Every Vampire Survivors evolution in one chart

Every weapon+item combination as of patch 0.11.0

What’s the opposite of photographic memory? I forget! But whatever it is, I have it. And when it comes to Vampire Survivors, I often need to consult an evolution guide to remember the right weapon and item choices. With the correct combinations, pickups fuse together, and these evolutions can help you survive 30 minutes (or longer).

Thanks to a player named Chaser1807 on r/VampireSurvivors, there’s this super handy weapon evolution chart, which was just revised to reflect patch 0.11.0:

So, what’s different? Patch 0.6.1 added an evolution for the Laurel, which combines with Metaglio Left and Metaglio Right to form Crimson Shroud. There’s also an evo for the Clock Lancet, which fuses with the Silver Ring and Gold Ring to create Infinite Corridor.

If you haven’t discovered these pickups yet, you’ll need to unlock a bonus stage, named Moonglow, by beating the boss that spawns 25 minutes into each of the four main levels. Once inside Moonglow, you’ll need to survive for 15 minutes (with a non-special hero), at which point you’ll go through a trippy bespoke challenge that will unlock the Yellow Sign relic. With the Yellow Sign relic (you’re almost done, I swear!), you’ll be able to see the Silver and Gold Rings, and the Left and Right Metaglio items on maps from then on.

Heads-up: for the new evolutions, Crimson Shroud and Infinite Corridor, their prerequisite passive items also need to be fully leveled, not just the weapons.

[Update: June 10, 2022] This week, patch 0.7.2 added a rapid-fire whip, Vento Sacro, which is unlocked by surviving for 15 minutes with the new character, Zi’Assunta. (Who, in turn, is unlocked from a coffin in the new stage, Cappella Magna.) With new content in play, Vampire Survivors players can now unite Vento Sacro with Bloody Tear to form Fuwalafuwaloo, and the evolution chart has been updated accordingly. Happy hunting!

[Update: August 22, 2022] With more content showing up, it’s time for a new chart. The latest Vampire Survivors evolution image from Chaser1807 is up to date with patch 0.11.0 and includes the Bracelet (which evolves into the Bi- and Tri-Bracelet) and the Victory Sword (which pairs with Torrona’s Box to form Sole Solution).

A refresher on how to trigger evolutions

Jumping back a bit for new players who are still feeling their way through the basics, the key to evolution in Vampire Survivors is simpler than it might initially seem.

In general, you’ll combine an active weapon with a specific passive item, then pop open a treasure chest dropped by a boss to trigger the transformation — but first, the weapon (or weapons in the case of unions) must be level eight. So, you need to focus your efforts while leveling up your favorites; it’s all part of the fun. When I first started playing Vampire Survivors, I thought the evo system was far more random and chaotic than this.

So, as one example, this chart helps remind me that a level-eight Knife can pair with a level-whatever Bracer to form the rapid-fire Thousand Edge evolution.

Worth noting: some weapons, like the Bone, do not (currently!) have an evolution.

With so many power-ups in play (and more to come as Vampire Survivors gets further Early Access updates), it’s nice to be able to glance at a chart like this to instantly see which items pair up. Text guides can be great, but I love the visual aid. I keep the chart in a tab on my second monitor, and swap over as needed while watching YouTube or Twitch.

If you’ve got the basics down and are looking to optimize your character builds, Chaser1807 also has a nice Vampire Survivors synergy chart. I love it!

You might’ve heard buzz lately, and maybe clicked this article out of curiosity without ever trying Vampire Survivors. If so, I highly recommend it — it’s $3 on Steam and included in Game Pass. I’m nearing the 30-hour mark with no signs of slowing down.

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