlet Shield comes from Ambrus.
Shadowstorm comes from Bakir.
Piercing Shriek comes from Brencis.
And Mesmerize is tied to Lacra.
The good news is that several abilities have alternative acquisition routes. You don't necessarily have to follow one exact quest path to obtain the corresponding blood.
The most important thing to remember is that picking up a Blood Phial isn't enough. Drink the correct phial, check the Vampirism tree, then visit a Road Shrine and spend the required skill point.
And before consuming everything you find, remember that the blood comes with a cost.
Every step deeper into Vampirism also pushes Coen further into Corruption.
That tension between power and humanity is what makes the Blood Phial system more than just another collectible mechanic.
