Vamps v. Wolves was the premise behind an episode (“No One Comes To Lupusville”) of the 1980s cartoon series The Real Ghostbusters, based on the Bill Murray movies. My research shows that fans thought very highly of this particular episode, which ends when the Ghostbusters decide to leave the Vamps and Wolves to their battle and change the course of a nearby river to turn the town into an island, presuming this will isolate the combatants.
The episode was written by J. Michael Straczynski, interestingly enough.
Yeah, I know it’s a difficult question because of all the differing mythos out there. I used to play Vampire: the Masquerade, and in that, unless you were a really powerful vampire, you’re best bet to survive an encounter with a lupine was to run. Of course, the fact that they got four attacks to your one, you were pretty much overrun, cut to ribbons, and eaten by the time you took your first step, so…
From what I’ve gleamed in the movies, the werewolves actually use guns and such when in human form, and seem to resort to their animal forms for close encounters…if just seems that that never goes well for them, which is where I have the problem. Vampires may be strong by human standards, but their strength is often nothing compared to that of a werewolves. Both being mystical beasts, I’m sure that they can harm one another without having to rely on the stereotypical weaknesses. Again, for the basic “Put-em-in-a-box-and-shake-it-till-they-fight” kind of scenario, I’d say a werewolf would win hands down…but I guess it all depends on who you’re routing for.
I think one of my favorite scenes is from Monster Squad where the wolfman gets blown up by dynamite, and simply reforms after a couple of minutes. How Dracula managed to get control over that, I have no idea.
How come the only day jobs vampires ever get is solving crimes? You never hear about vampire stockbrokers or anything. It’s always vampire cop or vampire detective. I geuss since it’s usually light out when the markets are open it’s not that good a career choice.
Anyway, in most mythoses, I would have thought a vampire would have the edge; I imagine werewolves like big wolves - very strong, but not very supernatural.
He actually wrote quite a few of the episodes, and they’re generally regarded as some of the best. IIRC, his wife wrote an episode where the ghostbusters went up against Cthulhu.
The general consensus from this thread seems to be that in straight-up one-on-one combat the werewolves have it, but in an actual prolonged conflict the vampires have the edge due to their intelligence. Is that right?
Even if a werewolf loses it’s intelligence in wolf form, they can still be equally intelligent and skillful in human form as any vampire, which just makes the debate a bit trickier.
But vampires seem to have a better handle on their finances.
I think Angelus could take Oz—Angel would be able to if he’s sufficiently pissed.
Spike would be able to take Oz—especially if Oz was somehow threatening someone whose last name was Summers’. I don’t thikn he’d care to try otherwise. In fact, I’d say that Spike has taken on bigger and worse things than Oz and dispatched them rather easily…
The Master? No problem. Oz would be one dead dog.
I don’t tihnk Dru would be able to though, I don’t think she’d have time to do the “be in me…” thing, and who’s to say it would even work on a werewolf?
May I just point out here that you’re treating vampires and werewolves as if they were real, that if their characteristics alter it affects your suspension of disbelief. They’re not real. They’re fictional, and as such the writers of Underworld can portray them however the hell they like.
I SAW that episode. And the one with Cthulhu, too!
They were some of the best, actually. In fact, the only one that came close to those two was the one with the tapestries coming alive in a refurbished castle.
I mean, the series was no Voltron (the “roar”, not the “beep-beep”) or Transformers (or hell, even Thundercats), but it was better than most else on at the time.
Vampire Lore as well as Werewolf lore vary from country to country. Most variations come from Western lore. European Vampire lore vary even with in a country. From how they are created to how they are killed and the way they live.
Same with Werewolves.
American mythos of the Vampire and Werewolf is a blending of these European myths.
In Asia, Vampires are totaly different in relation to their Western Cousins. Many of the Vampires in Asian lore can walk in the daylight and some are good.
Interesting to note that the concept of the WereWolf was introduced in the 19th century in Asia.
In Japan the equivelent of the European Werewolf, is a BAKENEKO
a changeling that transforms from a Human form to a feline form, in essence a WERE-CAT
Anyway, both “races” or “Species” have their plus and minuses, were a werewolf can change back into human form , they aer still mortal, they can get prone to illness, and they tend to heal at a slower rate in comparasin to Vampires who have faster regeneration, ageless and stronger, but their weakness to sunlight causes them to have a set back .
Me I would prefer to be a vampire… just think if the slayers look anything like Buffy…MMMMMM yummy
Seriously, though, when it comes to subjects like this, there are established characteristics. They are laid out by whatever sources, legendary or pop culture, the individual has been exposed to and likes. Therefore, it’s very possible for one’s suspension of disbelief to be affected by a presentation that goes against that individual’s “established parameters” for werewolves or whatever.
Of course, that means that topics like this are even more subjective than they appear at first glance, because someone who’s only been exposed to the old werewolf myths, for example, will have a very different set of internal parameters than someone whose main exposure to werewolves is The Howling…
Again, I think it entirely depends on the parameters of the fight and the specific mythologies involved. I could easily see this fight going one way or the other.
Given that werewolves and vampires generally ONLY walk the night – given that werewolves USUALLY have their peak powers during the full moon – given that vampires can USUALLY change form no matter whether the moon is full or not – given that werewolves TYPICALLY lose their intelligence when they change form – I’d go with vampires.
Allow me to introduce you to the “Blood” series of novels by Tanya Huff, whose vampire hero, Henry Fitzroy, makes his living as a best-selling romance novelist. Of course, his girlfriend is a private detective, so he often gets mixed up in the crime solving thing anyway. But still, he’s a successful novelist who lives in a swanky high-rise condo–and happens to be a vampire.
I agree with the general concensus–it really does depend on what set of folklore you’re working from. Vampires, whatever their strengths or weaknesses, do seem to have the better press agents. They get all the attention, they get to be the dark romantic figures everybody yearns for. Werewolves are just kinda there. As a werewolf fan from way back, I’ve always thought any lycanthrope worth his salt could disembowl one of those arrogant undead bastards without so much as breaking a sweat. Especially if you’re dealing with the type of werewolf that can change at will and retains their human intelligence. Which is the only kind I like to deal with, personally.
Underworld looks like it will be pretty bad. Still, Kate Beckinsale looks mightily fetching in that black leather number, so I shall be buying a ticket.
What about the vampiric ability to discorporate (in at least some mythos, including but not limited to D&D)? I’ve never heard of any werewolf having anything to match that. Claws and teeth aren’t much use against a cloud of noxious vapor.
And as for
To judge from the recent “Sex with literary/fictional characters” threads, an awful lot of ladies on this board do, indeed, want to have sex with one.
Didn’t you jump in on another fictitious battle thread a while back and make the same kind of useless comment? You’re starting to take on the physicality of a seagul in my mind’s eye. There’s a thread about Discworld characters vs. Lord of the Ring Characters somewhere, you might want to show up and tell everyone there that they’re just fictitious characters as well.
I know they’re not real. I don’t think there’s anyone on the boards that does think they’re real (I could be wrong). But that doesn’t stop people from wanting to share their views about such subject matter. Even if there were solid parameters and rules established for such things, people would still be able to alter them however they feel fit to work with whatever story they’d like to put them in. Most comic book characters have their own set of rules and guidelines, yet they’re constantly broken to fit current storylines. Doesn’t mean people don’t like to talk and debate about them, so let us have our fun, okay?
This is interesting to me to look at what people perceive of these myths and what they’ve put together to form their own little mythosis (mythosi? mythoses?). I’ve been a big fan of both types of creatures, know a lot about the history and varieties they both share, and have formed in my mind how I’d like them portrayed in a story if ever I were to write one, and I’m curious as to how that compares to the opinions and beliefs of others. From my views, vampires don’t really tend to become incredibly powerful until they’ve been around for a really long time and have finally gotten over such things as worrying about current fashion, tight leather, owning dance clubs, and the like. It’s the inner beast that gives them their strength, and until they tap into that, they’re pretty much fodder to a werewolf that, again in my little formulated opinion, pretty much comes into it’s power almost immediately. Sure, they get stronger with time and adjustment, but from the moment of the first change, they’re a force to be reckoned with.
I also like the way the two have been portrayed over the years and the images they form in other’s minds. As has been pointed out, most see vampires working their “day jobs” as detectives or business men and the like, whereas a werewolf is more likely to own the organic food stand down the way. And it’s neat the way the job reflects the personality as well. I also feel a neo-primative would kick the crap out of a yuppy banker anyday, so maybe that also feeds my “Werewolves rule” mentality.
And I do think the daylight thing would get in the way of other jobs.