---
title: "Vampire Survivors: Complete Guide"
game: "Vampire Survivors"
game_url: "https://qna.gg/games/vampire-survivors"
author: "Qloud"
author_url: "https://qna.gg/players/Qloud"
topics: ["Builds", "Beginners", "Weapons"]
summary: "A practical guide to Vampire Survivors: how runs work, which PowerUps to buy, the core base-game evolution recipes, early unlock priorities, and what's new with update 1.15, 1.16 and the Legacy of the Bloodmoon…"
url: "https://qna.gg/g/vampire-survivors-complete-guide-3929b269"
published: "2026-09-27T16:35:30.450Z"
updated: "2026-09-27T16:35:30.450Z"
source: "QnA.GG"
---

# Vampire Survivors: Complete Guide

A practical guide to Vampire Survivors: how runs work, which PowerUps to buy, the core base-game evolution recipes, early unlock priorities, and what's new with update 1.15, 1.16 and the Legacy of the Bloodmoon expansion.

*Researched September 2026 — current as of v1.16.107 (August 30, 2026 hotfix) and the Legacy of the Bloodmoon DLC (August 28, 2026). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.*

## Quick Start

1. **You only move - weapons fire automatically.** Your job is positioning, picking upgrades, and grabbing gems and items.
2. **Gems and items don't disappear.** Take your time collecting them (the game's own starting tip).
3. **Pick two or three weapons early, then level one at a time** rather than spreading points thin.
4. **Buy Armor and Luck early** in the PowerUp shop, as the game recommends, then Might, Cooldown, Area and Amount.
5. **Refund PowerUps freely.** Refunds are free; experiment with different setups.
6. **Evolve weapons:** max out a weapon (usually level 8), own its paired passive, then open a boss chest after the 10-minute mark.
7. **Runs usually last 30 minutes.** At 30:00 the Reaper appears and ends the run - that's a "win" for unlocks.
8. **Play Mad Forest and Inlaid Library first.** They unlock many characters, items and the Arcana system (via the Randomazzo relic in Inlaid Library).
9. **Use the new multiple save slots (1.15)** if you want a fresh unlock run without losing your main save.

## How a Run Works

- Enemies spawn in waves that get denser over time.
- Defeated enemies drop **experience gems**; leveling up offers a choice of new weapons, passives or upgrades.
- **Bosses** drop chests; opening a chest can upgrade items or trigger evolutions.
- **Floor pickups** (Floor Chicken, Rosary, Orologion, Vacuum, Nduja Fritta Tanto) can save a run - remember where they are.
- **Gold** earned in runs funds PowerUps and unlocks.
- **Reroll, Skip and Banish** (bought with PowerUps or earned) help shape your build.

## PowerUps: What to Buy

| PowerUp | Why | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Armor | Reduces incoming damage | High early |
| Luck | Better level-up choices, more chests | High early |
| Might | Damage | High |
| Cooldown | Weapons fire faster | High |
| Area | Bigger weapon coverage | High |
| Amount | Extra projectiles | Very high (expensive) |
| Growth | Faster leveling | High |
| Greed | More gold | Great for farming |
| Magnet | Gem pickup radius | Medium - quality of life |
| Max Health, Recovery | Survivability | Medium |
| Revival | Extra life | High |
| Curse | Harder enemies, more XP/gold | Situational - farming |
| Reroll / Skip / Banish | Build control | High once available |

PowerUp costs rise with each purchase, so the order matters. Buy cheap, high-value ones first; save Amount for when you can afford it.

## Weapon Evolutions (core base-game recipes; character-specific weapons and DLC evolutions are listed on the wiki)

Requirement: a fully leveled base weapon plus its counterpart passive (level varies by case), then a chest from a boss at or after 10:00. On some stages (such as Dairy Plant and Il Molise) chests can evolve weapons regardless of time.

| Weapon | Passive | Evolution |
|---|---|---|
| Whip | Hollow Heart | Bloody Tear |
| Magic Wand | Empty Tome | Holy Wand |
| Knife | Bracer | Thousand Edge |
| Axe | Candelabrador | Death Spiral |
| Cross | Clover | Heaven Sword |
| King Bible | Spellbinder | Unholy Vespers |
| Fire Wand | Spinach | Hellfire |
| Garlic | Pummarola | Soul Eater |
| Santa Water | Attractorb | La Borra |
| Runetracer | Armor | NO FUTURE |
| Lightning Ring | Duplicator | Thunder Loop |
| Pentagram | Crown | Gorgeous Moon |
| Gatti Amari | Stone Mask | Vicious Hunger |
| Song of Mana | Skull O'Maniac | Mannajja |
| Shadow Pinion | Wings | Valkyrie Turner |
| Clock Lancet | Silver Ring + Gold Ring (max) | Infinite Corridor |
| Laurel | Metaglio Left + Metaglio Right (max) | Crimson Shroud |

### Unions (two weapons become one)

| Base weapons | Union |
|---|---|
| Peachone + Ebony Wings | Vandalier |
| Phiera Der Tuphello + Eight The Sparrow | Phieraggi (requires Tirajisu) |
| Vento Sacro + Bloody Tear | Fuwalafuwaloo |

**Tip:** passive items you evolve with stay in your build - plan passives with evolutions in mind so every slot pulls double duty.

## Beginner Builds

### Antonio (Whip) - classic starter

- **Core:** Whip into Bloody Tear (Hollow Heart), plus King Bible into Unholy Vespers (Spellbinder).
- **Add:** Garlic into Soul Eater (Pummarola) for healing and knockback.
- Bloody Tear heals on crit, Soul Eater drains HP - very forgiving.

### Imelda (Magic Wand)

- **Core:** Magic Wand into Holy Wand (Empty Tome), Fire Wand into Hellfire (Spinach).
- Imelda's bonus XP means you level faster - great for early unlock hunting.

### Area-control build

- **Core:** Santa Water into La Borra (Attractorb) and King Bible into Unholy Vespers.
- **Add:** Area and Duration boosts. La Borra plus Attractorb vacuums gems and covers huge areas.

### Crowd-clear build

- **Core:** Lightning Ring into Thunder Loop (Duplicator) and Runetracer into NO FUTURE (Armor).
- Great for dense waves; Armor passive doubles as defense.

## Arcanas

- Unlock the Arcana system by finding the **Randomazzo** relic in the Inlaid Library.
- Once unlocked, you pick an Arcana at the start of a run and more from chests later.
- Arcanas amplify specific weapon types or add powerful effects - choose ones that match your evolved weapons.
- **Darkanas** are a newer, darker variant; update 1.15 added three more.

## Game Modes and Options

| Mode/Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| Normal | Standard run |
| Hyper | Faster game speed, more gold |
| Hurry | Game time moves faster |
| Arcanas | Enables Arcana picks |
| Endless | Keep going after 30:00 with stronger cycles |
| Inverse | Mirrored stage with tougher enemies |
| Limit Break | Keep upgrading maxed weapons for extra stats |
| Random LevelUp | Level-ups auto-pick; can now be toggled mid-run if unlocked (1.15) |
| Adventures | Curated story-like runs with their own unlocks |
| Local/Online co-op | Up to 4 players; online co-op was added in 1.14 |

## Updates and DLC (September 2026)

### Update 1.15 (June 2026)

- **Multiple save slots**, a **Character Setup** panel (skins, egg selection), and **content filters** in Character Selection and Unlocks.
- Reduced loading times and memory optimizations for low-end devices.
- New stage **The Lycaeum**, 2 characters, new weapons, 3 Darkanas, 3 relics (one secret), 1 music track.
- Option to **Unbanish** a weapon when you pick it up from the stage.
- Buffs (e.g., Magi-Stone and Mille Bolle Blu) and fixes (e.g., Astarte's follower cap corrected to 10).

### Update 1.16 and Legacy of the Bloodmoon (August 2026)

- **Legacy of the Bloodmoon** (paid, launched at a very low regional price): 12 new characters, 16+ new weapons and evolutions (including a FireBall), 11 music tracks, 1 new adventure, and 1 new very large stage.
- **Legacy of the Moonspell** also got extra content: 5 weapons, 4 characters, 1 music track, and buffs.
- **1.16.107 hotfix (Aug 30):** fixes for Bloodmoon stages, missing Limit Breaks on Bloodmoon weapons, Red Moon Manor arcana holders, and Prestige skin stat bonuses.

### DLC list

| DLC | Released | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Legacy of the Moonspell | Dec 15, 2022 | Paid |
| Tides of the Foscari | Apr 13, 2023 | Paid |
| Emergency Meeting (Among Us) | Dec 18, 2023 | Paid |
| Operation Guns (Contra) | May 9, 2024 | Paid |
| Ode to Castlevania | Oct 31, 2024 | Paid |
| Emerald Diorama | Apr 10, 2025 | Free |
| Ante Chamber | Oct 28, 2025 | Free |
| Legacy of the Bloodmoon | Aug 28, 2026 | Paid |

The two free packs are an easy first pick; Ode to Castlevania is the biggest paid expansion by content volume.

## Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. **Taking every weapon offered.** Six weapon slots fill fast; leave room for evolutions.
2. **Ignoring passives.** Without the right passive, your weapon can't evolve.
3. **Opening boss chests too early.** Before 10:00 (on most stages), chests won't evolve weapons.
4. **Hoarding gold.** PowerUps are the backbone of progression - spend it.
5. **Standing still.** Kiting in circles keeps enemies bunched and away from you.
6. **Skipping Luck.** It improves level-up choices and chest outcomes.

## Advanced Tips

- **Curse + Greed** with a strong build is the fastest gold farm.
- **Pick up the Orologion** during heavy waves to freeze enemies.
- **Use Banish** to remove weapons you never want, making evolution parts appear more often.
- **Plan six passives around your evolutions** - each passive should both buff you and enable an evolution.
- **Limit Break** makes endless runs viable; pair with Endless for huge numbers.
- **Unlock characters with high-value starting weapons** (e.g., Imelda's XP bonus or Pasqualina's Runetracer) for faster early progression.
- **Save slots** (1.15) let you try challenge runs without risking your main save.

## FAQ

**How do I unlock more characters?**
Most are unlocked by in-game achievements (survive X minutes, evolve a weapon, find a relic). Check the Unlocks menu for hints.

**What does the Reaper at 30 minutes mean?**
It's the end of the run. Surviving to 30:00 is what counts for most stage unlocks.

**Is multiplayer online?**
Yes. Online co-op was added in 1.14; local co-op supports up to 4 players.

**Which DLC should I buy first?**
Grab the free Emerald Diorama and Ante Chamber packs, then Legacy of the Moonspell (cheap) or Ode to Castlevania (biggest).

**Is there Steam Workshop support?**
The August 2026 news post lists Workshop support for Vampire Survivors as a topic; check the Steam page for its current status.

**Where do I report bugs?**
The developers ask for reports on the Steam discussions board, including the game version shown bottom-right on the main menu.

## Sources

- [Vampire Survivors on Steam](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1794680/)
- [Vampire Survivors DLC list on Steam](https://store.steampowered.com/dlc/1794680/)
- [Steam news: Legacy of the Bloodmoon is out now / 1.16.107 hotfixes](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1794680)
- [Steam news: Update 1.15](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1794680)
- [Vampire Survivors Wiki - Evolution](https://vampire.survivors.wiki/w/Evolution)