Vampires

Through the Heart: Any sharp wooden object firmly inserted in the vampire�s heart with enough force to pierce it through results in a near-instant and fairly impressive "dust-up" � the vamp explodes in a cloud of dust, briefly exposing its skeleton before even that crumbles away. Thus, a stake (or pool cue, or wooden crossbow bolt, or arrow) that hits the vampire�s heart inflicts five times normal damage (after modification for Success Levels and armour), and if the total damage is enough to reduce the vampire to zero Life Points, the vamp is dusted. If the stake damage (after all modifications) doesn�t reduce the vamp below zero points though, apply the pre-x5 damage instead (this means the stake didn�t quite get to the heart, so the damage is not boosted over normal).

Example: Ian, a White Hat Type Watcher (Strength 3), gets a solid stab in with a stake, and the roll is good for three Success Levels. The base damage is (2 x Strength), or six in this case. With the three Success Levels, this goes up to nine. Since this is a heart attack (as it were), damage is multiplied by five, for 45 points. The vamp only had 43 Life Points, and poofs away like a dandelion. If the vamp was tougher�say 50 Life Points, the damage would not be enough to reduce it to zero Life Points. In that case, the attack is considered a near miss (didn�t actually pierce the heart) and the damage inflicted is not multiplied by five. So, facing a 50 Life Point vamp, Ian would have only inflicted nine points of damage. That sucks beyond the telling of it.

Slayers and other very strong characters can take out fairly tough vamps with a single stake thrust. Still, it pays to soften up a vampire with 10-30 points of damage before trying to use Mr. Pointy. This reflects the "reality" of the series, where much fisticuffs occurs before the staking. Remember, a vamp can use a Drama Point to halve the damage (which would save them from a dusting without some pummeling beforehand). So, do remember, forsake not the pounding.

Crosses and Holy Water: These holy objects cause pain and even injury to vampires. If someone shows a cross to a vampire, it instinctively recoils � the vamp loses initiative on that Turn. As long as a character holds a cross on a vampire, the critter cannot attack the wielder. The vamp can try to knock the item away, though actually touching a cross burns a vampire, inflicting two points of damage per Turn of contact.

Holy water is also good against the undead. Applied externally, it inflicts two points for a splash, five points for a glassful, and 10 points for a bucketful. If the vampire ingests the holy water, damage is multiplied by 20, which gives a whole new meaning to "don�t drink the water." A vampire reduced to zero points or less through contact with a cross or holy water dusts away.

Sunlight: The undead takes 20 points of damage at the end of every Turn in full sunlight. If the exposure is for less than a Turn, the damage is only about two points. If a vampire is within reach of a shadowy spot, it can "dodge" the sunlight by leaping into the covered area, taking only the minimum amount. That means that a careful vampire can operate during the day to some extent. As soon as the vamp goes below -10 points, it is dusted. Sunlight damage is healed normally; the sunburn doesn�t last long.

Private Property: Just as the legends say, vamps cannot enter a private dwelling without an invite. An unwelcomed vamp hits an invisible mystical wall at the threshold, and is physically unable to push through; this also applies to windows, pet doors or any other means of ingress. This restriction doesn�t apply to public places, so stores and restaurants are not safe (everybody is effectively invited to those places, even where they reserve the right to refuse admittance).

Vamps Suck, Vamps Bite: When a vamp has grappled or secured (i.e., tied up or otherwise subdued) a victim, it�s feeding time. A strong vampire can totally drain your average human in less than a minute. The vampire Bite uses a Dexterity and Kung Fu + 2 roll, or the Combat Score + 2. It inflicts 3 x Strength base damage (Success Levels and armour modify, but damage type does not) every Turn that the vampire sucks blood from the victim. When the victim fails a Survival test, she has been drained of all her blood and is dead. A normal victim will die in a Turn or so; Slayers and tougher humans may take a little longer. Breaking free from a grappling vampire works like resisting a Grapple, but the victim is at a -2 penalty.