LogFAQs > #982132890

I think in a more sci-fi setting like say Blade, they can actually wear a huge amount of sunscreen and without it they would basically get third-degree burns almost immediately and die pretty quickly, but with heavy clothing and sunscreen on the exposed parts they can venture out at day for a while if they're really careful.

I think in more fantasy settings, it's more of a "holy" thing; sunlight is "holy" and "holy" = death for a vampire. they don't burn necessarily, they are just undone (depends on setting; see Nosferatu and/or Shadow of the Vampire). (seems sunlight killing vampires comes directly from Nosferatu, whereas in Dracula it did not kill him just weaken him.)

EDIT: now that I think of it though, aren't there worse problems than that about being a vampire? ie: the insatiable lust for blood? (you want it for the immortality but the whole point is that it's a VERY large price to pay for immortality. (as well as it being a form of undeath, not "real" immortality (whatever that means)).)