Vampire Crawlers guide
Vampire Crawlers Relics and Village Guide
Last updated: July 14, 202615 relicsVillage upgrades
Recovery and Reroll are still the safest first village spends, but the real account plan is relic routing. Chase the relic that opens the system your run is missing: Gem Hammer for sockets, Polentir for Arcana, Grim Grimoire for recipe planning, Stardust Anvil and Lapidary Loupe for late card control, or Overkill tools when the blocker is gold. Refund village upgrades whenever the goal changes; a farming setup and a boss-push setup should not spend the same way.
Vampire Crawlers looks like a list of permanent unlocks until a floor starts killing you the same way every attempt. At that point, a relic is not a collectible; it is the account layer that changes how your next run can be planned. If the deck has no steering, buy Reroll. If chip damage ruins good attempts, buy Recovery. If the build is strong but the account cannot shape cards, route toward the socket and jeweler relics instead of buying random comfort stats.
The best use of this page is not memorizing every location. Use it before a run and ask one question: what would make the next attempt easier to read? A map marker, recipe menu, Arcana slot, socket system, or gold route can be worth more than raw damage if it fixes the reason you keep restarting.
Relic route priority
RouteChase these relicsUse it whenDo not chase it when
Learning routeCombo Stack, Milky Way Map, RivelatoreYou are still learning mana order, map reads, enemy effects, or where the run starts going wrong.You already know the floor and only need more boss pressure.
Build-planning routeGem Hammer, Grim Grimoire, Stardust Anvil, Lapidary LoupeYour deck has a plan but needs sockets, recipe clarity, blacksmith upgrades, or gem control to stop drifting.You are dying before the deck can use crafted card upgrades.
Arcana routePolentir, Arcana Finder, Sorceress' TearsYour crawler/card plan needs a starting modifier, armor carry, combo carry, or faster repeat routing.The base deck is still random and cannot use the Arcana job consistently.
Gold routeOverkill, Ultimate Ultra Overkill, OvenkiltYou can finish fights safely and want account money to fund later village swaps.Bosses barely die or leftover hand damage is inconsistent.
Fast repeat routeBomba Infernale, Guiding LightYou are revisiting cleared floors for early experience, light-source drops, or faster route setup.You are farming Overkill rewards on enemies that the blast would remove before payout.
Relic decision table
RelicUnlocksWhere to find itRoute valueFailure risk
Combo StackMana-order combo multipliersTutorialTeaches the core habit: play low-to-high mana cards when the hand allows it.Does not save a run if the deck has no survivability or reward steering.
Milky Way MapMap markers for enemies and landmarksTutorialTurns wandering into route planning, especially when you are learning floor layouts.Weak if the problem is combat execution rather than navigation.
RivelatoreWeapon effect readoutsStarting relicHelps you understand what each weapon is actually doing to enemies.Information alone will not fix a deck with the wrong role.
Gem HammerGem sockets on slotted cardsMad Forest, floor 2First real build-control relic; use it when one weapon or card needs to become the route anchor.Bad gold sink if you socket side cards before the main damage or sustain route is chosen.
PolentirFortune Teller tent and Arcana accessFurious ForestOpens the account layer that changes starting hands, armor carry, combo carry, and crawler repeat plans.Arcana picks feel wasted when your deck has no clear job yet.
Grim GrimoireEvolution and fusion recipes in the pause menuLibrary West WingStops recipe guessing and lets you plan weapon/passive pairs before the run is already messy.Does not replace the need for an open socket or the right reward flow.
Guiding LightBreakable light markersInlaid Library, floor 2Makes gold, healing, and temporary-card checks easier before a boss floor.Do not overroute for lights if the boss problem is already clear.
Stardust AnvilBlacksmith socket upgradesTeeny Bridge midpointLets a chosen card scale harder after the deck has a stable anchor.Expensive card crafting is weak if you keep changing anchors every run.
OverkillBoss overkill gold, up to 500Teeny Bridge endpointConverts clean boss wins into account growth without changing the route.Worth little when bosses are barely surviving or the hand ends empty.
Bomba InfernaleBlast cleared first floors for quick experienceDairy Plant, floor 3 or 4Speeds repeat clears when the early floor is solved and only setup experience matters.Can work against gold farming if it removes enemies before Overkill payout.
Arcana FinderPurple Arcana chests during runsLibrary SanctumLets a good run stack another major rule change instead of relying only on the starting Arcana.Extra Arcana cannot fix a deck that never reaches its first stable loop.
Lapidary LoupeJeweler gem control and sealingGallo TowerTurns gem randomness into a late-game tuning problem instead of a shop gamble.High-cost tuning is overkill before you know which gems the build actually wants.
Sorceress' TearsHurry option on the world mapGallo Tower, floor 5Shortens repeat routing once you are comfortable with the floor and boss rhythm.Bad for learning if faster pacing makes you miss route mistakes.
Ultimate Ultra OverkillRaises overkill gold cap to 5,000Curd Refinery, floor 4Upgrades gold routing when boss wins are already clean and overkill damage is reliable.Does nothing for runs that still fail before the payout window.
OvenkiltOverkill on regular encountersCappella UltimaMakes high-damage regular fights part of the economy plan, not just boss wins.Late unlock; do not plan early village spending around having it.
Village upgrade decision table
Village choiceUse it whenWhy it worksWhen to refund away
RecoveryChip damage turns good routes into bad boss entries.Small healing after battles makes learning runs survive long enough to reveal the real blocker.Refund some of it when fights are clean and the blocker becomes damage, gold, or reward flow.
RerollReward offers keep breaking your intended weapon, passive, or crawler plan.It gives the deck a steering wheel before the run gets flooded with off-plan cards.Refund down if you already have stable recipe access and need raw stats for a wall.
DurationCrawler buffs and support effects expire before they decide the fight.Longer uptime makes armor carry, combo support, and repeat-effect cards easier to use.Refund if the build dies to burst before duration matters.
Might / damage pressureBosses survive with a sliver after the route is otherwise safe.Damage upgrades are good after survival and reward steering are already solved.Refund if more damage still does not fix bad hands or chip deaths.
Luck / GreedYou are farming cleared floors and need more account resources.Economy spending is strongest when the route is safe enough to cash out repeatedly.Refund before a progression push if the next boss needs survival or damage instead.
Full refund resetThe goal changes from farming to boss push, unlock route, or late-game crafting.It turns the village into a sideboard: one account, several jobs.Do not keep a farming layout just because it paid for itself yesterday.
Arcana picks to test first
Polentir opens the Fortune Teller path, but Arcana only feels strong when it supports the hand you are already building. Use Make a Scene when the build needs a stronger opening hand, Your Shield My Liege when armor carry is the survival plan, Chain Link when combo retention is the damage plan, and Over the Top when crawler buffs must repeat often enough to define the fight.
If an Arcana sounds powerful but the run still collapses, do not blame the pick first. Check whether the base deck has enough steering, whether the crawler role is clear, and whether village spending is still stuck in a farming layout.
Outside Relic List Sideboard Check
Outside relic and village lists are useful when they remind you what system exists next. They are less useful when they make you move every village point without asking what your next run is actually trying to fix. Treat outside lists like a sideboard note: they help you choose the right setup for the next job, not one permanent account build.
Outside list says...Ask this before following itUse it if...Downgrade it if...
Route to a system relic firstWhich failure does that system solve: recipe clarity, sockets, Arcana, map reading, or gold?The relic changes the blocker that killed the last two attempts.You are chasing it only because the list puts it high, not because your run needs that system.
Refund into a village setupIs the next run a farming run, boss push, unlock route, or crafting route?The refund moves points toward the job you are about to attempt.You keep a farming layout for a progression boss, or a boss layout for a gold route.
Use Overkill tools for economyCan the build already win safely and create excess damage at the payout moment?Boss control, draw order, and survival are stable enough that greed comes after safety.The run barely survives; adding economy will only hide the real damage or sustain problem.
Use Bomba Infernale for repeat routingDo you want faster early experience, or are you trying to farm Overkill value from enemies?The goal is fast setup on a floor you already understand.The shortcut removes targets that your economy plan wanted to cash out.
Follow a complete relic orderDoes the list mention Vampire Crawlers systems such as sockets, village refunds, Polentir, crawler buffs, and Overkill?The advice matches current in-game tooltips and the account layer you can actually use.It reads like a generic vampire-survival chart with no crawler, village, or tooltip check.
A good account route should change when the job changes. If your last run failed from chip damage, Recovery is a sensible sideboard. If the next run is a known boss push, move away from greed. If the floor is already solved and the account needs money, then the economy tools finally make sense.
Failure Checks
ProblemLikely causeFix
Runs improve slowly despite many clearsYou are clearing without routing toward a system relicPick the next relic by the system it opens, not by the stage you happen to like replaying
Shop upgrades feel locked inYou are treating village spending as permanentRefund between farming, survival, boss damage, and unlock-route layouts
Arcana choices feel powerful but unfocusedThe pick does not match the current hand shapeChoose Arcana for the job: starting cards, armor carry, combo carry, or crawler repeat
Socket upgrades do not change outcomesThey were spent on side cardsUse Gem Hammer, Stardust Anvil, and Lapidary Loupe on the route anchor first
Gold farming feels worse after a shortcut unlockBomba Infernale may be skipping enemies that would feed Overkill valueUse shortcuts for experience routes, not every economy route
How to use this guide
Before the next attempt, name the blocker: chip damage, bad reward flow, missing recipe clarity, weak socket control, slow gold, or unreadable map routing. Then choose the village spend or relic path that changes that blocker. If the next goal changes, refund first instead of forcing the last run's setup into a new problem.
FAQ
What should I buy first in the Vampire Crawlers village?
Start with Recovery if chip damage ruins good attempts, Reroll if reward offers keep breaking the deck plan, and Duration if crawler buffs disappear before they matter. After that, refund toward the next job: farming, boss push, unlock route, or crafted-card planning.
Is refunding village upgrades a mistake?
No. Refunding is one of the best account-management tools. A farming setup, a safe unlock setup, and a boss-push setup solve different problems, so moving resources between them is normal Vampire Crawlers routing.
Should I chase every relic as soon as possible?
No. Chase the relic that opens the next useful system for your current blocker. Gem Hammer, Polentir, Grim Grimoire, Stardust Anvil, Overkill, and Lapidary Loupe all matter, but not for the same run problem.
Patch Context
Use the locations and effects here as a route planner, then compare them against your current in-game tooltip before committing a long farm plan. If a later update moves a relic, changes a village value, or adjusts an Arcana, keep the same habit: spend account resources on the failure that is blocking the next run.
Related Guides
Pair this page with the Dungeon Route Guide when deciding which branch to revisit. For socket and recipe planning, read Weapons and Evolutions. If the account needs money before another push, use the Gold Farming Guide.
