If you just started playing this game and are wondering which are the best beginner Vampire Survivors weapons, look no further! I tested the starting/beginner weapons and compiled this list for you, starting with the best one at No. 1.
I explain in this article why each weapon is good. As you will see, some of these weapons are great for taking out bosses, while others specialize in protecting you from the regular enemy waves. Some of them can even do both!
For the best results, remember to grab at least the best PowerUps for weapons, such as Amount, Cooldown, Area and Might.
Last update: September 2023
1. Best Beginner Vampire Survivors Weapons: Santa Water (La Borra)
Santa Water is the best of the beginner Vampire Survivors weapons for damaging and eliminating large groups of enemies, due largely to its area of effect, high damage and duration.
If you are getting overwhelmed by the hordes of monsters, you may stay in Santa Water’s ground circles for protection, or use them as a wall/barrier. Candelabrador is great for these situations, because it makes the circles even bigger.
Santa Water is also one of the best beginner weapons for defeating bosses.
Additionally, the passive item needed to evolve it is, in my opinion, the best one for beginners.
For these and other reasons, this weapon is No.1 on my list of the best beginner Vampire Survivors weapons.
To evolve Santa Water into La Borra, we must have Attractorb.
The best passive items (buffs) for this weapon are: Empty Tome(-cooldown), Candelabrador(+area), Spellbinder(+duration). Less cooldown means this weapon will activate faster and protect your character much more. More duration translates into having the damage circles on the ground for more time.
A couple of other good passive items are: Spinach(+damage), Duplicator(+projectiles). You can add these to your build if you have a free item slot or two.
2. Best Beginner Vampire Survivors Weapons: King Bible (Unholy Vespers)
King Bible did well in my beginner weapons testing, second only to Santa Water. This weapon works by creating multiple Bibles that surround your character and damage the enemies that happen to walk into their path.
Like Santa Water, King Bible benefits from many of your other weapons’ evolution passive items. The Bracer passive item will make the Bibles spin faster, hence providing more protection by allowing fewer enemies through. Candelabrador will make the spinning Bible circle larger, and Spellbinder will allow it to stay active on screen for longer periods of time. Of course, Empty Tome will activate the weapon much faster.
Its corresponding evolution item, Spellbinder, can buff your other weapons too.
Evolution: King Bible + Spellbinder = Unholy Vespers.
Best passive items (buffs): Empty Tome(-cooldown), Candelabrador(+area), Bracer(+speed).
Other good passive items: Spinach(+damage), Duplicator(+projectiles).
3. Knife (Thousand Edge)
Knife is No.3 among the best beginner Vampire Survivors weapons because it is the best beginner weapon for eliminating bosses. It also allows you to cut through hordes of enemies when you are surrounded.
This weapon’s damage per second (DPS) is not much when compared to the area of effect weapons, but it is focused damage that can be directed wherever you may need it.
Its passive item, Bracer, is not that great, but can help buff some of your other weapons.
Evolution: Knife + Bracer = Thousand Edge. Thousand Edge fires a continuous barrage of Knives wherever you are heading.
Best passive items (buffs): Empty Tome(-cooldown), Candelabrador(+area).
Other good passive items: Spinach(+damage), Duplicator(+projectiles).
4. Best Beginner Vampire Survivors Weapons: Whip (Bloody Tear)
While Whip is not a huge damage dealer, it is a good early weapon that allows you to focus damage when needed. The reason it is on this list, though, is because its evolution Bloody Tear actually heals your character whenever it deals a critical hit. Your Luck stat will improve your chances of dealing a critical hit.
Whip’s main downside other than its low damage is that its evolution item isn’t that great, in my opinion. Evolution: Whip + Hollow Heart = Bloody Tear.
Best passive items (buffs): Empty Tome(-cooldown), Candelabrador(+area).
Other good passive items: Spinach(+damage), Duplicator(+projectiles).
5. Best Beginner Vampire Survivors Weapons: Axe (Death Spiral)
Axe and its evolution Death Spiral also had good damage results during my testing. Since it launches above you and then drops below your character (not evolved), it seems like a good weapon for vertical stages such as Gallo Tower. You should position yourself just below your target for best damage results.
This is the starting weapon for Lama Ladonna, the best beginner early character in the game (due mostly to its movement speed and starting weapon).
Axe’s evolution item, Candelabrador, is one of the best, and buffs most of your other weapons.
Evolution: Axe + Candelabrador = Death Spiral. Death Spiral shoots scythes in all directions, and you no longer have to be below or above your target to attack it.
Best passive items (buffs): Empty Tome(-cooldown).
Other good passive items: Spinach(+damage), Duplicator(+projectiles).
6. Lightning Ring (Thunder Loop)
Lightning Ring creates hitboxes on random areas on the ground. Then, it damages any enemies that happen to be in these areas. It deals considerable damage before and after its evolution.
Its passive item, Duplicator, will help most of your other weapons do more damage by adding more projectiles.
Evolution: Lightning Ring + Duplicator = Thunder Loop.
Best passive items (buffs): Empty Tome(-cooldown), Candelabrador(+area).
Another good passive item for Lightning Ring is Spinach(+damage).
7. Runetracer (NO FUTURE)
Runetracer randomly shoots projectiles that look a bit like diamonds. These projectiles, called Runes, cut through enemies and even ricochet off objects and the screen’s edges for additional damage.
The main downside to this weapon is that Armor, its evolution item, is not that great in my opinion. Also, due to its random nature, this weapon will hit many enemies that are not a threat to your character. In this sense, Runetracer’s damage cannot be focused towards a boss when needed.
Evolution: Runetracer + Armor = NO FUTURE.
Best passive items (buffs): Spellbinder(+duration), Bracer(+speed).
Other good passive items: Empty Tome(-cooldown), Spinach(+damage), Duplicator(+projectiles).
Damage Results:
I completed a normal Mad Forest run, so that I could take some screenshots of the damage results.
I used Antonio, and you can see him attacking in the following image.
In the next image, you can see my damage results for 6 of the Best beginner Vampire Survivors weapons & their evolutions.
The damage results will differ each time you run a stage, but if you fill a spreadsheet like I did, you will see which beginner weapons consistently do more damage than others. In this run, Thunder Loop did more damage than expected, for example.
