Ars Goetia's dark fantasy dungeon crawler released on 26 May 2022 through Dear Villagers, and it asks you to pick which of six demons your character serves before the first fight. That pact is the class system: Lucifer, Beelzebub, Baal, Satan, Asmodeus and Leviathan each hand you a different skill tree, different stat growth per level and a different Demon Form. Combat is turn based on a fatigue clock rather than a strict you go, I go order, so cheap actions can chain before an enemy ever moves.
This walkthrough takes you from your first session to endgame content. Each phase has specific goals, priorities, and milestones. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Progression Summary
| Phase | Area | Focus | Build | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Start | Byleth | Demonic pact instead of a class basics | Beelzebub | 1-2 hours |
| 2. Early | Synok | Fatigue clock turn order mastery | Beelzebub | 3-5 hours |
| 3. Mid | Tomb of Heroes | Momentums and Postures + gear | Lucifer or Beelzebub | 5-10 hours |
| 4. Late | Troglodyte City | Build optimization | Lucifer | 5-10 hours |
| 5. Endgame | Lair of Zarrak | Min-max | Lucifer or Asmodeus | Ongoing |
See our maps guide for detailed area breakdowns.
Phase 1: Getting Started (Byleth)
The first of only two towns in the game, and the hub for merchants, the stash, crafting and quest NPCs through the opening act. There is no fast travel, so trips out are round trips.
Level/Difficulty: Opening act Key Rewards: Merchant stock, stash access, first crafting recipes
What to Do in Byleth
- Learn Demonic pact instead of a class. You pledge to one of six demons at the start, and that choice sets your stat growth, your Demon Form and your entire skill tree. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
- Pick Beelzebub as your starting build. See our builds guide for why.
- Read the demon description before you pick. There is no way to change pact mid run, and each of the six lays its skill tree out differently even where the abilities overlap.
- Acquire your first equipment upgrade: Apocalyptic Choreography or whatever's available.
- Clear all main content before moving on.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Understand Demonic pact instead of a class fundamentals
- Beelzebub selected and functional
- Byleth main content cleared
- Ready for Synok
Phase 2: Early Game (Synok)
The second and final town, unlocked once the story moves onto the later map. It carries the same functions as Byleth with higher tier merchant inventory.
Level/Difficulty: Second half of the campaign Key Rewards: Late game merchant stock, quest NPCs, stash
What to Do in Synok
- Work on Fatigue clock turn order. Every action costs time on a fatigue bar instead of simply ending your turn, so cheap skills can fire several times before an enemy acts. This system becomes critical from here on.
- Farm for Apocalyptic Choreography if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
- Postures do not appear until character level 6. If you have been ignoring that tab, open it the moment you hit level 6 because they are free passive buffs.
- Complete all objectives before pushing to Tomb of Heroes.
- Consider whether Lucifer might suit your playstyle better than Beelzebub.
Phase 2 Checklist
- Fatigue clock turn order integrated into gameplay
- Apocalyptic Choreography acquired
- Synok fully cleared
- Ready for Tomb of Heroes
Phase 3: Mid Game (Tomb of Heroes)
An early dungeon full of undead and one of the first places worth clearing fully rather than rushing. Its layout is where the game teaches demon shrines, traps and anomalies.
Level/Difficulty: Early game, before Demon Form is reliable Key Rewards: Early relics, crafting materials, a recipe scroll
What to Do in Tomb of Heroes
- Master Momentums and Postures. Momentums are the active abilities on your battle menu and cost Mana or Rage. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
- Start working toward Balam's Strike. It's the best equipment and becomes accessible around now.
- Fatigue is the actual turn order. Cheap Momentums let you act several times before an enemy moves, and Interruption or Decay pushes an enemy's action further back by seconds.
- This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
- Start investing in Demon Form charged over five fights for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.
Phase 3 Checklist
- Momentums and Postures mastered
- Balam's Strike acquired or in progress
- Tomb of Heroes fully cleared
- Ready for Troglodyte City
Phase 4: Late Game (Troglodyte City)
A mid to late dungeon that lends its name to the Troglodyte Golden Axe recipe. Fights come in larger packs here, which is where an all enemy Momentum earns its slot.
Level/Difficulty: Mid to late campaign Key Rewards: Troglodyte Golden Axe materials and dense packs for Rage generation
What to Do in Troglodyte City
- Finalize your build. You should be running Lucifer or Beelzebub with optimized gear.
- Balam's Strike should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
- Several of the best abilities only recharge on Demon Form. Apocalyptic Choreography, Satanic Power, Focus and Wound Aggravation are one use per charge, so a boss entered with Demon Form ready is a much shorter fight.
- Recipe scrolls and crafting optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
- Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Lair of Zarrak.
Phase 4 Checklist
- Build fully optimized
- Balam's Strike upgraded to max
- Troglodyte City fully cleared
- Ready for Lair of Zarrak
Phase 5: Endgame (Lair of Zarrak)
A named boss lair rather than a wandering dungeon, and one of the fights that punishes a half built skill tree hardest. Walk in with Demon Form charged.
Level/Difficulty: Late campaign Key Rewards: Boss loot and story progress
What to Do in Lair of Zarrak
- Lair of Zarrak tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
- Never sell crafting materials. Infernium Ore, Abyss Coral, Demon Tooth, Cobra Venom and Stones of Arbenia all feed the first seven recipe tiers and merchants do not restock them reliably.
- The endgame loop: run Lair of Zarrak, optimize gear, push harder content.
- Experiment with Asmodeus for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
- This is where Recipe scrolls and crafting mastery separates good players from great ones. See our tips guide for advanced strategies.
Phase 5 Checklist
- Endgame content on farm
- Best-in-slot gear acquired
- Lair of Zarrak fully cleared
- Ready for challenge content
Common Progression Mistakes
- Spreading skill points thinly across the whole tree. Each demon's tree is wide, and a half built character has no Momentum worth casting in the fights that matter.
- Selling relics and materials for early gold. Relics with effects like reflecting poison back at attackers are worth far more than the coin you get for them.
- Saving Demon Form for a boss that never arrives. It charges over five fights, so using it and recharging usually beats hoarding it across a whole dungeon.
- Playing it like a standard turn based RPG. The fatigue clock means the enemy is not guaranteed an action after yours, and cheap abilities chain.
- Picking Satan for a first run because the name sounds strongest. Community guides call it fun but weak in the endgame, and Lucifer or Leviathan are friendlier openers.
Key Tips for Smooth Progression
- Read the demon description before you pick. There is no way to change pact mid run, and each of the six lays its skill tree out differently even where the abilities overlap.
- Postures do not appear until character level 6. If you have been ignoring that tab, open it the moment you hit level 6 because they are free passive buffs.
- Fatigue is the actual turn order. Cheap Momentums let you act several times before an enemy moves, and Interruption or Decay pushes an enemy's action further back by seconds.
- Several of the best abilities only recharge on Demon Form. Apocalyptic Choreography, Satanic Power, Focus and Wound Aggravation are one use per charge, so a boss entered with Demon Form ready is a much shorter fight.
- Never sell crafting materials. Infernium Ore, Abyss Coral, Demon Tooth, Cobra Venom and Stones of Arbenia all feed the first seven recipe tiers and merchants do not restock them reliably.
For more advanced strategies, see our tips & tricks guide.
More Hellslave Guides
- Hellslave Hellslave Overview
- Hellslave Best Builds
- Hellslave Tier List
- Hellslave Beginner's Guide
- Hellslave Tips & Tricks
- Hellslave Weapons Guide
- Hellslave Combat Guide
- Hellslave Boss Guide
- Hellslave Maps & Locations
- Hellslave Crafting Guide
- Hellslave Classes & Characters
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