Full Hollow Progression Guide

After selecting Hollow as your faction, you choose one of four types: Gorilla, Turtle, Centipede, or Lizard. This choice matters long-term — you will fight your selected type during the Resurrección trial.

Avoid Turtle (delayed attacks, hard to parry) and Centipede (oppressive speed, difficult trial). Gorilla offers balanced stats and is Captinttb's top pick. Lizard is a solid alternative if you prefer mobility.

You won't play as your starter skeleton form for long, but the Resurrección fight makes this decision permanent.

Hollow Traits are permanent passives gained by defeating other Hollows and consuming their remains. Press No to reject unwanted traits when prompted.

Top traits to look for: Iron Skin, Deadly Claws, and Wings. Traits stack with Hollow clan buffs from clan rerolls. Plan your build — you cannot gain new traits after becoming an Arrancar.

Trait slot limits depend on evolution: Menos/Arrancar paths cap at 2-3 slots, while Vasto Lorde unlocks 4. Don't evolve too early and get stuck with only 2 traits.

You start as a Fishbone Hollow. Complete quests and follow red storyline markers — these are your main progression quests. Consuming other Hollows triggers automatic evolution.

Menos stage is brief. Complete objectives (destroy objects, kill Hollows) then advance. Pressing L rips off your mask and turns you into an Arrancar (Menoscar) with only 2 trait slots — avoid this shortcut.

As Adjuchas you unlock Cero and gain 3 trait slots. You can press L again for Adjucar (small stat boost), but the recommended path is continuing to Vasto Lorde for maximum traits.

Captinttb strongly recommends reaching Vasto Lorde before becoming Arrancar. The extra 4th trait slot is worth the grind and is easier than many players expect.

You'll receive the quest Primal Urges Part 2, requiring approximately 70 Hollow kills. Quincy and Shinigami kills count as 10 points each; Arrancar kills give 0.

Fastest method: low-level missions spawn weak NPCs that count toward progress. Alternatively farm regular Hollows in Soul Society Outskirts. Disable invasions if you're new — enable later for PvP whispers.

After becoming Vasto Lorde, farm your 4th trait before removing your mask. Becoming Vastocar (Arrancar) resets stats and traits but unlocks Arrancar weapons and innate stat selection.

Removing your mask transforms you into an Arrancar. Customize appearance, roll your Hollow clan, and receive your personal weapon — a core part of combat going forward.

Captinttb recommends the Spear for its long range in most encounters. At Arrancar/Vastocar you finally unlock Innate stat selection (+/- modifiers) that Soul Reapers and Quincy get at creation.

Match innates to your build: +Reserves for ability-heavy play, +Haste for cooldown reduction, avoid negative Metal if you rely on blocking. Your weapon stays relevant through early and mid-game.

At level 25+, Hollows begin Resurrección progression through meditation. Press M with your active weapon equipped to meditate.

Watch for yellow whisper text above your skill hotbar — this means your inner world is ready to advance. Stop what you're doing and meditate immediately when you see a whisper.

If you fall asleep during meditation, you need more XP/progression first. Whispers appear most often during missions, invasions, and PvP — stay active between meditations.

Eventually you'll be asked a question where all answers are correct. After that, meditations can transport you to the Inner World.

The Inner World is where Resurrección truly unlocks. Each meditation visit may transport you here. The core rule: always follow the red eyes.

Early visits may seem uneventful, but each trip builds your world — new buildings and structures appear over time. When fully developed, following red eyes leads directly to your Inner Hollow.

Listen for the audio cue "Hey, listen" — a Vasto Lorde NPC representing your inner Hollow has spawned nearby. Find and speak to them to continue progression. Missing these encounters slows advancement.

Phase 1: Fight the Hollow type you picked at creation (Gorilla vs Gorilla, etc.). This is why type selection matters — Centipede and Turtle are noticeably harder.

Phase 2: Menos fight. Many players find this the hardest phase — attacks are delayed and timing feels awkward. Don't rush parries; be patient with stomp timings; block Cero if needed.

Phase 3: A stronger Hollow form with additional abilities. Play defensively throughout — think 90% defense, 10% offense. Parry when possible, avoid greedy attacks, preserve health for the final phase.

Failed attempts are normal. Simply meditate again to re-enter. Posture breaks often win runs more than raw aggression.

After all three phases, Resurrección unlocks. Activate it via your weapon's transformation command for a new combat mode with increased strength and unique abilities.

Resurrección is only the beginning — abilities continue growing through Ability Levels as you use them in combat. More fighting = faster Resurrección development.

For the full 1-100 leveling route including Las Noches missions, Arctic Plains XP, and endgame content, see our Level 1-100 guide. New Hollow players should start with the Beginner Progression Guide for levels 1-25 basics.