A new type of variable separation solutions for the (2+1)-dimensional Nizhnik–Novikov–Veselov equation is derived by means of an improved mapping approach. Based on the derived variable separation excitation, rich oscillating solitons such as rogue-wave, dromion, multi-dromion, solitoff, lump and fractal-type structures are presented by selecting appropriate functions of the general variable separation solution, and some of these solutions exhibit a rich dynamic, with a wide variety of qualitative behavior and structures that are exponentially localized, showing some novel features and interesting behaviors.