Summary
The road to the end ofVampire Survivorsispaved with countless unlockables. Whether it is hidden stages, relics that provide new game modes and weapons, or smaller secrets, the game is full of hours of content that only the most observant and committed fans can hunt down. Brand-new, unique characters are many of the secret unlocks, and each of these starts with a different design, a new starting weapon, and completely fresh stats that will affect how any given run against the evil hordes will progress.
Some characters are an improvement over others and set themselves apart by being consistently stronger than the rest of the selection. Here are thestrongest characters in the base game ofVampire Survivorswho players should aim tounlock and upgrade as soon as possible.
Updated August 04, 2025 by Connor Hogg:Vampire Survivors is loaded with secret characters and hidden easter eggs that make unlocking every character challenging. Some of these hidden characters and base characters who are given the right load-outs to match their unique powers can make for incredibly strong builds with little preparation. While some undeniably strong characters will more often than not pass any level they are placed on, others require a closer look to see what makes them powerful and effective.
15Rose De Infernas
How To Unlock: Step through 46 doors in the Astral Stair in any number of runs
If players can unlock the Astral Stair map and go through 46 doors in any number of runs, they will happen upon the coffin of Rose De Infernas. Rose starts with a very difficult early game, with extra enemies spawning and with huge debuffs to Growth and Might. However, every 12 levels she gains 10% Might and 10% Growth, meaning that she can quickly do extra damage and her level can skyrocket due to the extra enemies.
Rose starts with the Fuwalafuwaloo weapon that can critically hit and restore health with every attack. Rose can develop into an incredibly powerful late-game character if players can survive the early struggle.
14Cosmo Pavone
How To Unlock: Find the North Balcony in Capella Magna with the Peachone and Ebony Wings
Unlocking the secret character Cosmo Pavone can be tricky. Players will have to collect the Peachone and the Ebony Wings weapons and then go far to the North of Cappella Magna without evolving the birds. If players can go high enough in the map that they find the flaming balcony and are using a character with zero eggs then they will find Cosmo and unlock the strange bird character for players.
Cosmo is quite powerful, although he is delicate with -80% Max Health. When Cosmo revives he triggers a Rosary effect and can be used to quickly cover the stage. Its Recovery increases every level and so Cosmo can quickly become an incredibly tanky character that can make hordes of enemies a breeze.
13Bats Bats Bats
How To Unlock: Collect 9 Gold Rings In Bat Country
After collecting all relics in Bat Country, fans should revisit the map to head to the ring of Gold Rings in the East. After picking up all 9 of them, players will unlock Bats Bats Bats, a swarm of creatures that fire more swarms of bats and fill the screen with projectiles.
Bats Bats Bats can be a very powerful character with the right build, adding extra projectiles with every Revival and spawning followers who also wield the Pako Battiliar weapon on every death. These followers level up alongside Bats Bats Bats and make for amazing shields between the player and the swarms of enemies.
12Scorej-Oni
How To Unlock: Defeat The Scorej-Oni On Tiny Bridge
Scorej-Oni is an enemy that waits for the player in the East of the Tiny Bridge map. If players manage to defeat him, they will unlock the slow-moving and destructive lightning monster. Gaining hidden Lightning Rings every few levels and upgrading them as he continues to level up, the Scorej-Oni will retrigger the Lightning Rings every time he is hit.
With a very high max Health, players should try to increase their Health further as well as their Regen stat. This will make for a character that can plunge into enemy hordes, taking damage and dealing extra damage as they retaliate.
11Yatta Cavallo
If players can kill a total of 3000 Lionheads, they will get the chance to purchase Yatta Cavallo, a lumbering character who looks a lot like a panda and throws Cherry Bombs as his starting weapon. While it can take time to get Cavallo started, he gains +1 Amount every 20 levels which can quickly lead to any weapon with lots of projectiles becoming a flurry of attacks.
The bonus of using Cavallo only activates for any players who have managed to get their hands on the Chaos Rosalia in theAstral Stairmap. When Cavallo reaches level 80, when the player has unlocked the Chaos Rosalia, he will evolve into a creature made of stars and gain new stat increases for Armor, Amount, Health, and Luck. His weapon will also evolve to have a 100% explosion chance, making him surprisingly effective at clearing hordes of enemies.
10Smith IV
How To Unlock: Type “spam” On The Main Menu, Then “spam” On The Character Select Screen, Then “spam” On The Stage Selection - Type “humbug” When Level Starts
Unlocking Smith IV requires players to be very familiar with the cheat codes ofUltima VI, or at least to be able to find the easter egg codes online. Unlocking Smith IV gives fans a character who, on a surface level, has poor stats that can lead to difficulties starting off. Doing less damage with slower weapons can certainly hinder players in the beginning, but the +100% Luck, and starting with the evolved weapon Vandolier means that Smith IV can fire colorful laser bolts right off the bat.
The biggest boon is the Luck modifier, which can help deal critical damage, unlock incredible rewards faster, and make for an all-around easier game. There are no caps on Smith IV’s leveling bonuses, meaning Smith can quickly gain Might, Projectile Speed, and even more Luck infinitely.
9Avatar Infernas
How To Unlock: Travel To The Far Right On Inverse Inlaid Library, And Defeat The Trickster At His Piano
Surviving long enough to get to the piano on the very far right of the map in the Inverse Inlaid Library can be tricky enough, but managing to do so and keeping both the Peachone and the Ebony Wings in one’s inventory unevolved will prove to be a challenge for anyVampire Survivorsfan. Beating the Trickster will mean players can play the piano, and the pair of birds will show players which notes to play to open a secret passage.
Walking through it will see players fighting the Avatar Infernas before unlocking the strange character. The indefinite scaling speed means that he can move so fast that he becomes difficult to control. This means loading the character up with weapons that scale with movement, like the Shadow Pinion, which can make for a lethal build that can survive almost anything if players can harness the insane speed.
8Marrabbio
After defeating a tanky shadow boss inthe Mad Forest, players can purchase a character wreathed in darkness: Boon Marrabbio. Starting with the Thousand Edge weapon, an evolved form of the Knife, Marrabbio is already firing plenty of projectiles.
His biggest distinction from other characters is the massive decrease in projectile speed that comes with him. This means that the knives he throws will travel at about the same speed as the player, making for interesting combos where the player can move within a cloud of their own thrown knives. Add on extra projectiles or the possibility of area effects, and Marrabbio is a powerful choice for players who manage to unlock him.
7Poppea
How To Unlock: Find Her Coffin In Dairy Plant
If players can locate the coffin on the Dairy Plant map, they will save another survivor: Poppea Pecorina. Poppea has a decent bonus to her move speed that should help fans evade the hordes of enemies, but her main draw is the limitless level bonus that she provides.
With every level, the duration of her weapons will increase by 1%, and this buff has no upper limit. By the end of a run, herSong of Mana weapon, as well as any other weapons with lingering hitboxes, will continue to damage enemies for long enough to wipe out any nearby foes. While a little basic, her screen-covering starting weapon and endless increase in power make her formidable.
6Giovanna
How To Unlock: Find Her Coffin In Inlaid Library
When players find the hidden coffin in the Inlaid Library, they will meet the witch, Giovanna Grana. Another standard character, she benefits from a move speed bonus that can help her to escape from trouble. She also has a limitless bonus that scales with her level; her projectile speed will increase by 1% with every single level up.
Pair this with her Gatti Amari starting weapon - a cat projectile that randomly meanders across the screen and scratches at enemies when they collide - and fans can set up speedy felines that spew across the whole stage. Other weapons thatscale well with this powerup, like the Runetracer or Bone, can make for a manic run that proves Giovanna can be a great choice.
