Board Thread:Online Discussion/@comment-99.194.28.74-20140619035550/@comment-29458028-20140717101716

The dawnguard is only good if you are those type of guy who is a big fan of archery (and enhanced dwarven crossbows). Their relics are totally useless. So are the sun spells (calculated. Sun fire does 31 damage to vamps with necromage, firebolt, fully perked, can pull 75 damage. Their magicka cost is the similar! Unless, of course, you can't aim, then hitting a follower with sun fire is less painful). I am such a killing force that followers waste my time, so there's no need for armored trolls or huskies.

The vamps at least have the ring of the erudite, which is the key to unlocking the VL's awesome power (and solve all your magicka problems). The other vamp relics are useless.

Being a battlemage, I usually go with the vamps, but if you are those types that can't cast spells, go for the dawnguard. Really, the dawnguard's only redeeming features are a couple of decent chicks (but none compare to Serana) and the enhanced dwarven crossbow. Everything else is useless.