Unlocking things in Vampire Crawlers is not one linear checklist: characters, cards, permanent upgrades, and progression systems use different conditions. For most characters, meet the challenge shown in the game and then pay coins to recruit them at the Village Tavern. For cards and systems, advance through runs, complete their specific challenges, and collect the relevant Relics. Check the in-game unlock list for the condition on your current build; guides published in April 2026 may not reflect every later adjustment.
How character unlocks work
Character unlocks usually have two steps: satisfy a challenge, then spend coins at the Village Tavern. Antonio is available by default. Meeting a condition makes a character recruitable; it does not necessarily add them to your roster automatically.
The examples below come from Video Games Chronicle’s April 27, 2026 guide. They show how varied the conditions can be, but use the live in-game unlock list as the final reference for your version.
| Character or group | Reported unlock condition |
|---|---|
| Imelda | Play Mad Forest. |
| Pasqualina | Reach level 20 with Imelda in Inlaid Library. |
| Gennaro | Clear Mad Forest. |
| Arca | Play the Fire Wand card 100 times. |
| Porta | Play the Lightning Ring card 100 times. |
| Lama | Clear a dungeon with at least 10% Curse. |
| Poe | Play the Garlic card 25 times. |
| Dommario | Earn 5,000 coins. |
| Krochi | Defeat 6,666 enemies. |
| Yatta | Defeat 250 Lion Heads. |
| O’Sole | Defeat 50 Dragon Shrimps. |
| Mortaccio | Defeat 444 Skeletons. |
| Bianca Ramba | Clear Dairy Plant. |
| Suor Clerici | Recover 1,000 HP in total. |
| Christine | Play Pentagram. The guide says Pentagram becomes available after reaching level 35 in a run. |
| Gallo | Clear Gallo Tower. |
| MissingN0 | Defeat Red Death. |
| Pugnala, Poppea, Concetta, Giovanna | Find and open their coffins in Berserk Wood, Milk Factory, Gallo Tower, and Library Sanctum, respectively. |
VGC’s conditions are useful for planning, but the guide does not establish that every threshold is unchanged in every build. If a listed challenge does not appear to count, confirm the exact wording and any prerequisites in the game before repeating the run.
Spend coins after the challenge
A separate April 23, 2026 roster table from Whisper of the House reports coin costs and Crawler-card effects for some characters. For example, it lists Imelda at 10 coins, with a Crawler card that adds 15 XP; Pasqualina at 110 coins, with +10 Speed; Gennaro at 700 coins, with +1 Amount; and Pugnala at 1,440 coins, with +20% Might. Treat these figures as a cross-check, not a substitute for the Tavern’s current prices and effects.
What to do first if you are building the roster
Early character progress can overlap with ordinary map advancement. Start with the tutorial and Mad Forest, then clear maps, explore for coffins, and use cards you already have. Save repeated-card targets and unusual modifier challenges for runs where the relevant card or system is available. This is a practical way to align progress with the listed conditions, not a guaranteed fastest route.
How cards become available
The official Steam description presents the core loop as turn-based and card-driven: gaining experience lets you level up and gain cards; chests provide power-ups and gems that augment cards; and weapon evolutions are another goal. Cards can be played in ascending mana order to build combos, while Wild cards extend a combo chain.
That description explains how cards function during progression, not the exact unlock condition for every card. Individual cards may be tied to specific challenges or repeated plays, as the Fire Wand, Lightning Ring, and Garlic character conditions illustrate. Use the current in-game unlock wording for a particular card rather than assuming every card is awarded simply for clearing a map.
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Relics and other progression systems
Some milestones unlock systems rather than a single character. PC Gamer’s April 23, 2026 progression guide reports the following Relic and feature links:
| Milestone | Reported result |
|---|---|
| Polentir, found in Furious Forest after clearing Mad Forest | Opens the Fortune Teller’s tent and the Arcana system. |
| Grim Grimoire, found in Library West Wing after clearing Inlaid Library | Tracks discovered weapon evolutions. |
| Stardust Anvil, awarded for clearing Teeny Bridge | Opens the Blacksmith’s Shop, where gem slots can be added to cards. |
After the Fortune Teller’s tent is open, the guide says Arcana unlock through challenges. Its examples include Over the Top, for playing Crawler cards 100 times, and Your Shield My Liege, for gaining 2,000 armor over adventures. Confirm the live challenge text in game if a threshold or requirement appears different.
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Village shop upgrades
The Village shop sells permanent stat upgrades for coins. PC Gamer’s guide reports first-purchase costs of 500 coins for Recovery and 250 coins for Reroll. It recommends Recovery, Reroll, Duration, Might, and Luck as early priorities; that is the guide’s strategy advice, not a required unlock order or a universal ranking. Check the shop for current costs and available upgrades.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When an unlock condition seems not to work
- Check whether the challenge only makes a character available. If so, visit the Village Tavern and purchase the character with coins.
- Read the condition closely. A target may require a particular map, character, card, enemy type, modifier, or cumulative total rather than general progress.
- Check prerequisites for the relevant system. A card, Arcana challenge, or shop service may not be usable until its associated progression milestone is open.
- Use current in-game wording. Steam’s announcements page documents updates affecting card and gem interactions, so older guide details may not match the current build.
For current changes, consult the Vampire Crawlers Steam announcements alongside the in-game unlock list. The reviewed character and progression guides date from April 2026 and do not establish a version number for every condition.
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