In the brutal economy of Anime Vanguards, pulling a Mythic Unit (0.5% chance) is only step one. A base Mythic might look cool in the lobby, but on the battlefield, an un-evolved unit is significantly weaker than a fully maxed Legendary.
In January 2026, with the release of the new “Nightmare” Raids and Infinite Mode expansions, the meta strictly revolves around Evolved Units. Why? Because Evolution doesn’t just increase damage numbers; it fundamentally changes how the unit functions.
If you are struggling to clear Wave 50+ or cannot DPS-check the new Bosses, it is likely because you are ignoring the Evolution mechanics.
Why Evolution is Mandatory:
- Passive Abilities: Evolution often unlocks a secondary passive (e.g., “Bleed” or “Time Stop”) that is locked on the base version.
- SPA (Seconds Per Attack): Evolving often lowers the attack cooldown, drastically increasing your DPS (Damage Per Second).
- Element Shift: Some units change their element upon evolution, allowing them to bypass elemental resistances in late-game stages.
However, gathering the materials—Rainbow Essences, Gold, and fodder units—is a grind that requires a specific strategy. Below is the complete cheat sheet on how to evolve your squad efficiently without wasting energy.
🧬 How to Evolve (The Basics)
First, find the Evolution NPC. He stands right next to the “Summon” area in the main lobby.
To evolve any unit, you generally need three things:
- The Unit: Obviously.
- Essences: Colored stones (Green, Blue, Pink, Rainbow, etc.).
- Gold: Usually 15,000 – 30,000 Gold per evolution.
- Trophies/Items: Specific drops from Boss Raids (for Secret/Godly units).
📊 Evolution Requirements Table (The Meta Units)
Here are the costs for the units everyone is using right now. Start farming these ASAP.
| Unit (Base Name) | Evolved Name | Requirements |
| Song Jinwu | Shadow Monarch | • 40 Green Essence • 15 Blue Essence • 10 Pink Essence • 1 Rainbow Essence • 15,000 Gold |
| Vogita (Super) | Vogita (Evolved) | • 35 Green Essence • 15 Blue Essence • 12 Pink Essence • 1 Rainbow Essence • 15,000 Gold |
| Igros | Igros (Knight) | • 50 Green Essence • 20 Blue Essence • 10 Pink Essence • 2 Rainbow Essence • 20,000 Gold |
| Alucard | Vampire Lord | • 30 Green Essence • 30 Blue Essence • 30 Pink Essence • 1 Rainbow Essence • 15,000 Gold |
| Cha-In | Blade Dancer | • 35 Green Essence • 10 Blue Essence • 10 Pink Essence • 1 Rainbow Essence • 15,000 Gold |
Note: “Rainbow Essence” is the gatekeeper. It is the rarest material. Don’t waste it on low-tier units.
⚔️ Where to Farm Materials?
You can’t buy Essences with Robux; you have to earn them.
1. Challenges (The Main Source)
- Green/Blue/Pink Essence: Drop from the Daily Challenges.
- Tip: Check the “Challenges” board in the lobby. The reward rotates every hour. If you see “Pink Essence” and you need it for Jinwu, grind that hour non-stop.
- Difficulty Multiplier: playing on Hard or Nightmare gives significantly more Essence than Normal. Don’t waste time on Normal difficulty if you can handle Hard.
2. The Legend Stages (Rainbow Essence)
- Rainbow Essence: This has a very low drop rate (around 1-5%) from Act 3 Stages (e.g., “Double Dungeon” or “Namek”).
- The Crafting Method: You can also craft 1 Rainbow Essence by combining lower-tier essences at the Crafting NPC, but the cost is expensive (e.g., 50 Pink + 50 Blue). Only do this if you are desperate.
3. The Gold Grind
- Story Mode: Too slow.
- Infinite Mode: The best gold farm. Reaching Wave 50+ gives you thousands of gold. Equip your “Money” units (like Speedwagon/Bulma clones) and AFK farm.
⚠️ Priority List: Who to Evolve First?
If you only have 1 Rainbow Essence, who gets it?
- Song Jinwu (Shadow Monarch): Priority #1. His evolved form summons shadows that fight for you. It literally doubles your DPS. He is the best carry in the game.
- Igros: Priority #2. His bleed effect and range increase make him essential for bosses.
- Vogita: Priority #3. Good for AoE, but Jinwu is better.
💡 Pro Tip
Don’t Evolve for “Index” yet.
If you are Free-to-Play (F2P), do not evolve random units just to fill your collection book. Save your Rainbow Essences.
The developers (2026 updates) often release new “Secret” units that require 5+ Rainbow Essences. Always keep a stockpile of 5 Rainbow Essences in your inventory just in case a new meta unit drops on the weekend.