Vampire Survivors might look simple on the surface, but don’t let the retro graphics fool you—this game is bursting with chaotic energy, tight mechanics, and layered progression. Whether you’re brand new or struggling to survive past the 10-minute mark, this guide is going to help you step confidently into the madness and maybe even snag that elusive 30-minute win.
Let’s get one thing straight: this guide isn’t written by someone with hundreds of hours logged. This is coming straight from a fresh perspective—someone who, by the fifth run, managed to survive a full 30-minute session. That kind of experience gives you a sharp eye for what truly helps in the early game.
Start With the Basics – Collection, Unlocks, and Reading Tooltips
After each run, take a few minutes to go into your Collection. This section holds more than just your bragging rights—it’s also where you start learning what your items really do. Each weapon and item has small lines of orange text at the bottom, and those lines are gold. For instance, the whip says it “ignores speed and duration,” which might not seem huge at first, but tells you it won’t benefit from certain power-ups. Meanwhile, something like the King Bible lets you know exactly what upgrades synergize well with it—think speed, duration, and area.
Those little hints in your Collection might not seem like much, but they’re like mini tutorials baked into the game. Use them. Internalize them. Especially in your first few hours, this can make or break a run.
What to Unlock First – Pascalina, P’Choone, Garlic, and More
Dig into the Unlocks menu and aim for practical upgrades that change the way you survive early waves. Prioritize Pascalina to unlock Rune Tracer—this weapon is straightforward and effective. It pierces, it ricochets, and it does work. Similarly, aim to survive 10 minutes with any character to unlock P’Choone, another powerful early-game asset.
And then there’s garlic. Quite possibly the holy grail for beginners. All you need to do is find five floor chickens in total to unlock it. Garlic acts as an area-of-effect aura that damages nearby enemies and knocks them back. It’s not just a weapon—it’s breathing room.
Power Ups That Actually Matter (And What to Skip)
As you collect coins from treasure chests, environmental drops (like destroying fire pits in Mad Forest or candlesticks in the Library), and end-of-run rewards, you’ll want to invest in Power Ups.
Not all power-ups are created equal. Some great early investments include:
- Max Health – Augments your survivability across the board.
- Extra Inflicted Damage – A must-have for scaling through the mid-to-late game.
- Pick Up Range – Often overlooked, but being able to collect XP gems without weaving through tight enemy gaps is a huge quality-of-life boost.
Then there’s Curse. It increases enemy speed, health, frequency, and quantity. Be careful—it’s expensive and punishing early on. Use that only once you’ve mastered the fundamentals.
And don’t ignore Revival—one free revive at 50% health is basically a second chance to salvage a good run.
Best Characters to Start With – The Antonio Advantage
Of the seven starting characters, Antonio is a standout pick for new players. He begins with the whip, which is simple but effective. His passive—10% extra damage every 10 levels up to 50%—makes a big difference.
The whip, despite being a horizontal-only attack, hits hard. It’s easy to understand, and once evolved (more on that shortly), it even heals you with each swing. That’s right—it becomes a lifesteal engine.
Don’t sleep on Pascalina either—Rune Tracer is one of the best beginner weapons in the game.
Building Your Run – Pick Carefully, Level Smartly
Let’s walk through what a smart early run can look like. Pick Antonio and start in Mad Forest. When enemies drop blue XP gems, gather them quickly—leveling is everything. Early on, you’ll be offered a small set of weapons and passive items. Don’t spread yourself too thin. Choose weapons that complement each other and invest in their upgrades.
A good combo might be:
- Whip (starter)
- Magic Wand (for vertical auto-aimed shots)
- King Bible (circle of damage, scales well)
- Rune Tracer (bouncing, piercing coverage)
- Garlic (area defense and enemy control)
- Santa Water or Peachone (more AoE control)
Once you get a weapon to max level and have the matching passive item (e.g., Hollow Heart for Whip), it can evolve. Evolved weapons are beastly. The whip evolution grants lifesteal. The evolved Magic Wand removes cooldown entirely. This is where things get wild.
Learning the Flow of a Match – XP, Drops, and Treasure Chests
A core skill to develop is understanding the rhythm of the map. In Mad Forest, enemies ramp up in waves. You’ll be pushing for XP, circling around dropped gems, and breaking open fire pits for coin drops—or better yet, flame breath pickups that clear everything in sight.
Big enemies like the praying mantis will drop treasure chests. These are your jackpots. They usually give one upgraded item and a good chunk of gold, but if you’re lucky, you’ll hit a purple (3 upgrades) or a gold (5 upgrades and tons of coins). Prioritize these enemies when they spawn.
Positioning is everything. Don’t get greedy. If you’re low health, sometimes it’s smarter to kite enemies toward a fire pit or chicken drop than dive headfirst into a gem pile.
Late-Game Pressure – Where It Falls Apart (And How to Fix It)
Most beginner runs fall apart between 10-15 minutes. The enemies grow tougher, waves get denser, and if you haven’t upgraded your weapons and picked synergistic passives, you’ll get swarmed. This is when garlic stops being enough on its own and your positioning starts to matter more.
If you’re stuck in a death spiral:
- Focus on picking up XP to hit those key evolution upgrades.
- Prioritize health drops if you’re close to death.
- Invest in armor, revival, or health regen from the power-up menu.
A failed run isn’t wasted—it gives you coin, unlocks, and insight.
Where to Run – Mad Forest vs Inlaid Library
Mad Forest is the default, but don’t hesitate to switch to the Inlaid Library as soon as it’s unlocked. It’s linear, which makes enemies more predictable, and it’s easier to farm XP. The second run ever on that map led to a full 30-minute clear, which says a lot.
Once you’ve got a handle on the Library, return to the Mad Forest with a better loadout and more confidence.
Wrap-Up – Keep It Simple, Keep It Smart
You don’t need to be a veteran or a build mastermind to enjoy Vampire Survivors. Focus on learning what items do, pick strong weapons and synergistic passives, and don’t overcommit to flashy picks early in a run. Garlic, Rune Tracer, King Bible, and Peachone can carry you hard.
Unlock characters, experiment often, and most importantly—have fun. Because despite its chaos, Vampire Survivors rewards strategy, curiosity, and a willingness to learn. And when you hit that 30-minute mark for the first time? It’s going to feel good.
Now go get that garlic, light those fire pits, and melt those bats.
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