Arterial of Origins: EX Maps Walkthrough

Gaining Access

 * The Dreamlands can be accessed on an NG+ playthrough by visiting Masoho's elementary school during Chapter 2 (and only during Chapter 2).
 * In order for the school to appear as a destination, you must have the key (shaped like an hourglass) in your inventory.
 * The key is created by alchemy, using the scrolls of heaven and earth as materials.
 * These scrolls are given automatically after completing Chapter 7 of the angel and human routes, respectively.
 * Alchemy is only available in the warped world.  Thus, the earliest that you can enter the Dreamlands is on a third playthrough, assuming that your first two runs were on the angel and human routes and that you synthesized the key before finishing the game the second time.

Preparation

 * Choose to keep your cards in the NG+ options. This map is next to impossible to complete without doing so.
 * Since the angel route is required for this map, try defeating the dangerous enemy in the basement of the MHI Building. It has a summoning cost of 5, but its ability allows you to tap all of your other cards on the field (renders them unable to move or act for the rest of the turn) and add their attack power to that card. In addition, it has the "sniper" ability (its attack cannot be blocked or have its damage reduced).
 * If you're having trouble with the fight, equip Leader Syuya with the glasses that give him the "sniper" ability and make a six-card deck of the following: 3 of those 1-cost cards that get 2 attack for every 1-cost card on your side of the field excluding the leader (the ability is apparently called "Bottom Sync" if you're using the English interface) and 4 other random 3-cost cards of your choice. Equip them all with your best attack-boosting equipment cards. On the first turn, move the Leader to either side and put a 1-cost "Bottom Sync" card where the Leader was. Put another 1-cost "Bottom Sync" card behind the first one. Fill the rest of the spaces with your random 1-cost cards. Attack with the "Bottom Sync" card and Syuya. Block the overpowered attack with the "Bottom Sync" card. Move the "Bottom Sync" card up and fill the empty slot with your last "Bottom Sync" card. Attack with "Bottom Sync" card and Syuya. Block with "Bottom Sync" card. Move your last "Bottom Sync" card up and fill the empty slot it left behind with your last random 1-cost card. Attack and you should win on the last turn.(Not sure who wrote this but you are unable to block the overpowered attack(It has sniper and the card will just bypass any blocks and hit your leader) so this pretty much wont work.)
 * Note that Finish Arts and items are unavailable for that fight, and you have a turn limit of three.
 * Another way to defeat it is to make a deck with two Demon Haishera(Or any other demons that can deal at least 10 damage) with Demon Bracelets equipped and four other random 1-cost cards that all have Mirror Image equipped. Start by playing all four Mirror Image cards at the side so that the bottom lane should have a 5*. After that just deal 30 damage(If you are using Syuya's 90/10 card) and let your leader get a OP hit. After that move your leader down and play your demon card at where your leader was and hit with your demon first. Demon Bracelet should kill off the side cards so you can deal a additional 20 damage to the leader. Your demon should die after that so just play the second demon card and repeat. You should win at this point.
 * Note that to do this you would need 4 Mirror Image and at least two demon type cards(Which you can get after your first playthrough) so this method is meant for people who are at least on the second playthrough.(You need to be done with your first playthrough to get the 90/10 Syuya card too, if I'm not mistaken.) You also need two demon bracelets for this tactic to work.
 * The Sayane Lockdown Deck provided in the Recommendations section of this wiki will NOT work here because running out of cards to draw results in defeat!!!

Dreamlands 1st Visit

 * IMPORTANT NOTE: You cannot exit the Dreamlands normally. The only exit points are predetermined. You will be forced to exit after you defeat the first boss. You will be forced to exit again at a certain point in the map during the second part after Chapter 4 begins. Finally, you will finish the Dreamlands in the third part after Chapter 6 begins.
 * ANOTHER NOTE: I am assuming you are using the English Interface Patch provided by a very friendly user on hongfire.com. If you are not, then most of these card names and abilities will be gibberish to you.
 * During your first visit to the Dreamlands, your objective will be in the upper right. Enemies on this map are static, meaning they will not move.
 * The items you find throughout the Dreamlands will always be SR or EU rank and are exclusive, so it is in your best interest to collect them if you are aiming for completion. The BP is nothing worth mentioning, as usual. At this point in the game, you should have maxed your BP out anyway.
 * Once you reach your destination, you will face Ganoel. She shouldn't be particularly difficult the first time around assuming you kept your cards in NG+ (you did beat the game at least twice before, after all).
 * Ganoel's leader card has 120HP and 16ATK, 2 control, and two very annoying abilities. The first, "Racist", gives it +3ATK against cards of a different race. That means any non-Angel and non-Devil cards will be taking 19DMG. Its other ability, "Binding Light Barrier", automatically inflicts Bind on any non-leader cards in your vanguard, which will lower their control by 1.
 * The same rule about running out of cards applies. That is, if you don't have a card to draw, you automatically lose. This also applies to Ganoel. Also, all non-leader cards recover all HP at the beginning of their owners' turn.
 * The "triangle strategy", described in the Gameplay section of this wiki, works well enough. If you don't know it by now, you better learn it.
 * Be prepared to move Syuya into the back early in the battle to avoid critical loss of LP.
 * Recommended partners include Gillezel and Madoka. For those feeling lucky, you could try Ritrana. If you build a deck centered on forcing the opponent to discard cards, then Atori and Haishera are good partners. Haishera is recommended since it is unlikely you will outlast Ganoel's monstrous ATK.
 * After you defeat Ganoel, you will be forced to exit the dungeon. It will become available again after you decide your route and gain access to the World Map (Chapter 4). If you don't visit and clear it a second time before Chapter 4 ends, then it will disappear for the rest of that playthrough.
 * Items obtainable in the 1st visit include:
 * Darkness Halberd at the very bottom (SR equipment card for Selberg)
 * Gold behind the first static enemy (2500BP)
 * Jewel Chest right before the boss (18000BP)

Dreamlands 2nd Visit

 * After the start of Chapter 4, the World Map will become accessible. Take the time to talk to all of your allies until you get a message telling you that you are officially in Free Action. Then go to the World Map and you will notice that Nibu Elementary has opened as a destination. Go there and choose to go to the Dreamlands when asked.
 * As soon as you arrive, you'll meet Makoto and Atori (I wonder what they're doing there...?), who will join you. At this point, you get 4 of Atori's base card, and 1 of each of her first four non-base cards.
 * You'll start out at the same place you were at last time, but now there's an extra door. Go through it. Enemies are static in this map as well, so you don't need to worry about accidentally running into them. They don't guard anything this time around either, so feel free to skip all non-event encounters. The question-mark clouds next to sliding doors are enemies; everything else is BP or an item.
 * As you come out the other side of the room, the first event battle will be right in front of you. This is a pretty simple battle against a generic enemy leader you can find elsewhere in the Dreamlands. As usual, running out of cards results in defeat. The HP of all subs is recovered at the beginning of their owners' turns.
 * After the first event battle, there will be a second event battle nearby against another rather easy enemy. However, you will be thrown into a survival event battle afterwards with a weak Atori leader card.
 * You only need to survive 5 turns to win this battle. I suggest building a special deck full of 1-cost cards, preferably ones with the "Reinforce" ability (which lets you draw one card when that card is defeated).
 * Start the battle by moving your leader card to the LEFT. The A.I. will always start attacking from your left and move to the right. You'll see the importance soon.
 * Fill your vanguard with 1-cost cards. Next turn (turn 2), move your leader card backwards and fill only the left and middle vanguard slots. Since the A.I. attacks from left to right, your leader card will be untouched. Repeat this for the rest of the battle. If your hand runs out, only fill the slot in front of your leader card (left vanguard). You'll survive.
 * On a side note, try to save your Finish Arts gauge for the next battle.
 * After the battle, you'll be treated to an H scene with Atori.
 * Oh look, another event battle. This time, you'll be fighting with an EX Deck. Your leader card is the 90LP/10ATK Syuya card. The triangle strategy should work well enough here, but be prepared to move your leader to the back since LP will most likely become an issue. Use Syuya's Finish Art to help.
 * Your only SUB that can take a hit from the enemy leader is Syuya's 5-cost card. As such, your priority will be to summon him and keep him from getting poisoned. Then all you have to do is stick him in front of the enemy leader and keep the other vanguard slots filled. He'll never die. You will have to watch out for "Sniper" cards though. Their ability prevents you from blocking their side attacks. (If you manage to get the enemy leader debuffed with Syuya's plague-skill, you can actually use your 4-cost cards for this strategy as well.)
 * After the fight, you'll be given the option to exit. This isn't the end of the 2nd visit yet. If you exit, you still have to come back and beat the boss before the end of Chapter 4.
 * Defeat or escape the first enemy you come across. You have two choices in proceeding. The first door isn't blocked by any enemies; the second is behind one static enemy. For the purposes of this walkthrough, I'll be starting with the door to the right that isn't blocked since it's a lot shorter.
 * Go through the door on the right, and your destination will be to your immediate right. It's a simple event battle. Afterwards, you will be given the option to exit again.
 * You'll be dropped off at the same place, again with the two doors in front of you. This time, make your way to the other door.
 * Notice that one enemy in here actually moves. It follows a fixed path in a counterclockwise circle, so just steer clear if you don't feel like fighting it. Proceed through the door on the other side.
 * You'll arrive in another room with another moving enemy and two static enemies. Starting from where you are and moving clockwise, the question-mark clouds are BP, item, enemy, item, item, and enemy. In the center is an EX boss who will most likely kick your ass if this is your first time in Dreamlands. Don't even try.
 * For the brave (or stupid) or those for whom this isn't their first time, the EX boss has 246LP/16ATK, 2 control and a cost of 6. Its two abilities are Skewer and Torakia's Depression. Skewer causes your leader card to take surplus damage that exceeds a SUB's HP (i.e. EX boss defeats a SUB with 8HP --> Leader card takes 8LP damage). Torakia's Depression lowers the ATK of the enemy vanguard card in front of the enemy leader by 5 if it is a SUB.
 * The same rules for all other Dreamlands battles applies here, so HP of SUBs is fully restored on start of turn and running out of cards results in defeat.
 * Please note: this boss actually is 'EX' one, and to enable EX content, including bosses, you need to complete Dreamstate dungeon, then complete the game, after which you will be able to enable EX content when starting new game. In other words, you can't fight this boss during your first time in Dreamlands, because it simply won't be present, so you can simply ignore all those aforementioned speculations about "don't even try" or being "brave (or stupid)". Boss stats and abilities are described correctly, though.
 * If you step on the space before the exit, it'll force you to go through the door. You can easily re-enter the previous area, but doing so will force you into a battle with the mobile enemy in that room.
 * This next area has quite a lot of stuff in it. To your left is a static enemy, guarding the path to two BP pickups and an item. South of where you start is another event battle. To the east is a mobile enemy guarding an item. South of that is another item and another static enemy guarding a BP pickup. To the northeast is yet another static enemy guarding two items--one to the north and one farther south.
 * When you're ready, head through the door marked with an event for a battle. Afterwards, you will be given the option to exit again.
 * Head through the door that was marked with an event.
 * Another room, another mobile enemy, more doors. Question-mark clouds in front of the sliding doors are enemies. From your starting point and proceeding clockwise: BP, item, item, enemy, enemy to the right, item to the left.
 * Passing through the door on the other side brings you to another open area. To your immediate left is an item guarded by a static enemy.
 * Proceed to the event point, and you will be kicked out of the dungeon. Return in Chapter 6 to conclude events here.
 * Items obtained this time around include:
 * Rainbow Tie in the first room at the top (EU equipment for Syuya)
 * Illusive Figure C in the same room (Alchemy material for 7-cost Anastasia)
 * Heal Ring in the same area as your H scene with Atori (SR equipment for SUBs; "Ultra Regen" effect)
 * Satan Chast behind left static enemy in room with moving enemy (EU equipment for Vaza)
 * Fallen Angel Spear behind right static enemy in same room (EU equipment for Gillezel)
 * In the second room with the moving enemy, clockwise from your starting position:
 * Warmaiden's Spear (EU equipment for Mehisha)
 * Marwen's Collar (R Leader equipment; increases EXP gained by 100%)
 * Distortion Robe (EU equipment for Ernst)
 * In the order that they are listed in the room with the event door:
 * S Mithril Steel (Alchemy material)
 * Silver Shackle (R equipment for Quinolraza)
 * Seiryu Medal (Alchemy material)
 * Rainbow Egg (Alchemy material)
 * Genbu Medal (Alchemy material)
 * In the order that they are listed in the room behind the event door:
 * Sterula Ring L (EU equipment, reduces cost of 6, 7, or 8-cost card by 1)
 * Illusive Figure A (Alchemy material for 7-cost Eushully-chan card)
 * Fine Figure A (collectible Sale item; depicts Satia from Ikusa Megami series)
 * If you've played the series, this particular pose appears in Ikusa Megami Verita as an extra title for Celica on NG+ runs.
 * In the last room:
 * Replicator Particles (Alchemy material)

Dreamlands 3rd Visit

 * You'll be able to visit Dreamlands 3rd and last time in chapter 6.
 * You'll start on the same map you left, with event point right next to you. You can move to the north to get items, or you can go straight to event. Keep in mind, though, that you won't be able to return here after event.
 * Event is a battle with Ganoel (146 LP, 13 attack, with Rasist (+3 dmg to different type) and Redemption (3 dmg to SUBs played or moved in front of her) skills). You can't use angels in this battle.
 * After you win, you'll be given a choice. First option leads to Game Over, so choose second one. You'll get H scene with Ganoel and Shadow, after which Atori will leave you (but you can still use her) and Ganoel will join you (bringing her and Shadow's cards). Also you'll get Syuya's EU leader card with 2 control and ability, allowing non-leader Syuya to capture cards too.
 * Items on first map:
 * Subordination Cane (Usable, decreases control)
 * Genbu Medal (Sale item, can be used in alchemy)
 * Suzaku Medal (Sale item, can be used in alchemy)
 * Floral Fragnance (R equipment for Syfira)
 * Amethyst (Sale item, can be used in alchemy)
 * Replicator Particles (Alchemy material)


 * Nothing notable on this map, so if you don't need items, you can go straight to next map.
 * Items on this map:
 * Small Salve (Usable, heals 10LP)
 * Mar's Ring (Atk +2)
 * Sunora L +1 (LP +16)


 * On this map you need to kill all 3 enemies in this room and static enemies in rooms they seal to open the path forward. One of them is angel, one is devil and last one is spirit type monster. They shouldn't be much of a problem.
 * After you're done, new path and event point before it will appear. Go there.
 * Event is a battle with Enhanced Atori (123 LP, 10 attack, Spoils and Skewer skills)
 * After you win, Atori joins you again. Go on to the next map.
 * Items on this map:
 * Sunora H +1 (HP +2)
 * Estee Gun (EU equipment for Chihiro)
 * Items on map behind angel
 * Reinforced Plastic (Alchemy material)
 * Illusive Figure D (Eukleia-san)
 * Seiryu Medal (Sale item, can be used in alchemy)
 * Sterula Ring R (Increasing control by 1 for cost 4 control 2 SUBs)
 * Items on map behind devil
 * Fine Figure D
 * Jewel Bag (Sale item)
 * S Mithril Steel (Alchemy ingredient)
 * Illusive Figure B (Black Eushully-chan)
 * Items on map behind spirit
 * Rainbow Egg (Sale item)
 * Fine Figure G
 * Suzaku Medal (Sale item, can be used in alchemy)
 * Blade Tonfa (EU equipment for Kaito)
 * Replicator Particles (Alchemy ingredient)


 * There is event on this map, so go for it, fighting some monsters on your way (and collecting items, if needed).
 * Event is battle with Miyahara Gonzou (183 LP, 12 attack, Penetration and depression skills), you can't use monsters for this battle.
 * After you win, new door will appear in the north. Go there.
 * Items on map:
 * Genbu Medal (Sale item, can be used in alchemy)
 * Light Blue Nutrients (Usable, atk +1)
 * Pure White Coat (C equipment for Miyahara)
 * White Mantle (UC equipment for Ganoel)
 * Rampart Ring (Reduces damage by 2)


 * This is the last map in Dreamlands, and your target here is Haagenti.
 * When you get to Haagenti, you'll be given a choice. Once again, first one results in Game Over, so choose second one.
 * Here comes the fight. Haagenti has 208 LP, 12 attack, Skewer and Sanctuary skills. Also keep in mind his FA (25 damage to random SUB)
 * After you win, you'll get straight into another fight with him. This time he has 245 LP, 16 attack, Ultra Regen and Legion Break skills. Devils unavailable. FA now does 30 damage.
 * Items on map:
 * Goddess Drops (Usable, removes abnormal status)
 * Byakko Medal (Sale item, can be used in alchemy)
 * Digital Glasses (EU equipment for Syuya)


 * After you've defeated Haagenti, you'll get Atori's END-like scene and return back to your world. Also Haagenti joins you and you get Haagenti's and Atori's cards. Congratulations on finishing Dreamlands.