What MAKES a Vampire?

Edward Martin III — Tue, 06/10/2008 - 10:39
What makes a vampire, in your book?
Fangs?
Cape?
European accent?
Ability to become smoke?
Sucking of blood?
Two different colored eyes?
Evil?
Angsty?
Gets bad sunburn?
Can become a bat?
Can fly?
Has a heartbeat?
Pale skin?
Allergic to garlic?
More, please? Examples? Counterexamples?

I'd add pale skin (lack of
Bigmac64 — Sun, 06/15/2008 - 22:44I'd add pale skin (lack of sunlight and blood). Even if they died with a tan, I doubt it would hold up for long during an eternity of nocturnal existence.
However, an adverse reaction to crosses is up for debate. On the con side, a cross don't work on a Jewish vampires (one of the funniest scenes from The Fearless Vampire Killers). And, if I remember correctly, the vampire from The Keep (the novel) fake his reaction to a cross, which was really ineffective against him.
Yet, it worked when Westley pulled a cross on the alternate universe Willow Rosenberg vamp (who's identified herself as Jewish.) Yet, all she did was shrug her shoulders and say "Whatever." Was she faking it, and do you really want to find out the answer to the question the hard way?
Oh, and holy water allergies seem to be universal. Maybe it has something to do with a vampire's inability (in some instances) to cross running water.
Top Signs that you are dealing with a Vampire...
Festival Director — Thu, 06/12/2008 - 14:51In recent history a Vampire has the following traits:
1. Drinks blood to survive.
2. Usually has retractable fangs but there are exceptions
3. Usually avoids sunlight.
4. Can be "killed" if head is removed or heart is staked. (not sure what happens if heart is removed... I think I remember the Vampire still living until the heart is destroyed or staked)
Everything else is just fluff.