Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Vampires

Vampires are the most prominent and numerous brand of demon in the modern world. They feed on human blood, and possess enhanced strength, resilience, speed, and fangs which serve as natural weapons. They resemble humans most of the time, but when angered or feeding (or simply at will) their face transforms into a ridged and yellow-eyed visage.

Vampires are despised by most other demons because they have mixed their blood with that of humans, diluting the pure evil of their race. Despite this, they continue to thrive. Their success seems to be the ease of creating a vampire versus the difficulty of breeding new demons; while another variety of demon might have to go through complex nesting periods or spawn only at certain times (as has been seen on Buffy), a vampire need only drain the blood of its prey and feed it some of their blood. The next night, the victim arises as a vampire.

Some vampires, over time, can develop stronger abilities. In Buffy vs. Dracula, Dracula took on a more classical vampire persona. Aside from not having a radical transformation, he could also turn into a bat and doesn't die easily. However, many of the qualities exhibited by Dracula in this episode are often shouted down as misconceptions. Angel, in particular, often cursed the name of Anne Rice and corrected people on their beliefs that vampires slept in coffins.

Vampires can be slain by decapitation, sunlight, or a wooden stake through the heart. In truth, anything wooden will do the trick (Willow once used magic to propel a pencil through a vampire's heart).