The new co-op multiplayer feature introduces a whole new dimension to Vampire Survivors, which has reinvigorated the fanbase and has them heading back to this absolute indie hit. If you want to learn about the rules of Vampire Survivors co-op as well as some tips and tricks, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s everything you should know about Vampire Survivors Co-op to make your experience more enjoyable.
Before You Play Vampire Survivors Co-Op – Here’s How it Works
Based on the platform you are playing on you will have a different method of connecting and playing with your friends, but it boils down to connecting gamepads/controllers for PC, Xbox, and Mobile, and connecting multiple Nintendo Switches for Nintendo Switch. Let’s first go through the settings of this co-op mode.
Related: Top 5 Co-Op Multiplayer Characters in Vampire Survivors
Best Vampire Survivors Co-op Settings
While there are just six co-op settings to tinker with, we can still make your life easier. Based on our playthroughs of the co-op mode in the office, here’s what we’ve found to work the best for us, and you can check if it works for you as well:
- Show co-op indicators – ON. (so that you can better see your location)
- Permanent co-op outlines – ON (so that you can see your outline when the screen becomes overwhelmed with all the mess).
- Co-op vibration – ON (because it “pings” the player who needs to choose something on the screen).
- Assign Controller to Player 1 – OFF (because then the first controller may be used for Player 2, while Player 1 stays on keyboard+mouse). I reckon that this is a PC-only thing.
- Tint UI selection – ON (for better visibility).
- Sequential Chest Mode – We haven’t found differences between the two options yet.
How is Vampire Survivors Co-op Balanced Based on Player Amount
As you play Vampire Survivors Co-op, you will see that some of the weapon and passive item slots are crossed out. This is implemented for balancing purposes:
- In a 2-player mode, each player will be able to obtain 4 weapons and 4 passives.
- In a 3-player mode, each player will be able to obtain 3 weapons and 3 passives.
- In a 4-player mode, each player will be able to obtain 2 weapons and 2 passives.
With this in mind, be very strict about what weapons and passives you take, so that you can actually complete weapon evolutions for yourself, and not hinder your teammates’ chances of doing so as well. But, more on those tips in the next section. Also, if you pick up something after filling your capacity, you will be able to keep it, so save all the pick-ups for the late game.
General Tips and Tricks for Vampire Survivors Co-op
Here’s a summary of tips and tricks for Vampire Survivors Co-op that will certainly help you if you’re a newcomer to the mode.
- Your team has a shared XP bar. Player 1 chooses their first level-up bonus, and then the rest will take turns whenever you level up again (1, 2, 3, 4, 1, and so forth).
- Because every item in the game that is picked up or bought stays unique to the player who took it, and nobody else can get them for themselves anymore after that, you need to be careful.
When you are presented with the option of selecting something that your teammate needs in order to fulfill an evolution, you should click the “Pass” button that will be located on the right side of the screen, right under the usual Reroll, Skip, and Banish options. You only have 10 “passes” so make them count. - Move carefully because nobody can go off-screen and you can get surrounded by enemies in a corner easily. It’s best to stick together and arrange where you will march as a unit to avoid unpleasant situations.
- Golden Eggs that you have bought for single-player are not enabled in co-op.
- Make sure to choose the new item “Friendship Amulet” whenever possible, if at least two players will benefit from it. It gives a level upgrade for one weapon per player. It will appear multiple times, so it’s not a “one-time” thing. It will drastically improve your character progression.
- When a character dies, and the character has no further revives, they turn into a coffin. After about 20 seconds, they will jump out, fully revived, but only if there is at least one other player alive. This means that only one player should stay alive at all times in order to not fail the co-op run completely.
- Chests that you pick up are allocated randomly. Have patience, your upgrades will come too.
- Players will take turns choosing Arcanas when they are presented to your team.
- If you want to make your runs better tailored, feel free to Seal some weapons and passives that you do not want to bother trying to gather and evolve, such as:
- Peachone and Ebony Wings (let’s face it, these are bad).
- Phiera del Tuphello and Eight the Sparrow (unless you are playing Pugnala).
- SpellString, SpellStream, and SpellStrike (unless you are playing Eleanor because those items will spawn gradually for her).
- When you inevitably get Arcana VIII – Mad Groove, make sure to have the Silver and Gold rings on one player. The same goes for Metaglio Left and Metaglio Right (two different players may have these sets). You will need the Infinite Corridor and Crimson Shroud to defeat the Reaper if you are not playing in Endless mode.
- Bosses commonly aggro one of the party members and stay on the member until they kill it or die trying. This is useful for kiting once you learn who they are after.
I sincerely hope that you will have as much fun as we did with Vampire Survivors Co-op. If you want to read more about Vampire Survivors here at Prima Games, I recommend All Bestiary members in Vampire Survivors listed.
