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How to Play Vampire of the Sands

By That Wun Wabbit

Gameplay help and tips

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Created by

That Wun Wabbit
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Category: Gameplay Basics, Walkthroughs

Languages: English

Posted

Updated

1 Apr, 2016 @ 12:05am

19 Jul, 2016 @ 4:19pm

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Guide Index

Overview

Foreward

Introduction

Goals

Normal vs Hard Mode

Zones, zone monsters, spawners & zone bosses

Boss Themes and Icons

Zone Themes and Icons

Farming Overworld Items

Collecting "Disposable" Items

Mission Statement

Comments

Foreward

A content update has been made to this game. You can read about it here.
This guide was published before the update - please note this guide may not reflect recent additions.

Introduction

In this guide, I'll go over some topics to help you better understand the game:

Differences between Normal Mode and Hard Mode
Zones, zone monsters, spawners & zone bosses
Farming rune stones, soul crystals and scrap
Using the "lathe", opening chests & collecting items

Please note, there's a short, in-game tutorial to help you aswell. Basic movement controls are explained there, so I won't rehash them here.

Goals

In Vampire of the Sands, you must defeat at least two bosses and descend to the depths of Gan's lair. You must manage your HP (all Modes) and soul hunger (Hard Mode) while you complete levels and slay bosses.

Normal vs Hard Mode

In Normal Mode, you have more chance to make mistakes without repercussion. You start with 3 HP, and no hunger for souls. Small soul crystals heal one HP each. Defeating a boss restores your health and gives you an additional health. This system makes Normal Mode a great opportunity to stockpile things that carry over beyond death: rune stones.
In Hard Mode, you have one HP and running out of either HP or souls will kill the main character. Defeating bosses will NOT give you additional hearts, but the boss chest rewards will usually suppress your soul hunger by 24 units or more. I've seen as many as two large soul crystals in one chest.

In either mode, it's important to collect some loot and weapons from easier zones first. I suggest stockpiling thrown items like rocks, darts, acid bottles, and shuriken. Weapons with a wide arc are also recommended. While playing in Hard Mode, I recommend either unlocking the Rune to suppress your soul hunger, or (if you're playing for the 'collect 300 souls' achievement) equip a Bone or Soul Mask, and stack several runes for providing extra soul crystals.

Zones, zone monsters, spawners & zone bosses

There are 9 zones and 9 bosses in the game. Each has unique monsters, except that the Box monster (native to the Communications zone) can summon Blood Golems (normally a Silo enemy). Each zone has a theme to the enemy attack patterns. Some monsters will be present already when you arrive. Spawners look unique depending on the zone. One enemy will appear after the spawner shakes. Spawners will usually make an enemy appear ONLY IF the spawner is far enough away from you (such as the edge of your screen). Destroy the spawner to avoid backtracking to hordes of bloodthirsty enemies. Spawners do not usually appear on boss floors.
*You start in the Sand zone, but you don't have to complete it first.
The boss will appear on the bottom floor of each zone. Some zones will only have two floors - the floor you arrive on, and the boss floor. Others will have branching stairwells with about 3 floors (sometimes leading to dead ends...) Each boss one only requires a single hit to defeat. All enemies (including bosses) have a simple AI and attack patterns. You can practice in the arena against specific enemies.

My recommended completion order is this (assuming you want to complete all 8 zones in one go):

The Desert and Communications areas can be easily completed first, given you are proactive about destroying spawners. Runes help in Communications, mostly: Resist Fire Spells and Death Spells. If fate smiles, a Dodge Mask will really help here. Most enemies are easy to avoid, due to the wall and door patterns.
The Mines are easy, too - just take out the Driders with a thrown item (rock, dart, etc). Pick up all the pickaxes you can find. The pink slimes will erode your weapons quickly if you don't equip a Dodge Mask.
Later, when you've collected some loot, the Library and Crypt make good use of Ramming Mask (due to close quarters). Magic Orbs in the Library can be nullified with Fire Mask, but Witch Orbs do contact damage (thus, Ramming Mask is needed). I strongly suggest just running to the bottom floor with invisibility and speed. Make sure to increase your speed FIRST, or the scroll will count as an attack and break your invisibility. Invisibility Cloaks can be repaired using Repair Scroll! Take one off just before time runs out, and save it to repair. Earthquake Mask and invisibility also makes a hilarious combo.
Earthquake Mask and Bubble Cloak are recommended for the Silo. Bubble Cloak is very common and very replaceable! Again, you could just make an invisible / mad dash for the bottom. Hopefully, you have a Return Scroll, or you'll have to deal with the immortal enemies on your way back up. Earthquake Mask would spawners on the way down, and makes the return trip very smooth.
The Brewery is best saved for whenever you have lots of thrown items. Invisibility options, and a Dodge Mask are a plus. Beware of jar-shaped traps on the floor. Don't bump into them!
Save the Farm for last, or until you have some invisibility, increased speed, and wand options. At the boss, you should use a cone or sphere wand, preferrably stone, fire, or insta-death. A wand that affects your field of vision is great, too. Don't forget Genocide Scroll or Wipe-Monster Scroll to deal with those little guys with the whips.

Boss Themes and Icons

Icon

Boss

Zone

Attack Pattern

Unlimited Bottler

Brewery

Three copies of the Unlimited Bottler throw explosives at you

Giant Eye

Communications

Spawns normal enemy eyes and Beholders; goes invisible and runs away

Flaming Skull

Crypt

Creates a large, circular fire trap; spawns mini skulls that shoot fire

Queen Ant

Desert

Hides behind pillars; comes out and charges you occasionally

Head Hind

Farm

Spawns hordes of Hind-race minions

Master Witch

Library

Generates lots of Witch Orbs

Blob King

Mines

Runs from you, but spawns aggressive Sand Blobs

Jelly Skeleton

Silo

Behaves like the Box Monster; throws all sorts of things from every side, including blood golems and various weapons

Zone Themes and Icons

Crossroads Icon

Zone Name

Main Theme

Chest

Spawner

Brewery

Ranged attacks; speed

Communications

Ranged attacks; effects

Crypt

Melee damage; effects

Desert

Melee & ranged damage

Farm

Effects

Library

Ranged damage; effects

Mines

Melee & ranged damage

Silo

Melee damage; immortal enemies

Gan's Lair

Melee & ranged damage

Farming Overworld Items

These items can be used beyond one character life.
What are they? Rune Stones.

Monsters occasionally drop them on death. Rune Stones are a yellow, coin-shaped item with purple symbols. Walk over the item to pick it up. They can be used at the main menu to unlock in-game bonuses, such as:

extra loot when you start the game
extra keys
immunity to certain spells
improved combat stats

I recommend unlocking runes to improve your combat speed, start with an axe, and resist death and fire spells. You can also suppress your Hard Mode hunger entirely, but because it gives you infinite soul crystals, this may affect your achievement hunting (the collect 300 souls achievement)

Collecting "Disposable" Items

These items can only be used during one character life.

These include:

Gold - used to buy items in the Mines Shops. Found on the floor, in chests, and is sometimes dropped by certain monsters. You can earn gold by placing items on a shop floor and pressing the button to pay. Purchase items by picking them off the floor and pressing the button to pay. You can also steal items by walking out of the shop without paying for items in your inventory. If you wish to do that, equip a Dodge Mask...
Keys - used to unlock chests without breaking contents. Usually found on the floor.
Scrap - used in bundles of 3 to craft items at a lathe. Can be found on floors, in chests, and through crafting at the Crossroads. Yes, a crafting product can sometimes be Scrap (3 scrap -> 1 scrap). Scrap can also be obtained by breaking items.
Soul Crystals - used to restore health or suppress hunger. Both can be found on floors, as monster drops, as crafting rewards (at the Crossroads lathe), and in chests. Boss chests tend to hold many soul crystals - although on Normal Mode, your health is restored from defeating the boss anyway. Small soul crystals restore 1 health and hold 6 souls. The largest ones hold 24 souls, and restore slightly more health.
Other items, such as armor, weapons, and scrolls can be found on floors, in chests, and crafted at a lathe. Check the icon above the lathe! At the Crossroads, you can craft any category of item, but you may end up cycling through lots of items before you get what you need.

Mission Statement

Thank you for reading this guide. Feedback is important - please rate and comment!
If you want more, go to my guides section and “follow”!
I have written dozens of --> guides on Steam games. <--
I enjoy helping people play games, but I can’t do it alone!
Encourage your friends to write guides…for games!
-Catherine

7 Comments

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warking 30 Jul, 2021 @ 2:05am

the guide is good,,, if it wasnt outdated. Now rune farming is nigh impossible/ tedious to do. I finished the game with all 4 character with only 5 runes unlocked.
Also. some monsters just doesnt spawn (security guard) so it is also impossible to get The bestiary achievement...
The game stays quite fun you should give it another go Wabbit;)

That Wun Wabbit [author] 10 Jul, 2019 @ 10:11am

Dunno but I should totally replay this game if they've changed stuffs love this game!

pants 10 Jul, 2019 @ 9:40am

was normal/hardmode removed? i dont see any option for it

That Wun Wabbit [author] 2 Apr, 2016 @ 9:43pm

okay. just wondering. The good thing about the cryptis if you take a Ramming Mask. The cows and skulls can't do anything. The mummies can still curse items I think tho

Wretched 2 Apr, 2016 @ 9:31pm

O well the cows in the crypt are faster than any other enemy in the game while the other enemies use the sand effects on you, basically you are nearly stoped while the cows ram you, The zombies are easy and the boss is really easy (but honestly all the bosses are easy).

The farm is easier because you just have to worry about the whip guys, every other mob is easy and the boss can be killed even with a knife.

That Wun Wabbit [author] 2 Apr, 2016 @ 9:24pm

How is the farm easy? I have to ask because the suggestions I provided were based on my experience....Also opinion

Wretched 2 Apr, 2016 @ 9:17pm

The farm is quite easy, the last stage before gan´s lair should be the crypt if you are attemping to kill evey boss and then gan.

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