Added in 1.0

How to unlock the Vampire

The Vampire is new in version 1.0. The official hint is a meeting with the shady merchant. Two players in the same thread say to buy his syringe and then actually trigger a lifesteal hit.

Updated 2026-11-02

What the 1.0 post actually says

The LOOT & SHOOT announcement introduces the Vampire with no weapon equipped and a swarm of bats. Every level adds one bat. Melee hits can lifesteal. The only unlock sentence is that a meeting with the shady merchant might be mandatory. I will not upgrade that sentence into a numbered quest, because the post does not number one.

What two players added

On the Steam thread Unlock Vampire, two replies describe the same route. First unlock the merchant from the workbench. Then find him on a map. Buy the second-hand syringe. The 0.18 notes, which added the merchant, already called the item a second-hand syringe: it halves maximum health and grants 2 percent lifesteal on a weapon, with overflow healing converted into more maximum health. After the purchase, you have to land a hit that actually heals you. Owning the syringe is not described as enough.

The merchant's schedule changed in 1.0. The notes say the shady merchant has a 50 percent chance to stand behind the trader's van, and from day 4 every run is guaranteed one meeting. That is a developer sentence. It explains why a 0.18 'maybe you see him' complaint is less relevant after 29 Oct 2026. It still does not name the Vampire. I am stacking the official schedule under the player steps, not pretending the schedule is the unlock text.

How the bats play

This is a melee sustain character, not a backpack turret like the Carver and not a revive like Death. You begin unarmed, so the first weapon you buy matters more than on Survivor. The official line calls the Vampire one of the deadliest survivors so far. That is flavor from the developer, not a tier placement. Blood-bag and revive interactions were patched in the same 1.0 list, which is relevant if you are also holding a scythe copy, but I have no player report that pairs the two on purpose.