Hollow Traits are visible mutations that change how your Hollow looks while handing out passive bonuses to movement, defense, Cero, Resurrección duration, melee damage, posture, and even stealth. They sit at the center of Hollow (Arrancar) progression in VV: ULTIMATUM, and because your trait slots are limited, the traits you collect end up shaping your final Arrancar build more than almost anything else.
Quick answer: Iron Skin, Wings, Tailbone, and Deadly Claws are the strongest all-round Hollow Traits, but the best picks depend on your build, and every trait only takes effect while you are in Resurrección as an Arrancar.
When Hollow Traits are active in VV Ultimatum
Owning a trait does not mean it is always working. Hollow Traits only switch on during Resurrección, which you can only use after evolving into an Arrancar. Outside of that transformation, the stat bonuses and effects do nothing.
That single rule decides how you should value each trait. A bonus that looks small on paper can be strong if it improves your damage, mobility, or survivability during the exact window where fights are usually decided. It also means traits that extend Resurrección duration are doing double duty, since they keep all of your other traits live for longer.
How many Hollow Trait slots you get per stage
The number of traits you can equip scales with your Hollow evolution stage. This is the main reason rushing to Arrancar early can backfire, since an early evolution locks you into fewer slots.
| Hollow stage | Trait slots |
|---|---|
| Base Hollow / Menoscar | 2 |
| Adjuchas / Adjuchar | 3 |
| Vasto Lorde / Vastocar | 4 |
Because a Vastocar runs four traits, most players aim to reach Vasto Lorde before committing, then fill the slots with one damage trait, one mobility or stealth trait, and a defensive or Resurrección trait that matches the build.
Every Hollow Trait, effect, and tier
The table below lists each trait, what it does, and where it lands in a general ranking. Tiers weigh raw stat value, how broadly a trait helps, and whether its drawback is easy to live with. Cero-only traits sit lower for non-Cero builds, and anything with a movement or weapon penalty drops when the downside outweighs the gain.
| Trait | Effect | Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Iron Skin | +4% Melee Defense, +35% Posture Regen | S |
| Wings | +3% Movement Speed, +5% Shunpo Stamina, +3% Shunpo Speed | S |
| Tailbone | +20% Cero damage, Cero is 25% thinner | S |
| Deadly Claws | +3% Hakuda Damage, +0.1 Max AP | S |
| Innocuous Presence | Name hidden, reiatsu signature hidden, +20s Resurrección, +5% Movement Speed | A |
| Dense Muscles | +1% Weapon Damage, +1% Hakuda Damage, +45s Resurrección | A |
| Energized | +2% Kido Damage, weapon damage scales off your Kido stat | A |
| Back Scales | Cero charges 12% faster, +45s Resurrección, -5% Cero damage | A |
| Giant | +5% Melee Defense, +2% Kido Defense, -5% Movement Speed | B |
| Exoskeleton | +2% Melee Defense, +5 Posture, 15% bigger Resurrection healthpack, -2% Movement Speed | B |
| Skinny | +7.5% Movement Speed, -1.2% Melee Defense | B |
| Horns | +35% Cero width, +10% Cero length | C |
| Tentacles | 16% chance to inflict poison on melee, -1% Weapon Damage | C |
Iron Skin is the safest single pick because melee defense and faster posture recovery help almost any close-range build. Wings is the cleanest mobility trait with no penalty at all. Tailbone delivers the biggest Cero damage jump, with the trade that a thinner beam demands tighter aim. Deadly Claws is the go-to for Hakuda pressure thanks to extra melee damage and an AP boost.
Lower down, Horns only widens and lengthens your Cero without adding damage, so it matters only if your whole kit revolves around landing Ceros. Tentacles sits near the bottom because the poison chance is unreliable and it shaves off weapon damage on every other hit.
Note: Trait value shifts heavily by build. Innocuous Presence, for example, is excellent for PvP roaming and uptime but adds little to a pure damage setup, while a Cero-only trait jumps several tiers on a dedicated Cero Arrancar.
Best Hollow Traits for each build
Trait choices come together fastest when you build around a primary stat. The combinations below cover the four main Arrancar directions, with swap options when your secondary stat differs.
| Build | Recommended traits |
|---|---|
| Speed | Wings, Iron Skin, Exoskeleton, Dense Muscles (swap Dense Muscles for Deadly Claws if Hakuda is secondary, or Tailbone if Kido is secondary) |
| Kido | Tailbone, Energized, Iron Skin, plus Wings for mobility, Exoskeleton for defense, or Back Scales for faster Cero recharge |
| Hakuda | Deadly Claws, Iron Skin, Exoskeleton or Giant, Dense Muscles (swap Dense Muscles for Wings if Speed is secondary, or Tailbone if Kido is secondary) |
| Strength | Dense Muscles, Iron Skin, Exoskeleton, Giant (swap Giant for Wings if Speed is secondary, or swap Giant/Exoskeleton for Tailbone if Kido is secondary) |
Iron Skin earns a spot in nearly every setup as the default defensive slot. Exoskeleton and Giant fill the same second-tanking role, so you should pick one rather than stacking both. For Kido builds, Tailbone and Energized form the damage core, with Back Scales offering the longest Resurrección extension if you want more transformation time.
How to get and change Hollow Traits
Traits drop while you progress through the Hollow path, not as an Arrancar.
You can reset your current Hollow Traits by opening the Menu and selecting the 🧬 symbol. The catch is timing. You cannot gain new traits once you become an Arrancar, and evolving into a Vastocar resets your stats and locks your traits in place. Collect every trait you want before that final evolution, because after it they become permanent.
You will know a trait is working when its effects appear during Resurrección, and a trait you refuse simply will not occupy one of your limited slots, leaving room for a better roll later.
Lock in your slots first, then chase the traits that match your stat focus. Iron Skin, Wings, and a damage trait like Tailbone or Deadly Claws will carry most builds, while Resurrección extensions from Dense Muscles and Back Scales keep everything else online when fights drag out.
