Vampire

Vampires are supernatural creatures, found in various myths and folklore around the world, that feed on the life essence of humans- most commonly, blood. Vampires in Hellsing have notable traits such as sharp fangs and hunger for blood. They also are harmed by sunlight, although very strong vampires, such as Alucard, are resistant to such weaknesses. Vampires are the primary villains throughout the Hellsing storyline, even before the Millennium Organization is introduced.

Artificial Vampires
Vampires created through either the FREAK chip process, or the Millennium Organization's special process are not created through the bite of other vampires, and are considered artificial. While clearly intended to resemble each other, both processes are very different and hold their own unique characteristics; making them hard to confuse with each other. Weaker to True Undead, Artificial Undead are all in a class of their own.

Millennium Conversion Process
Millennium's initial vampirization research was overseen by The Doctor, who experimented on World War II prisoners of war, and conducted at Millennium's Polish base. These vampires were created by investigation into the desiccated corpse of Mina Harker. It is implied the conversion requires a certain degree of invasive surgery. Initial subjects were barely better than ghouls and had an extremely limited lifespan (less than eight hours after the procedure was concluded), although The Doctor was certain their potential to spread the infection could offset this setback. Thanks to greater advancements in the procedure, the finished model was much better.

Millennium's artificial vampires lack the ability to convert others into vampires; all victims, regardless of gender or virginity status, are immediately transformed into Ghouls, but not vampires. They exhibit enhanced attributes such as greater speed and power, though these are remarkably inferior to true vampire power. Although they can run fast enough to overtake a car.

While highly resistant to conventional human weaponry, silver affects them to grievous levels. They still have penetrable flesh as well, as the Wild Geese demonstrated by very effectively slaughtering Zorin Blitz's battalion with claymore mines and silver ammo loaded into normal weapons. Millennium's protocols demand that a tracking chip be added to the finished product to track movements, combat data, health, etc. This chip can also be used as a self-destruct device by completely destroying a target in blue flames, leaving no salvageable remains behind. It also seems to activate automatically when the host dies, as shown with Zorin and the Captain.

All of Millennium's research, data and materials related to the project are assumed to have been destroyed with the conflagration of the Deus Ex Machina.

They share the same abilities and weakness as True Vampires, but despite they are weaker than the the true vampires, artificial vampires have their own abilities. However, as stated by Walter, they are just "bootleg-copies" of Alucard, and have no chance to improve themselves or transform to true vampires.

Artificial vampires with special traits
Despite the fact, most of the artificial vampires share the same traits, weaknesses and powers, some of them can be marked as special due to their own characteristics. Due to this, they all have their important role in the organization of Millennium, mostly as the leaders of special groups like Rip van Winkle, whose task was to hijack the cruiser Eagle, or Zorin Blitz, who was ordered to attack Hellsing HQ and kill Alucard's fledgling, Seras Victoria. It is not known whether they have their special traits because their transformations were more successful than the others’ were (and with this, they have some of their exemplar's, Alucard's powers), or they had these before their conversion into vampires (like Walter).

Luke Valentine
Appearing in Hellsing: Volume 2, Luke was the first notable artificial vampire to appear in the series; he had excellent reflexes (as Alucard states it), enhanced speed, which was rare even among vampires, and was able to regenerate the wounds inflicted by Alucard's silver-loaded weapon, the Casull. However, Luke was powerless against Alucard's familiar and could not regenerate at the same rate as Alucard.

Tubalcain Alhambra
Acting as the Millennium's local agent in Rio de Janeiro, Alhambra was also an artificial vampire believed to be powerful enough to confront Alucard. He used razor-sharp playing cards as primary weapons. Alhambra was also able to make illusions to deceive Alucard.

Rip van Winkle
As Millennium's First Lieutenant, Rip van Winkle's task was to hijack the cruiser Eagle and withstand the counter-attacks of enemy forces. Her musket's special bullets were able to destroy helicopters and planes. However, when this weapon turned out to be useless against Alucard, she remained defenseless against Hellsing's trump card, implying that her other traits were just on the level of other artificial vampires'.

Zorin Blitz
As the leader of the task force attacking the Hellsing HQ, Zorin Blitz was under direct order to kill Seras Victoria. Zorin was able to make illusions relying on her power to read her victims' soul. While this was effective against Wild Geese and even fledgeling Seras Victoria, Zorin's ability is useless against true vampires, as their personality contains at least two souls (making it impossible for Zorin to differentiate between them).

Other notable artificial vampires
Jan Valentine

Soldiers of the Letztes Battalion

Walter C. Dornez

Leif and Jessica (possibly)

FREAK Chip Conversion Process
This process was only seen in the anime series. While similar to the Millennium Conversion, the vampires controlled by the "FREAK Chip" were infected through a biological computer chip capable of forcefully entering the human brain and altering them from within to resemble vampires. Large amounts of chips loaded into a person could create an undead of greater power, but whom were still ultimately weaker than a True Vampire, or even a True undead fledgling.

Notable freaks
Luke Valentine (TV only)

Jan Valentine (TV only)

Paul Wilson

Enrico Stivaletti

Leif and Jessica (possibly)

True Vampires
The term "true vampire" is used in the Hellsing series to define vampires created naturally through exchange of blood between a vampire and a human virgin of the opposite gender. Attempts to convert non-virgins or virgins of the same gender will result in the creation of a ghoul. In the case of a successful blood exchange, the virgin party, or "fledgling", will enter the first stage of vampirism.

While lacking the higher-level powers of the "master", they still possess superhuman strength and a psychic connection with their master. They will also have the weaknesses of other vampires. Upon the full consumption of a human's blood, the restrictions imposed upon the fledgling vanish and stronger abilities are unlocked, completing the transition to "true undead" status.

Vampires use a host of powers regarded as unholy to prey upon humans and accrue power. The undead priest seen generally at the beginning of Hellsing's first volume or episode created masses of armed ghouls hoping to use them as his army, and depending on the chronicle used a form of enhanced speed, telekinesis, hypnosis or a combination of the three to seize Seras and use her as a pawn in a gamble to escape death at Alucard's hands. Additionally, vampires classically are purported to have a high pain threshold and a measure of enhanced strength, properties many Hellsing vampires share. Agelessness from the point of infection and a need to sleep in a coffin or in contact with the soil of one's birthplace are also noted.

The exact limits of a normal vampire are unknown, as the only observable bloodline known so far is Alucard's. For example, Alexander Anderson used a massive amount of blessed bayonets during his first confrontation with Alucard, pierced his heart, cut off his head, and skewered it with another holy blade. He expressed, however, utter astonishment at Alucard's impressive regenerative abilities; given he is presented as an experienced hunter, it is safe to assume he had not encountered an equal to Alucard's abilities prior to the confrontation in Badrick.

Even with these special characteristics, though, there are certain common characteristics and weaknesses. Elongated fangs and red eyes are amongst the most obvious indication, as is the thirst for blood coming from other human beings. They have an inability to cross large bodies of water without means of external locomotion. "Holy" symbols, materials and relics are often treated as highly dangerous. Silver, particularly, is lethal to most of them. Blessed silver is even worse and may inflict extensive damage depending upon the blessings of the material.

The heart is often presented as a weak spot for a vampire, and thus is a popular target against them. Potent religious artifacts such as the Nail of Helena are able to imbue a strong holy aura in weaponry to make it incredibly deadly against vampires, and presumably other "unholy" creatures.

Alucard's Bloodline
The only known regenerating abilities in the series that could even remotely be compared to Alucard's are those of father Anderson, after he imbued himself with Helena's Nail. The god-like priest, who would have been quite a match for most other unholy creatures, proved to be incapable of causing any actual harm to Alucard. The added strength is far superior, allowing even a fledgling in the incomplete undead stage to wield weaponry as potent and hard to maneuver as the Harkonnen II Battle System.

Other abilities seen in this bloodline that are not observed in other vampires include a "third eye" capable of focusing images, allowing for superior targeting, the destruction of illusions; along with strength, levitation, and speed on par if not exceeding every other example thus seen. Seras Victoria, in the midst of an emotionally destructive attack, briefly lost control of herself and entered a brutal berserk state in which she relentlessly killed her attackers. It is not known whether this ability extends to other vampires of her own or other bloodlines. She also was able to resist the holy flames created by the power of Helena's Nail for a brief time before the fire began to consume her.

The control of solid shadows is also indicative of this bloodline, to the point it allows for extended flight if used correctly.

In addition, even the feeding is likely to be unique for this bloodline. While other vampires turn their opposite male virgin victims to vampires and their same-sex or non-virgin ones to ghouls (as it is stated by both Integra and the vampire of Cheddar), Alucard and Seras Victoria have the ability of restoring their victims' souls. These souls can even contain the victim's original personality (like it happened with Pip Bernadotte and Luke Valentine). It is not clear whether it is a decision of the vampire to keep the soul in the original state, or it takes some time for the soul to lose its characteristics.

Alucard refers these 'ultimate vampires' as "Category A Vampire".

Abilities.
Super Strength

Vampires are greatly stronger than a normal human being, able to use and lift large weapons that a normal human could not.

Night Immortality

The Vampire is a creature that appears ageless and timeless, existing for years, upon decades, upon centuries without aging or dying. However, Alucard mentions several times during the course of the series that "There is no such thing as Immortality", implying that there is an eventual end for the vampire, but not necessarily by age. His remark may also be sarcastic or ironic, mocking his opponents and trying to shatter their ambitions in order to break their will before killing them, a habit he has clearly shown to have on numerous occasions.

High Invulnerability

Vampires are extremely close to being completely immune to injury or wear and tear, as Alucard is able to almost instantly reform from most damage with ease. However, there are several weapons that can cause damage to them.:

Telepathy

The Vampire can read and speak directly into the minds of those he has drank from. This power was said to extend to all beings in the TV series, but is never used this way in the Manga or OVA. A Vampire can also manipulate the minds of weaker-willed beings, an ability Pip referred to as a "Sex Beam".

Shape-shifting

A Vampire can change into some different animals,such as a Dog and a Bat in the series. Vampires can also become mist as well. Only true Vampires are seen to have this ability.

Ability to Command

A vampire has the ability to create and command several different kinds of underlings, including Servant Vampires, Familiars, and Ghouls. Vampires has complete control over all of these. beings.

Levitation

True vampires can levitate and sometimes fly.

Blood Taking/Letting:

Upon taking blood into themselves, a Vampire can take the entire essence of a person or non human into themselves including their memories and powers.

Weaknesses.
Blessed/Silver Weapons

Most vampires are susceptible to injuries from any number of Blessed weapons and artifacts. Most blessed weapons and ammunition are also mentioned to be alloyed with Silver, melted down from a Church's cross as well. It is probable that silver weapons can also harm vampires as well, but it is never elaborated on as to whether or not the blessing of the material is required.

Blood Dependency

Most vampires must take in blood in order to maintain their power.

Crossing Moving Bodies of Water

Most vampires cannot cross an open body of water.

Daylight:

Some vampires, usually lesser ones, are harmed, to some extent, by daylight.

The usual legendary methods of defeating a vampire are mentioned by Integra to also work in the Hellsing world including "Garlic, Holy Water, Wooden Stakes, and Decapitation". However, none of these are ever shown in practice.

Most of these weaknesses are shown to be possible to build a resistance to or overcome completely given enough time and maturity into the vampiric role. Daylight being a prime example of a weakness that Alucard and Seras are both able to overcome.

True Vampires
Alucard

Seras Victoria

Incognito (TV series only)

Helena (TV series only)

Bubbancy (possibly)

Cheddar Priest

Leif and Jessica (possibly)

Servant Vampires
Seras Victoria (originally)

Mina Harker (She)

Baohban Sith
A female Scottish vampire in a green dress

Bubbancy