Shadow Vampire

Information
Appearance: Floating cloud of shadows. Attack Damage: 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 Speed: Fast Health: 50 Repelled by Crucifix: Yes Hits to Kill: Cane: IMMUNE Cross: 1 Revolver: IMMUNE Flintlock: IMMUNE Musket: IMMUNE Chalice: 1 Punch: IMMUNE Stake: IMMUNE Machine Gun: IMMUNE

Description and strategy
Ingame description: "The Shadow Vampires are fragile and ancient vampires. They are hollow and their withering contorted bodies are shrouded only by layers and layers of torn black cloth. They fear holy items and are thrown back to the land of the shadows when facing a crucifix. The shadow vampires strike from the shadows, unheard and unseen, making their ambushes extremely lethal."

These floating shadows are very common throughout all three parts of the castle, and you'll find yourself facing them quite often. Because they are made of nothing but shadows, they can be difficult to spot in the dark. You'll just have to get accustomed to the tell-tale wraith-like sound they make when they attack.

The most noticeable thing about Shadow Vampires is that they are immune to all physical attacks, which will simply pass through them harmlessly. They are vulnerable only to holy relics and thus only two weapons can damage them, the Crucifix and the Ancient Chalice. On the plus side, they're extremely weak, and a single hit from either the Crucifix or the Chalice will kill them. You'll know you've successfully hit them when they emit an electrical sound and blue sparks.

On their own, Shadow Vampires shouldn't be too tough, since you can easily dispatch them by flooding a room with crucifix blasts. When they attack together with other enemies, however, they can be rather annoying since you'll have to switch to the Crucifix to destroy them, then switch back to a physical weapon to defeat the remaining enemies. Shadow Vampires can actually move pretty fast, so if one jumps you when you open the door to the next room, you'll have to RUN backwards to avoid getting hit. They recoil from the crucifix, though, so holding it out can help stop their advancing.