Depends on what folklore, or universe's lore is used really.
But speaking generally, on Vampires:
They're dead. This isn't so much a bad thing as it seems.
You know how strong guys can lift like 800 pound weights a few times before being totally exhausted? That's because of being alive - because of lactic acid produced by the body. This means a living being can only act at its' peak for short periods of times, and if they push themselves they'll wear out their reserves.
This gives the vampire an advantage. He is dead. His body produces nothing. He can operate at his peak at all times. He will never tire out, thus a werewolf is forced to take him out quickly, or try to last till dawn. Risky propositions.
Additionally. He does not breathe. He cannot be drowned, cannot suffocate, cannot die of smoke inhalation.
He lives forever. He has forever to plan. This is
really bad if he's smart. Since he can plot out and execute a plot over a long period of time with no worry of growing old before it reaches fruition.
Aside from extreme cold or heat (like
fire) he's got nothing to worry from temperature. So long as he's not freezing solid chances of him freezing to "death" are kinda non-existant.
So you've got an untiring blood sucking corpse that's smart and can use his strength to its' full extent every second of his conscious existance. Adding age to this makes him more deadly. Furthermore some manners of killing him are ruled out by his undead existance.
He mght even have powers usually attributed to a vampire, etc.
But personally, I prefer Werewolves, for the following reasons:
- I like the sun. Vampires are relegated to darkness for the rest of eternity.
- Turning in a wolf or wolf-like creature = instant cool points.
- While not possessing the limitless endurance of a non-living body, lycanthropes borrow the wolf's high endurance and usually are much stronger than a human.
- You can keep your old lifestyle for the most part. With a vampire you go nocturnal and run around biting necks.
- Claws and Fangs. Vampires do have fangs - but only two. Werewolves have many more, and a more powerful jaw.
- Speed. As fast as a vampire must be (being able to run at full sprint without tiring) you can't beat four legs.
etc.
But battles can go either way. I once played a game in Whitewolf's "World of Darkness" as a Vampire. I, with on other vampire (who was used as bait) managed to drop three werewolves.
Might've lost if one hadn't been so braindead as to swing at me when I had his friend hostage. He hit the friend (which is OW, the guy had an axe) and well, the friend failed his "resist raging and killing s***" roll, so he shifted into the gigantic
Crinos form and tore apart his buddy, meanwhile the third wolf flees and I killed the shifted one with a single stroke (My guy was made geared toward combat...and had a silver sword.
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/closedgrin.gif)
) the third wolf attacked my buddy, beat on him, I struck him too. Deader than a doornail.
I got such awesome rolls with that character. Luckiest vampire ever. I thought I was SOL when the guy managed to transform.
the vampire has got to be the most overly exagerated monster ever in modern folklore. Nothing else has gone so far from its originals. from bloodsucking ghosts and zombies to god like lords of the night.
Actually,
The Zombie's changed more: Originally were people put under a voodoo spell to serve a zombie-master. They were however, quite alive and free of desire to munch on brains.
Now?
Undead brain-eater. Now with the hollywood addition of being a transferable via-bite condition.
If there is one thing I am tired of its werewolves playing second fiddle to vampires and either being their servants or their slaves.
Yeah. I'd like to see the reverse sometime.
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/closedgrin.gif)