The White Court is Underpowered

[seanham]

I was recently thinking about the different vampire courts, and I realized that the White Court are by far the most underpowered. The B Court can rapidly "reproduce," and they are known to be the most dangerous but have the most weaknesses. R Court vampires can "reproduce" at similar rates as B Court but are less powerful because they do not have the same inherent potency as B Court and have a need to feed. Finally, the W Court reproduces at the lowest rates; their powers are directly tied with how powerful their Hunger inherently is and how full the Hungry is. The main advantage of the W Court is that they can most easily pass for humans. My question is, why is the W Court so much weaker than the other courts. One could say that they are the strongest because they are not directly powerful in the physical sense but instead use puppets and political power to get what they want but does that makeup for their inherent weakness? Could this be another reason for the Harry Lara marriage? Would a wizard W Court baby be the start of something new and powerful for the W Court and help them gain more power and respect?

[Mira]

The Red Court is extinct.. The Black Court is just nasty.. I wouldn't underestimate the White Court, their power is in their connections, Lara does have powerful allies, and her rep wasn't hurt by her actions during the recent Battle of Chicago.

[seanham]

The Red Court is extinct.. The Black Court is just nasty.. I wouldn't underestimate the White Court, their power is in their connections, Lara does have powerful allies, and her rep wasn't hurt by her actions during the recent Battle of Chicago.

Yes, however, this is only taking into account recent events. Before, when the White King actually in charge, he didn't have many of the connections Lara has (or none that I know of). Just look at the old muscle Harry called them Barbies/Ken Dolls. They were immediately upgraded to much more threatening and intelligent individuals after Lara took over. Lara has made the W Court the powerful force it is today, not W Court powers (yes, powers may have helped, but as the book says, W Court sex slaves made bad tools).

[Griffyn612]

Yes, however, this is only taking into account recent events. Before, when the White King actually in charge, he didn't have many of the connections Lara has (or none that I know of). Just look at the old muscle Harry called them Barbies/Ken Dolls. They were immediately upgraded to much more threatening and intelligent individuals after Lara took over. Lara has made the W Court the powerful force it is today, not W Court powers (yes, powers may have helped, but as the book says, W Court sex slaves made bad tools).

That was during Harry's lifetime, though. Raith had stopped feeding upon his birth, and was preserving the tank. We can assume there weren't huge changes in his behavior so as to go unnoticed, but it seems likely he couldn't do all the things he could have previously done.

[BrainFireBob]

The White Court has the ability to plant what are essentially post-hypnotic suggestions and immediately seize control of human and sufficiently quasi-human beings- Lara captivated a Einherjar, for instance.

Red Court can over time create junkies addicted to their saliva, Black Court can create living weapon Renfields; but neither of these processes is fast.

[Basil]

I actually rank the White Court as the most powerful.  By far.  Their mix of power and lack of weaknesses is essentially a perfect fit for the modern world. 

While they are not consistently as powerful physically as the Blacks or Reds, they also are not as vulnerable as the Blacks or Reds.  I think it's a problem when you can't go out during the day or are vulnerable to children armed with Super Soakers backed up by a Priest.

And, the Whites can throw down with the Blacks or Reds, just in short bursts.  Meanwhile, objects of faith or sunlight or holy water or garlic have no impact on them.  A White with a full charge can absolutely tank a tremendous amount of damage, provided it isn't instantly lethal. 

All of the vampires can control humans to a certain degree.   Blacks can create Renfields.  These are berserkers, but not good at anything else.  The Reds were also able to control some human institutions -- of broken and weak governments.  We aren't entirely sure what means that they employed, but my impression is that it was cartel tactics of bribes, violence and intimidation.  Lara wields influence over the U.S. Govt., as she demonstrated by getting US Navy evac for Harry's wounded at Chicken Pizza. 

The proof, in the end, the Blacks are all but destroyed (by the Whites, btw) and the Reds are destroyed (by the soon-to-be White Consort). 

[forumghost]

Yeah it's the difference between Molly and Harry.

Sure, Harry is better at making things asplode, but he's also simpler to fight. Just need to get in and fight.

Fighting a prepared Molly on the other hand is all smoke and mirrors. Sure she'll go down easier once you find her, but you've got to do it first.

High-tier illusions and mental manipulation are scary stuff.

[vincentric]

The Whites are not as physically powerful as the the Blacks are and the Reds were but they can survive long enough to use their weaknesses against them. Even if they have trouble getting holy water or don't have the belief in holy items, an aerosol garlic spray would ruin a Black's day.

[Mira]

The Whites are not as physically powerful as the the Blacks are and the Reds were but they can survive long enough to use their weaknesses against them. Even if they have trouble getting holy water or don't have the belief in holy items, an aerosol garlic spray would ruin a Black's day.

I don't know, that flying drop kick that Lara delivered to the back of Ethinu's head to pop the eye from her head was pretty wicked and powerful.  I wouldn't underestimate them.

[Griffyn612]

I don't know, that flying drop kick that Lara delivered to the back of Ethinu's head to pop the eye from her head was pretty wicked and powerful.  I wouldn't underestimate them.

She's the Queen, arguably the most powerful and well-fed Wamp there is. Others aren't going to have her power.

The Wamps are formidable politically and against humans, but against almost anything else, they're on even terms or below. It took publishing a book and arming the masses with knowledge to exterminate most of the Blamps. If someone paid Shagnasty enough, he'd wipe out the Wamps on his own in a month.

[Mira]

She's the Queen, arguably the most powerful and well-fed Wamp there is. Others aren't going to have her power.

The Wamps are formidable politically and against humans, but against almost anything else, they're on even terms or below. It took publishing a book and arming the masses with knowledge to exterminate most of the Blamps. If someone paid Shagnasty enough, he'd wipe out the Wamps on his own in a month.

As I recall she had several ladies with her, and I bet one doesn't onto Lara's kick ass team unless you can really kick ass.

[BrainFireBob]

She's the Queen, arguably the most powerful and well-fed Wamp there is. Others aren't going to have her power.

The Wamps are formidable politically and against humans, but against almost anything else, they're on even terms or below. It took publishing a book and arming the masses with knowledge to exterminate most of the Blamps. If someone paid Shagnasty enough, he'd wipe out the Wamps on his own in a month.

We don't know the relative power of the various House heads. Whites can feed most easily, though- don't underestimate their throwing down in a street and then sprinting through a dance club before coming back for round 2. And their supernatural healing isn't to be underestimated.

And we don't know the Whites couldn't handle the Blacks- the Whites used humanity as a cat's paw. Preference doesn't mean incapability.

[Griffyn612]

As I recall she had several ladies with her, and I bet one doesn't onto Lara's kick ass team unless you can really kick ass.

Sure, I bet there's a dozen members of the family that are well fed and well trained. But those same high-level Wamps were broken like toys by Shaggy in TC. In their place of power. Across their threshold, and whatever wards they had in place.

Likewise, Eb could have taken Lara out at the end. The Wamps are formidable up close with humans that they can whammy or enemies they can beat to a pulp. But their top tier against top tier wizards isn't a fair fight, much less anyone else with power.

[Griffyn612]

We don't know the relative power of the various House heads. Whites can feed most easily, though- don't underestimate their throwing down in a street and then sprinting through a dance club before coming back for round 2. And their supernatural healing isn't to be underestimated.

And we don't know the Whites couldn't handle the Blacks- the Whites used humanity as a cat's paw. Preference doesn't mean incapability.

Between Peace Talks and Battle Ground, I was left with the impression that Harry was close to raw strength with Lara, and yet he was like a child in Mavra's grip. I'm sure Lara is stronger going all out, but it still seemed like WK and WCV were on one tier, and BCV was on another.

[BrainFireBob]

I'm thinking when Lara was reduced to a barely animate skeleton and devoured Madelaine. That's a hellacious amount of damage to take and be visibly healing from.

A strong, fully-fed White seems to have Wolverine-like healing- at first. When sufficiently injured, they go feral, and also feed indiscriminately. Don't underestimate that.