The original Ode to Castlevania characters unlock through a mix of stage exploration, coffin discoveries, character-specific boss fights, and weapon evolutions. Update 1.14 added more DLC characters: finish the DLC’s main unlocks, then open the in-game Secrets menu for their conditions. The available update notes confirm that process but do not provide a complete list of the added characters or requirements, so the original roster guide alone is not a complete list of the current roster.
How the unlocks work
Many characters are not bought from a menu. You unlock them by exploring the Ode to Castlevania stage and completing specific conditions. Those conditions may depend on which survivor you use, which boss you defeat, or which weapon and passive item you evolve together.
Use the stage map to find marked locations, but do not expect every boss to appear if you simply wait. In poncle’s official launch announcement, the developer notes that most bosses must be sought out. Evolution requirements can also vary: some use a particular passive item, and some require that passive to reach its maximum level.
Original DLC unlock route: the first characters
The 2024 walkthrough by Alana Hagues at Nintendo Life describes 20 original DLC characters. These early unlocks establish the main progression: find coffins, then use unlocked survivors to meet character-specific conditions.
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| Character | Unlock condition |
|---|---|
| Leon Belmont | Open the first coffin. |
| Julius Belmont | Open the second coffin. |
| Trevor Belmont | Defeat Medusa Head while playing as Leon. |
| Sypha Belnades | Defeat Slogra and Gaibon while playing as Trevor. |
Boss locations matter: Hagues’s walkthrough identifies where to find Medusa Head, Slogra, and Gaibon. Look for their map locations rather than waiting for them to appear during an ordinary run.
Original roster: weapon-evolution unlocks
Several later unlocks require a named survivor to evolve a particular weapon with its paired passive item. The following examples are from Hagues’s character-by-character guide; check the in-game unlock text if a later patch or platform version differs.
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- 7 Stages, 25+ Skills, 40+ Quests
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| Character to unlock | Required survivor | Weapon evolution |
|---|---|---|
| Grant Danasty | Trevor | Dragon Water Whip with Attractorb |
| Juste Belmont | Simon | Wind Whip with Crown |
| Eric Lecarde | Jonathan Morris | Javelin with Spellbinder |
| Christopher Belmont | Alucard | Alucart Sworb |
The guide specifies level requirements for its individual routes. Because those exact levels are not established here, use the relevant in-game unlock text and the full walkthrough rather than assuming that merely owning the weapon and passive is always enough.
Maria, Richter, and the secret-character progression
Unlock Maria Renard
Complete the same stage twice: once with Shanoa and once with Juste. Both runs must reach the full 30-minute completion for the condition described in Hagues’s guide.
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- Asymmetrical Gameplay: Experience unique abilities and strategies for both characters, creating a dynamic and challenging duel.
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Unlock Richter Belmont
As Maria, evolve Guardian Targe with Pummarola. This is the route given in the original roster walkthrough.
Trigger the secret-character sequence
After unlocking Richter, the walkthrough directs you to beat the DLC with him to trigger the Dracula confrontation and open the next secret-character progression. The remaining original secrets involve further character-specific conditions, including evolved weapons, hidden bosses, and stage events; consult the in-game unlock text for each condition as it becomes available.
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Examples of later secret unlocks
The original walkthrough gives Albus as an example of an evolution-based unlock involving Confodere, and Barlowe as one involving Albus’s Optical Shot. Other secret routes require defeating particular bosses with specified survivors or meeting a weapon-specific condition. Treat these as separate unlock steps, not as automatic rewards for completing Richter’s route.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Find the added characters from update 1.14
Update notes dated October 28, 2025, state: “To unlock the new content of Ode to Castlevania: the conditions to unlock the new characters will appear in the SECRETS menu after you have ‘completed’ the main UNLOCKS of the dlc.”
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches- Complete the main Ode to Castlevania unlock progression.
- Open the in-game Secrets menu.
- Use the newly displayed conditions to pursue the added characters.
The cited update notes do not enumerate every added character or condition. The Secrets menu is therefore the reliable place to check the extra unlocks, rather than treating a 2024 roster walkthrough as the full current list.
How to plan an unlock run
Before starting a targeted run, check the condition for the character you want and identify each dependency. This helps distinguish a boss route from a weapon-evolution route and prevents using the wrong survivor.
- Required survivor: Some boss and evolution conditions specify who must be played.
- Boss or map location: Marked map locations help you navigate; most bosses must be actively sought.
- Weapon and passive: Confirm the exact pair and whether the passive must be at maximum level.
- Progression prerequisite: Check whether the route depends on a previously unlocked character, a gate, or an ending encounter.
- Patch-added content: After completing the main DLC unlocks, check Secrets for the conditions added in update 1.14.
Sources: Alana Hagues, Nintendo Life, “Vampire Survivors: Ode To Castlevania: How To Unlock All Characters” (December 17, 2024); poncle’s official Steam announcement, “Vampire Survivors: Ode to Castlevania is out now!” (October 31, 2024); poncle update notes mirrored by SteamDB, “Vampire Survivors: Ante Chamber out now, for free!” (October 28, 2025).
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