To deter vampires in The Sims 4, raise a Sim’s Vampire Lore skill to level 5, craft garlic braids, wreaths, or garlands, and use them around the home. You can also lock doors as a backup. Neither defense is guaranteed: player reports say garlic does not stop vampires with Garlic Immunity, and some vampires can bypass locked doors.
Unlock garlic defenses with Vampire Lore
Vampire Lore is a skill from The Sims 4 Vampires Game Pack, and it can reach level 15. At level 5, a Sim unlocks the ability to craft garlic braids, garlic wreaths, and garlic garlands. EA’s Vampire Lore skill guide confirms the crafting unlock.
- On a computer, choose More Choices > Vampire Secrets > Search for Information on Vampires to build Vampire Lore. You can also ask other Sims about vampire history.
- As the skill rises, use a computer to order Vampire Tomes and read them to keep developing the skill.
- At level 5, craft garlic braids, wreaths, or garlands and use them as household defenses.
The official guide confirms which objects unlock, but does not specify a universal placement range or promise that garlic will stop every vampire.
Compare the two practical defenses
| Defense | Setup | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Garlic objects | Reach Vampire Lore level 5, then craft braids, wreaths, or garlands. | Player reports say vampires with Garlic Immunity are not deterred. |
| Locked doors | Change the door’s lock setting to restrict access. | Players report that some vampires can bypass locked doors. |
These limits come from player discussions on the EA Forums garlic-wreath discussion, not a universal rule documented in EA’s skill guide. Using garlic and locks together is a reasonable precaution, but the available sources do not establish that the combination is foolproof.
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What to expect during a vampire visit
Player reports describe different visit behavior depending on the vampire and what is happening on the lot: a vampire may leave, knock, or try to break in. One troubleshooting discussion says garlic in a room can make a non-immune vampire leave, but the Sim may remain mesmerized afterward. Treat these as reported experiences, not guaranteed outcomes in every save.
If a vampire still gets in, check which vampire visited, the lot type, installed packs, and your game version. EA’s skill guide does not settle those edge cases, and the reviewed sources do not confirm a current setting that disables all vampire visits or home invasions.
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Does the 2018 patch stop home invasions?
No such conclusion follows from the patch note. EA’s November 13, 2018 update says vampires would no longer break into venues, where the behavior had interfered with travel or saving. It describes a fix for venues, not the removal of home invasions.
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