"realistically" if a vampire virus did exist<br/><br/>ie - extending human life - dependency on blood etc - allergic to sunlight - super healing - strength increase / whatever (which perhaps is possible viruses do some amazing things they are just dna really - and many viruses or conditions can instigate one of these traits.<br/><br/>I would see it as this:<br/><br/>The body itself would still loose moisture occasionally (breathing out moisture / urination) and would have to sweat to controll body temperature - that would have to be replaced, blood is highly sailine, it is packed full of nutrients obviously but getting moisture out of blood alone isnt efficent or fast. It makes sense to me that at least water would still be vital - ie they can still die of dehydration - but perhaps can enter some<br/>semi-catatonic states at whim and slow down all biofunctions in times of emergency or lack of anything else. It would also be likely that oxygen would still be useful - ie drowning would be possible - UNLESS the creature entered its catatonic state - so if it didnt want to drown it could "hibernate" - and "the panic reflex" could be replaced with a hibernation reflex - which would explain why some thing they "killed the vampire" only it to return from the "dead" days later.. as in deep hibernation / coma some pulses are too weak to sense (eyes will not react to light etc).<br/><br/>I know this doesnt cover turning into bats or whatever .. nor am i saying I will impose all these as house rules, but not being able to drink water or be effected by alcohol unless the victum had it in ist bloodstream to me feels silly, as there woudl be nothign really different to the blood itself if someone just stirred elthonol alcohol into a cup of blood vs getting someone REALLY drunk then spilling their blood (the alcohol isnt within the bloodcells - its part of the blood plasma (the sea of "else' the red blood cells are in).<br/><br/>So house rule<br/><br/>Drugs / alcohol / water can be digested normally without expelling stuff ... but some drugs may not have the same effect... especially narcotics.<br/><br/>(and vomiting "ash" => dried blood flakes or red ash - ie the vampire lives primarily on blood plasma - AS THE BODY has lost its ability to create it itself (and as u can imagine its pretty useful if you want some organs to work as its the only real nutrient circuit within most creatures including mammals )<br/>