What are some different variations about Vampires?

I get it... They drink blood to live, die from a stake through the heart, sunlight hurts them (usually), I understand the basics... Every story has a few changes to it though:
Vampire Diaries: to become a Vampire you have to die with vampire blood in you...
Twilight: They sparkle, some vampires have different ability/traits (reading minds, seeing future)...

What are some other one? Anyone know of any variations from stories from not-so-recent vampire TV Shows, movies, books or legends?

Rusty Plastic2012-08-18T07:45:32Z

Favorite Answer

Go to ancient lore instead of the mythos which has developed within the past few centuries if you want to really know about vampires. You'll discover that there basically are three different types of vampires: The original vampires, vampires made into vampires by other vampires, and vampires made into vampires through a spell or curse.

The original vampires can venture out into daylight, but are severely weakened by it. They can morph into several shapes and can give the illusion of morphing as well. They are humanoid in shape but clearly not human. Silver can poison them but it doesn't kill them. The wood of an oak tree through their heart will kill them, as will beheading and burning their bodies to ash. Their reflection in objects is blurred but still exists. Things like crosses and holy water are meaningless to them. Garlic does not affect them but rather the pollen from a flower of the garlic family (which is true of all vampires). They are unable to cross over running water, which is why they originally made other vampires. The vampires they make are under their servitude.

Vampires made into vampires by other vampires cannot venture out into daylight without quickly dying. While their strength is greater than that of a human it is about half that of an original vampire. They require more blood than an original vampire does to survive on, or must spend more time at rest to regenerate. Again, it is the wood of an oak tree through their heart and not just any wood that will kill them. Silver poisons them and can eventually kill them, although death through silver poisoning takes a long time. Crosses, holy water and all that stuff doesn't work on them.

Vampires made vampires through a spell or curse are confined by the content of the spell or curse, so their various strengths and weaknesses will vary accordingly. If the spell or curse is religious in manner, then items such as crosses, holy water and other religious artifacts will work on them.

Vampires would take professions which allow them ready access to blood without people questioning the loss of blood, and would allow them to stay indoors during the daylight hours. Barbers were the preferred profession for many a century since barbers also acted as general physicians in many a small town and village.

Vampires also normally would partake of blood from an area that would or might be hidden by clothing, The inner thigh, inside elbow or knee, underarm, between the toes, genitalia, etc. Rarely would they bite someone on the neck. Usually that was only done if they were in a hurry, and then they would try to cover it up by ripping out the throat and making it appear to be a wild animal attack. Biting on the neck would advertise their existence which they tried to avoid.

Noah2012-08-18T14:24:21Z

Dracula: They sleep in coffins

True Blood: They have packs of vampires

Being Human: They die form drinking werewolf blood

Some vampires don't even get hurt from sun light, some just deal with it to begin with. There is a vampire called the strigoi that doesnt drink blood but eats flesh, it is still considered a vampire.

City Boy2012-08-18T14:28:29Z

1.they dont die so being 1000 is like being 16
2.they dont turn into bats instead they can fly on their own and can also turn into the last thing they bit
3.not every vampire can make somebody else a vampire only the head vampire
4.when a vampire is 100 they get their fangs
5.to be head vampire u have to be in the family

Hope i helped (also garlic is a cliche)

Captain Fantastic2012-08-18T14:42:06Z

Probably the most original variation was I Am Legend by Richard Matheson. The storyline implies that the main character has himself become a monster as a consequence of his success as a vampire hunter.

Autumn2012-08-18T14:43:00Z

vampire clans are very close.most need blood,they are smart,some are evil,some can be nice