Vampire Weaknesses

With the vampire’s unmatched strength and agility comes certain weaknesses. Different cultures around the world each have their different legends on exactly what to do in situations with vampires. Some vampires may be instantly vaporized by the sunlight, where others are merely less active than at night. Some weaknesses are cross-cultural while others are unique to a specific vampire.

Sunlight

If you run into a vampire and you can make it to dawn, you may live to see another day. One of the most prevalent weaknesses of vampires is their inability to stand the sunlight. This is a very common theme in modern day vampire movies such as Blade, Interview with the Vampire, Dracula and others. But by folklore standards, most vampires were thought to be more active at night but not vulnerable to sunlight.

Other things with similar characteristics are thought to have similar effects on vampires. This includes ultraviolet light, mirrors used to reflect sunlight into a vampire’s lair, etc. Also, since vampires never see sunlight, any bright bursts of light, such as flash bangs might prove useful at temporally disabling them. Don’t count on it killing them though, because it lacks ultraviolet light, the component in sunlight that is thought to prove fatal to vampires.

Garlic

Garlic is one of the earliest repelants against vampire and other evil spirits. In ancient Egypt, garlic was used against a ghost-like vampire to ward them off. In Romania and Eastern Europe, garlic was an essential tool in protecting against vampires. They would rub garlic on their windows, door ways, even their livestock to protect them from vampires, probably the strige. Garlic wreaths were used in many cultures to ward off vampires. But did it really work?

Wooden Stakes

Wooden stakes are one of the most popular ways to kill a vampire directly. By stabbing a vampire in the heart with a wooden stake it is thought to destroy them. Popularized in many movies today, the stake was also popular in medieval times as a means to fend off vampires. People at risk at becoming a vampire at the time may be staked in the heart after they die by a wooden object.

Silver

Silver was popularized in many popular culture references as a method to kill werewolves, but was also a method of dispatching vampires. A long with wood, stakes could be made of silver to dispatch of vampires. Protective jewelry can be made from silver to help ward off evil spirits in many cultures.

Religious Symbols

Many religious symbols, such as crosses, are thought to harm or ward off vampires and other spirits. In Christianity for instance, vampires are thought to have came from offspring of Lilith, Cain, or Satan himself, and any contact they make with crosses can harm them significantly. Wooden or silver crosses are best for this occasion.

Holy Ground

Holy ground is another way to protect yourself from the occult. Many evil spirits; including vampires, zombies, and demons are unable to walk on holy ground and are naturally repelled from it. Holy ground may be a church or any other location that is thought to be holy.

Running Water

In many different ancient stories and urban legends, vampires are said to have a weakness towards running water. In some cases in can vaporize them, in others they are merely repelled and forced to find another root. They may be carried across, but under their own will they cannot cross. Traditionally, water is thought to be pure, and because of this they try to avoid it.

Hay, Rice, Grain and other Large Quantity Items

In many cultures, a person will leave a bag of grain, rice or pebbles at their door to keep vampires out. Vampires are thought to be intensely involved in everything around them and have to count large quantities of anything they come across. By doing this, they are able to keep vampires distracted long enough to get away.

By Invitation Only!

Some cultures believe that vampires may only come into your house if you invite them. They are so polite! So look for tell tale signs of vampires before you invite them in your home. The most obvious are they fangs or if they are counting that bag of grain you put on your porch be cautious!

Mirrors and Shadows

Vampires cast no reflection in the mirror and are thought to have no shadow. Some vampires are repelled of mirrors because of this, and they try to avoid them so they don’t give away their identity.

Fire

Another way to dispatch of a vampire is through fire. By burning the corpse of a vampire, you can prevent it from regenerating, assuming that it burns to the point of ashes. If the vampire is merely burned, they will regenerate the damage they take.

Decapitation

If you cut off the head of a vampire, you can keep it from regenerating as well, assuming you keep the head away from the corpse. If they are reunited they may be able to fuse back together, depending on the type of vampire.

Holy Water

Perhaps a combination of holy ground and running water, (or not), holy water is also thought to be a good repellent of evil beings, including vampires. It can be used in many different ways to protect yourself. You can poor it on the ground to create an area that is off limits, or you could put it on yourself to create a sort of vampire repellent. You could even use it offensively by dousing them in it. Be creative! Put it in a water balloon or super soaker to fight off hordes of vampires!

Conclusion

With the many strengths that vampires have, come many weaknesses. From the common ones such as exposure to sunlight, to the minuet, such as being forced to count large quantities of items, dozens, if not hundreds of vampire weaknesses exist, depending on the type of vampire.

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