How do you "kill" a vampire?

[Dangrey]

I was battling the vampire in the Crypt of Hearts, and no matter what I did, I couldn't permanently KILL it. I was able to dispatch of it just fine, but then it kept doing that jerky animation thing as if it was trying to get back up. What's the deal with that?

I know that Trolls have a similar tactic where you can knock them down with regular attacks but need a magic spell to permanently kill them. I have no problem slaying the Trolls. The Vampire however, stays in regeneration mode no matter what. I've tried using ONLY spells to fight it and it still won't die! I would prefer to use my silver sword and then switch to a spell for the deathblow, but nothing's working.

Does anyone know exactly how to kill a vampire? Is it just that the Crypt of Hearts vampire is immortal or something? It is the only one I've encountered so far, and I want the EXP.
I figure there will be more vampires later in the game so I want to know a good strategy for beating them because I have not found any.

???

EDIT: It seems ALL vampires in this game are the same. I still haven't killed one yet. It's annoying because it's such a tough battle yet I get no experience points for it.

[AFigureInBlack]

Just get away!
You can try Sleep for 0 hours. Haven't tried it myself but works with other monsters.

[Dangrey]

Sleeping for 0 hours will successfully remove the vampire's corpse and prevent it from respawning, but you still won't get the EXP points for it.

Vampires are worth 50,000 EXP. I want to know how to get it because that is a lot.

[AFigureInBlack]

Well, I don't think that's so much of a problem anyway, since it only takes one hit to kill it again. I usually ignore it and move on.

[SwedishBerzerker]

http://uesp.net/wiki/Arena:Vampire#Vampire

"Immunity to mundane weapon, vulnerability to silver weapons"

They are also vulnerable to magic.

Also, maybe you can almost kill it with a normal weapon, then make the final blow using magic?

[Dangrey]

"Immunity to mundane weapon, vulnerability to silver weapons"

Well I have a silver longsword (but in "used" condition). It cuts the vampire down but still does not permanently kill it.

I am playing the CD version. Maybe vampires are not kill-able in that one.

[SwedishBerzerker]

"Immunity to mundane weapon, vulnerability to silver weapons"

Well I have a silver longsword (but in "used" condition). It cuts the vampire down but still does not permanently kill it.

I am playing the CD version. Maybe vampires are not kill-able in that one.

Huh

Have you tried knocking it down several times?

[goomba]

Old Thread but... I stumbled upon it with the same question as OP, which I am now able to answer, so this might serve someone else.

I had the same problem as you with the Vampire in the Crypts of Hearts. I tried to take him down with Wizard's Fire spells only, but he couldn't be killed, and no XP either. However, later I fought a Vampire outside Stormhold (Black Marsh). I found out the following:

1) The only way to take him down AND get XP is to fight him only with magic (I used Force Bolts this time)
2) It's possible to kill him permanently by fighting him melee, then finishing him with magic, or to take him down with magic when he gets up after taking him down melee. However, you do NOT get XP doing this.

When the Vampire is really dead, it looks like a skeleton with shredded cloth, standing up. So yeah the Vampire in the Crypt of Hearts might be special.

Note: The type of magic used might have something to do (Wiz Fire vs Force Bolts), but I doubt it

UPDATE:
I tested some more with trolls in Black Gate. It seems the mechanics of this is complicated:

1) Sometimes using only magic, the Troll will still fall to the ground instead of dying permanently. It can eventually be killed when it stands up (with magic of course)
2) You can dish 1 or 2 (more?) hits melee at the start, and THEN use only magic, and you still kill it permanently.
3) If doing no more than 1 or 2 hits melee, you get XP

[SwedishBerzerker]

Old Thread but... I stumbled upon it with the same question as OP, which I am now able to answer, so this might serve someone else.

I had the same problem as you with the Vampire in the Crypts of Hearts. I tried to take him down with Wizard's Fire spells only, but he couldn't be killed, and no XP either. However, later I fought a Vampire outside Stormhold (Black Marsh). I found out the following:

1) The only way to take him down AND get XP is to fight him only with magic (I used Force Bolts this time)
2) It's possible to kill him permanently by fighting him melee, then finishing him with magic, or to take him down with magic when he gets up after taking him down melee. However, you do NOT get XP doing this.

When the Vampire is really dead, it looks like a skeleton with shredded cloth, standing up. So yeah the Vampire in the Crypt of Hearts might be special.

Note: The type of magic used might have something to do (Wiz Fire vs Force Bolts), but I doubt it

UPDATE:
I tested some more with trolls in Black Gate. It seems the mechanics of this is complicated:

1) Sometimes using only magic, the Troll will still fall to the ground instead of dying permanently. It can eventually be killed when it stands up (with magic of course)
2) You can dish 1 or 2 (more?) hits melee at the start, and THEN use only magic, and you still kill it permanently.
3) If doing no more than 1 or 2 hits melee, you get XP

I don't think OP plays this anymore, but I'm sure if someone starts playing this game again, they might google it and find your reply helpful!

[wagnerj]

I kill vamfire by throwing him a spell and a sword.