Every Arcana in Vampire Survivors can change the course of a run, but finding and mastering them takes some strategy. This guide explains where to grab the Randomazzo and lays out every Arcana effect so you can plan the most chaotic builds possible.
How to unlock Arcanas
Arcanas become available after defeating the boss that appears at the 11-minute mark in stage four, Gallo Tower. This grants access to the Randomazzo relic, which can then be collected to enable Arcana selection for future runs. Once obtained, you can choose an Arcana before each game and add more during gameplay by opening treasure chests at specific time intervals. Each Arcana adds unique effects that significantly alter character abilities and weapon behavior.
To unlock Arcanas, you’ll need to find the Randomazzo item in Gallo Tower. Like many of the other specialty, one-time-pickup items in Vampire Survivors, the Randomazzo is hard to miss. Load into Gallo Tower – the fourth map you’ll unlock in Vampire Survivors – and look for a green arrow on your screen.
Follow the arrow and you’ll eventually come across the Randomazzo. You’ll need to defeat the enemies surrounding it first, but then you can walk over it and pick it up. Once you have the Randomazzo you can either finish our quit out of your run – you’ll keep the item either way.
You’ll unlock your first Arcana – VI, Sarabande of Healing – for picking up the Randomazzo.
All Vampire Survivors Arcanas
All Vampire Survivors Arcanas add unique effects that change how weapons and characters behave, creating new strategies for each run. Each Arcana modifies gameplay in specific ways, such as boosting critical hits, spreading projectiles, or giving new interactions between items. Players can activate up to three Arcanas in a run, selected after collecting the Randomazzo relic, which appears in specific stages. Choosing the right combination can drastically improve survivability and overall damage output.
You’ll select up to three Arcanas over the course of each Vampire Survivors‘ run. You can choose the first one from your entire catalog of unlocked Arcanas. The other two Arcanas will come from chests later in the run. The chest Arcanas will only give you a small handful of upgrades to choose from, so you won’t be able to get every effect you want without a little luck.
Below is our Arcanas chart, updated for patch 0.5.2. There are currently only 10 Arcanas available to earn in Vampire Survivors, but the in-game menu has room for at least 22.
Vampire Survivors Arcanas
Arcanas in Vampire Survivors add special modifiers that change how weapons behave and interact, creating unique build combinations for each run. Players can equip up to three Arcanas per session, chosen from a deck once they obtain the Randomazzo. Each Arcana affects gameplay in distinctive ways-some enhance specific weapon types, while others alter movement, healing, or damage mechanics. Knowing which Arcanas to select can greatly improve survivability and help achieve higher kill counts across different stages.
Name |
Numeral |
Effect |
Unlock method |
Affected items |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awake | IV | Gives 3 Revivals. Consuming a Revival gives 10% max health, 1 armor, and 5 % might, area, duration, and speed | Reach level 99 with Krochi | Tiragisu |
| Chaos in the Dark Night | V | Overall projectile speed continuously changes between -50% and 200% over 10 seconds | Reach level 99 with Giovanna | Bracer |
| Sarabande of Healing | VI | Healing is doubled. Recovering HP damages nearby enemies for the same amount | Find the Randomazzo | Bloody Tear, Soul Eater, Celestial Dusting, Pummarola, food |
| Iron Blue Will | VII | Listed weapon projectiles gain up to three bounces and might pass through enemies and walls | Reach level 99 with Gennaro | Knife, Thousand Edge, Axe, Death Spiral, Phiera Der Tuphello, Eight The Sparrow, Carrello |
| Waltz of Pearls | XI | Listed weapon projectiles gain up to three bounces | Reach level 99 with Imelda | Magic Wand, Holy Wand, Fire Wand, Hellfire, Cross, Heaven Sword, Carrello |
| Disco of Gold | XV | Picking up coin bags from the floor triggers Gold Fever. Obtaining gold restores an equal amount of HP | Reach minute 31 in the Inlaid Library | Stone Mask, small coin bag, medium coin bag, large coin bag, treasure chest |
| Slash | XVI | Enables critical hits for listed weapons. Doubles overall critical damage | Reach level 99 with Lama | Knife, Thousand Edge, Axe, Death Spiral, Whip, Bloody Tear, Heaven Sword |
| Lost & Found Painting | XVII | Overall duration continuously changes between -50% and 200% over 10 seconds | Reach level 99 with Poppea | Spellbinder |
| Boogaloo of Illusions | XVIII | Overall area continuously changes between -25% and 50% over 10 seconds | Reach level 99 with Concetta | Candelabrador |
| Heart of Fire | XIX | Listed weapon projectiles explode on impact. Light sources explode. Character explodes when damaged | Reach level 99 with Arca | Fire Wand, Hellfire, light sources |
Best Arcanas for beginner runs
For beginner runs in Vampire Survivors, focus on Arcanas that boost early-game survival, firepower, and resource gains without needing complex builds. Top picks like Beginning and Sarabande of Healing shine here, as they work immediately from run start.
Top Beginner Arcanas
These provide instant value on most characters and stages like Mad Forest.
| Arcana (Numeral) | Key Benefit | Why for Beginners |
|---|---|---|
| Beginning (X) | +3 projectiles to starting weapon (+1 to evos like Runetracer) | Powers up your core weapon right away for easier clears. |
| Sarabande of Healing (VI) | Doubles healing; heals damage nearby foes | Keeps you alive longer with basic pickups, no setup needed. |
| Heart of Fire (XX) | Explosions on hit; Garlic-like AoE | Clears crowds passively, great for squishy starts. |
| Silent Old Sanctuary (XVIII) | Limits to 1-2 weapons but massive power boost | Simplifies builds, turns weak starters into evo machines. |
| Mad Groove (VIII) | Periodically fills map with items | More pickups mean faster levels/XP, forgiving early mistakes. |
Usage Tips
Select 1-3 from your collection on the character select screen; the first activates automatically, others come via chests. Pair Beginning with Antonio or Imelda for quick wins, and unlock these via simple Level 50 runs or stage timers (e.g., Mad Groove at 31 mins in Mad Forest). Avoid advanced ones like Slash until later.
How to unlock top beginner Arcanas like Beginning
Unlocking Beginner Arcanas
Top beginner Arcanas like Beginning (X) unlock via straightforward challenges on early stages with basic characters. These require the Randomazzo relic first (Gallo Tower, north end).
Beginning (X)
Reach Level 99 with Antonio Belpaese, starting character with Whip. Boost Growth and Might passives; use Mad Forest or Inlaid Library for dense XP; enable Hyper mode if needed. Spell “laruota” at main menu also works instantly.
Sarabande of Healing (VI)
Auto-unlocks upon collecting Randomazzo-no further steps. Doubles healing from pickups and damages nearby enemies.
Heart of Fire (XX)
Survive 10 minutes with any character who starts with Garlic (e.g., Poe), then pick the chest. Adds explosions on hits for crowd control.
Mad Groove (VIII)
Reach minute 31 in Mad Forest. Stay alive while grabbing XP gems; map periodically fills with items post-unlock.
Silent Old Sanctuary (XVIII)
Survive 31 minutes in Dairy Plant. Limits weapons to 1-2 but massively buffs power, simplifying early builds.
General Tips
Upgrade Recovery, Growth, and Magnet first for easier Level 99s. Stages like Mad Forest offer high enemy density. Unlocks persist permanently.
