The Hollow race in VV: ULTIMATUM works differently from the weapon-based Shinigami and Quincy paths. Instead of unlocking a sword, you evolve through monster forms and collect passive Traits that define your build. Your starting form, evolution route, and Trait picks all shape how strong you end up, so a few key decisions matter far more than grinding everything.
Quick answer: When you reach Menos Grande, do not press L. Pressing L turns you into Menoscar, a permanent dead end with only 2 Trait slots. Skip it to evolve into Adjuchas and continue toward Vasto Lorde, Vastocar, and Arrancar.
Hollow starting forms
When you spawn as a Hollow, the game randomly assigns one of four base forms. You cannot pick it. Each form biases your early stats, which makes some rolls much easier to survive than others.
| Form | Stat bias | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Turtle | +Defense, -Speed | Best for beginners, easiest early survival |
| Gorilla | Balanced | Safe middle-ground pick |
| Lizard | +Speed, -Defense | Moderate difficulty, decent mobility |
| Centipede | +Speed, -Defense, -Damage | Hardest form, reroll if possible |
If you roll Centipede and struggle, you can use Prayer Beads to wipe and reroll into a friendlier form.
Hollow evolution path
The Hollow line is a branching path with one decision that can ruin your character. The full route runs Base Hollow to Menos Grande, then Adjuchas, then Vasto Lorde, then Vastocar, and finally Arrancar. Reaching Vasto Lorde requires 70 PK points, which is the main grind on the path.
Do not press L as Menos
Pressing L while you are a Menos Grande permanently turns you into Menoscar, a dead-end form with no further evolution and only 2 Trait slots. This cannot be reversed without wiping your character. To keep the full path open, continue as Menos without pressing L so you evolve into Adjuchas instead.
Trait slots by evolution stage
Traits are passive abilities you collect along the way, and the number you can equip depends on your form. More slots mean more stacked bonuses, which is why most players push for the highest form before locking in a build.
| Stage | Trait slots |
|---|---|
| Base Hollow | 2 |
| Menos / Menoscar | 2 |
| Adjuchas / Adjuchar | 3 |
| Vasto Lorde / Vastocar | 4 |
You earn Traits by eating dead Hollows, with a small chance to drop one each time. Any Hollow can drop any Trait, and you can refuse a Trait you do not want. Once you become an Arrancar, Hollow Traits only stay active during Resurrección mode rather than all the time.
Hollow Trait tier list
There are 13 Hollow Traits. The ranking below weighs raw stat value, how many builds the Trait helps, and whether the drawback is easy to live with. Cero-only Traits sit lower for builds that do not lean on Cero.
| Tier | Trait | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| S | Iron Skin | +4% Melee Defense, +35% Posture Regen |
| S | Wings | +3% Movement Speed, +5% Shunpo Stamina, +3% Shunpo Speed |
| S | Deadly Claws | +3% Hakuda Damage, +0.1 Max AP |
| S | Tailbone | +20% Cero damage, Cero is 25% thinner |
| A | Energized | +2% Kido Damage, weapon damage scales off Kido |
| A | Dense Muscles | +1% Weapon and Hakuda Damage, +45s Resurrección |
| A | Exoskeleton | +2% Melee Defense, +5 Posture, 15% bigger Resurrection healthpack, -2% Speed |
| A | Giant | +5% Melee Defense, +2% Kido Defense, -5% Speed |
| B | Back Scales | Cero charges 12% faster, +45s Resurrección, -5% Cero damage |
| B | Skinny | +7.5% Movement Speed, -1.2% Melee Defense |
| C | Horns | +35% Cero width, +10% Cero length |
| C | Tentacles | 16% chance to poison on melee, -1% Weapon Damage |
| C | Innocuous Presence | Hides name and reiatsu, +20s Resurrección, +5% Speed |
Iron Skin is the safest pick across almost every build thanks to its defense and posture regen. Wings is the cleanest mobility Trait with no penalty, while Tailbone and Energized do the heavy lifting for Cero and Kido damage. Innocuous Presence is mostly a PvP utility Trait for dodging ganks rather than a raw power boost.
Best Trait setups by build
With four slots as a Vasto Lorde or Vastocar, the goal is one defensive anchor, one damage Trait that matches your stat, and a mobility option. Swap the flexible slot to match your secondary stat.
| Build | Recommended Traits |
|---|---|
| Speed | Wings, Iron Skin, Exoskeleton, Dense Muscles |
| Kido | Tailbone, Energized, Iron Skin, Wings or Exoskeleton |
| Hakuda | Deadly Claws, Iron Skin, Exoskeleton or Giant, Dense Muscles |
| Strength | Dense Muscles, Iron Skin, Exoskeleton, Giant |
For a Speed or Hakuda build, replace Dense Muscles with Tailbone if Kido is your secondary stat, or with Deadly Claws and Wings depending on the split. Avoid stacking all three tanking Traits (Iron Skin, Exoskeleton, Giant) at once, since the movement penalty adds up.
Vasto Lorde vs Vastocar
The final fork decides how your Traits behave. Vasto Lorde keeps every Trait always active and relies on natural attacks with no weapon. Vastocar gains a weapon and higher burst, but Traits only switch on during Resurrección mode. Pick Vasto Lorde for steady passive power and Vastocar for timed power spikes.
How to change Hollow Traits
Cero unlocks around Level 5 and works for every Hollow form regardless of evolution stage, so it stays a reliable damage tool the whole way through. Since Traits drop randomly, the most efficient plan is to reach Vasto Lorde first to unlock all four slots, then swap in the strongest Traits as you collect them.
