Element Variants
Most elements in VV: Ultimatum can roll a variant - a sub-version that shifts the kit's trade-offs rather than replacing it. The map below is cross-checked against multiple creator showcases and tier lists. Everything here is per community documentation, pending in-game verification.
Variants span a wide power range. At one end, Electro's Lightning variant is purely cosmetic. In the middle sit stat trades like Red Ice (less damage, longer freeze), Bluebell (more burn), Blood in the Water (more damage, longer cooldowns) and Heavenly (ability lifesteal). At the far end, Frozen Haze's Cursed and Rewritten variants change one of the kit's two actual moves - one creator counts them as three separate Resurrecciones - and Rewritten is claimed to be the second-rarest roll in the game after Los Lobos itself.
Five elements have no variants documented at all: Reversal, Ink, Demon Light, The Superstar and Los Lobos. The Iron sits at the opposite extreme with six gem-named variants, the most of any element.
Creator recommendations, where stated, are opinions: Red Ice was called the best Shinigami pick after Update 2, Bluebell is recommended on all Flame builds, Gateway is preferred over Cosmic for Waypoint, base Dimensional over its variant, Heavenly for Blademaster PvP, and Energy as the safest Luminosity pick.
Details
Soul Reaper (Shikai) variants
Ice - Red Ice: lower damage but increased freeze time; recommended for Hakuda builds since the longer freeze opens better combos, and one creator calls Red Ice the best Shinigami ability after Update 2.
Flame - Bluebell: increases burn damage; recommended for all builds in the variant guide. A separate Flame perk makes parried flame damage inflict a 'sweating' debuff that stacks with the burn.
Waypoint - Gateway and Cosmic: Gateway gives a longer duration during Rift (the first move) at less teleport range; Cosmic gives longer marker duration and more range but less damage from Rift and Mark Destination. Gateway is the recommended pick; the exact stat-to-name mapping is partly inferred from narration order, so treat it as provisional.
Senbonzakura - Normal (Odachi longsword) and Katana: a weapon-model split rather than a stat change; creators prefer the Katana for its easier moveset feel.
Blooming Madness - no roll variants documented; its 'variants' in creator speech refer to the many in-game move versions its games grant.
No variants: Ink, Reversal and Demon Light, confirmed (Ink's no-variant status was also confirmed on its customization screen).
Quincy (Schrift) variants
Arrancar (Resurreccion) variants
Reading this map
All entries above come from creator videos and community showcases, cross-checked against tier lists - not from first-party testing. Percentages, stat directions and name-to-effect mappings flagged as provisional should be treated as provisional pending in-game verification, not as final.
For per-element context see each element's own page (for example Frozen Haze, The Thunderbolt, The Iron and Luminosity carry their variant details in place), and see the Reroll Economy page for how variant rolls fit into the wider gacha system.
Community notes (Discord)
Community-documented (June 2026): legendary shikais now roll variants, and there is no way to reroll only the variant - changing it requires rerolling the entire shikai.
Community-documented odds (June 2026): an ability roll costs 199 Robux. Variants are a separate 5% roll on top of the ability itself - for a rare ability like Necromancer (9% pool chance, then a 50/50 for the specific one) that works out to roughly 0.225%, about 1 in 444, per roll for a specific variant.
FAQ
Which elements have no variants?
Per current documentation: Reversal, Ink, Demon Light, The Superstar and Los Lobos. Praying Mantis and Blooming Madness also have none documented in any checked source.
What is the rarest variant in VV: Ultimatum?
Frozen Haze's Rewritten variant is claimed to be the second-rarest roll in the entire game, behind only Los Lobos itself - a creator claim pending verification. Community documentation lists it at 5%.
Do variants ever change actual moves?
Almost all variants only shift stats, statuses or colors - Frozen Haze is the documented exception, where Cursed and Rewritten each change one of the kit's two moves, effectively creating three different Resurrecciones.
Other systems & progression
Source-checked
Compiled from video documentation and community sources; values pending in-game verification. updated · GuideDex staff. Report a correction.