On April 5th a new stage was added to Vampire Survivors for players to try and survive. This stage, titled the Gallo Tower, works differently than the others. Whereas the previous levels were either open areas or confined stages that extended left and right indefinitely, the Gallo Tower extends up and down.
The layout of this stage requires a new build; not only because of the orientation but also due to the new enemy types that populate the Gallo Tower. This build will take advantage of the new weapon evolution for the Runetracer, which was introduced along with the Gallo Tower.
Character Selection
This build focuses on a weapon that attacks enemies along a vertical attack vector – the Song of Mana. This makes Poppea the ideal choice for this build since the Song of Mana is her starting weapon. The Gallo Tower is a confined space, so any weapons that ricochet, like the Runetracer and Bone, are more effective in this stage.
Any character that increases the number of projectiles, weapon duration, or projectile speed will also work with this build. Mortaccio, Cavallo, Gennaro, Dommario, and the new character Ramba are all valid choices for this build.
Primary Weapon 1 – Song Of Mana
The Song of Mana is the best weapon for Gallo Tower. This stage extends up and down; just like the Song of Mana's beam-like projectile. Because the character is going to be walking up or down throughout most of Gallo Tower, weapons like the Whip are a poor choice.
The Song of Mana gives the player a weapon that clears a path for them as they travel through the confined passages of Gallo Tower. This weapon is also (typically) powerful enough to kill most enemies in one or two hits, provided the player occasionally upgrades the Song of Mana.
Primary Weapon 2 – Runetracer
The Runetracer is the last of the original offensive weapons to get an evolved form. Only the Laurel and Clock Lancet still don't have an evolved form, and those two weapons really don't need one. The evolved form of the Runetracer, NO FUTURE, now has a chance of exploding.
To evolve the Runetracer, players must have the Armor accessory. This accessory used to be useless, so at least now it has a purpose. The narrow confines of Gallo Tower will make the Runetracer's projectiles a lot more efficient. The Runetracer, and NO FUTURE, will be doing most of the damage after the 20-minute mark.
Primary Weapon 3 – King Bible
This King Bible is one of the best weapons in Vampire Survivors. It works well in the vertically orientated Gallo Tower too. If these two reasons weren't enough, then the accessory needed to evolve the King Bible into the Unholy Vespers, the Spellbinder, being one of Gallo Tower's bonus accessories should seal the deal.
This weapon becomes invaluable when the regenerating red skeletons begin swarming the player. The red skeletons are clearly an homage to Castlevania, like much of Vampire Survivors. This enemy type can be destroyed, but will reform seconds later; the King Bible keeps these resilient skeletons at a safe distance.
Primary Accessory 1 – Spinach
The new enemies created to populate the Gallo Tower are tough. Some of them can't die, and as the minutes get close to 30, certain enemies appear with bizarre attack patterns, such as the beasts that look like larvae with dragon heads. The player needs to be able to kill these creatures quickly lest they will be fatally overwhelmed.
The Spinach causes the player to do up to 50% more damage when it's fully leveled. This extra bit of damage is enough to keep the player's weapons effective when stronger enemies appear.
Primary Accessory 2 – Spellbinder
The Spellbinder increases weapon duration. When Poppea uses the Spellbinder, the Song of Mana can quickly get to the point where its duration exceeds its cooldown time. This will allow her to always have a clear path through the enemy ranks – until around the 26-minute mark anyway.
The Spellbinder is needed to evolve the King Bible into the Unholy Vespers. This also increases the distance the Runetracer's projectiles can travel. This allows these penetrating projectiles to hit more enemies before they explode. The Spellbinder is a bonus accessory in Gallo Tower.
Primary Accessory 3 – Candelabrador
In a stage as confining as Gallo Tower, it pays to make the weapons as big as possible. This is why the Candelabrador was added to this build. This accessory will increase the size (width) of the Song of Mana enough for it to completely surround the character and encompass entire passageways.
This accessory will also increase the radius of the King Bible and make the Runetracer's projectiles much larger. The explosions produced by the NO FUTURE weapon are likewise increased in size. The inclusion of the Candelabrador into this build makes the Axe a good selection for a secondary weapon.
Secondary Weapons
The Laurel is a smart pick with any build in Vampire Survivors that has a discretionary weapon slot. The Bone works well in the Gallo Tower's narrow passages, especially in the last few minutes. The Bone weapon scales well with the Candelabrador as well.
As mentioned in the Candelabrador entry, the Axe is a good secondary weapon in Gallo Tower. Its high-arcing attack vector and penetrating properties work well in the horizontal orientation of Gallo Tower. Even though the Bracer is a bonus accessory in Gallo Tower, the Knife should not be selected as a weapon. The player will also want a direct-fire weapon like the Magic Wand or Cross.
Secondary Accessories
The Empty Tome is always a good pick. It works with every weapon, and the reduced weapon cooldown times are a huge bonus. Like the Laurel, the Tiragisu is a smart selection that really helps the player make it to the 30-minute mark. The Attractorb is another good accessory to get; it's not necessary, but it makes picking up the experience gems less of a chore.
If the player wishes to evolve the Song of Mana and Runetracer, they'll need to get the Skull O'Maniac and Armor accessories. The Duplicator is a great accessory to get if the player has both the Runetracer and Bone weapons.
Final Thoughts
At the start of the stage, the player should head down to the Spellbinder and stay in the area until their accessory slots are filled; then they should get the Spellbinder. After this, head up to get the free Bracer accessory. Don't hang around in a specific area too long or a new Death creature will appear and cover some of the play area with a damaging layer.
The Giant Enemy Crab is the Boss of Gallo Tower. It seems tougher than the other level bosses, and when it takes damage its claws grow. Try to stay under the crab; its claws grow when it gets hit. There is a smaller chance of coming into contact with its claws if the player attacks from underneath. Lastly, don't forget to purchase the Duration Power-up.
Vampire Survivors was released on Dececember 17th, 2021, for the PC and MacOS.