Dragon Star Varnir NGETE route

Dragon Star Varnir NG, Easy, True Ending RTA route

***Category definition:
-Play on NG
-Play on Easy difficulty
-Obtain the True Ending by meeting two requirements:
1. Keeping the Madness Gauge low for the entire game
2. Keeping all three little sisters alive for the entire game

***A note on difficulty selection: The routes for Easy and Normal are virtually identical up until the Interlude, at which point you have to grind some levels on Normal in order to finish the game.  Knights + Corberia and Zaingills are beatable without grinding if you get lucky, but Varnir will stomp you every time if you don't grind up.

Chapter 1:
-Just go fast; everything is weak to stuff you already have
-Chest: Den's Brooch (before Ravens fight)
-DON'T GO LEFT AFTER THE RAVEN FIGHT
-Chests: Mace of Judgment and Boots of Judgment (behind barrier to right)
-Chest: 600 gold
-MENU: Equip Mace of Judgment and Den's Brooch on Minessa; Boots of Judgment on Karikaro
-"Not good."

Chapter 2:
-Huntery
-Curio Shop; BUY 5 PANACEAS
-Thunder Force formation
-Go to Sanctuary Cave
-Get Dark Spear for Karikaro (through first barrier)
-Left across bridge after cutscene; get chest (Dark Sword) and fight Earth Dragon
-Right in next big room and up for Dark Mace
*Ifrit (Water/Slash) and Earth Dragon (Wind/Hit) devours for Zephy, Minessa, and Karikaro
*Note: There's an Earth Dragon as a miniboss past the last barrier, so you only need 2 devours prior to that.
*Note: A guaranteed Earth Dragon spawn is past the Dark Sword, while a guaranteed Ifrit spawn is to the right from the big room and down the path not leading to the Dark Mace.  At worst, you should only need to reload this dungeon twice unless you get unlucky with devours or screw up.
-Get the chest past the story progression barrier for ~900 gold
-AFTER EARTH DRAGON MENU pt.1: Skill Acquire everything from Demisgant, Earth Dragon, Ifrit, and Silfgande except trap bonuses, physicals, and the right/down branches of Earth Dragon; Equip on all frontliners: Mage's Power, Offense Enhance, and Defense Enhance
-MENU pt.2: Equip Dark Sword on Zephy; Dark Mace on Minessa; Dark Spear on Karikaro; Dark Garment (if you have any) on Karikaro --> Zephy --> Minessa; Dark Boots (if you have any) on Karikaro --> Minessa --> Zephy (Boots of Judgment on Minessa --> Zephy if Karikaro got Dark Boots); Star Spirit's Earrings (if you have any) on Karikaro --> Minessa --> Zephy
*Note: In later chapters, when you have elemental charms to equip on Karikaro, put the Star Spirit's Earrings on Minessa over the Den's Brooch.  Unequip and re-equip as necessary.
-"I want to lift the curse."

Chapter 3:
-Skill Acquire everything for Ruruta except Memory Jump and trap
-Get Memory Jump for Laponette!
-Memory Jump to Forest of Judgment Depths
*Note: Great Dragon devour is pretty irrelevant.
-Witches' Workshop
-Go to Forest of Madness
*Note: Ice Dragon devour is pretty irrelevant, but if you want to do a safety strat, swap in a reserve character for the devour, develop the +5% perfect guard skill, and put that person behind Karikaro in Party Formation before the final boss.  Also note that Zephy should use physicals in this fight and Minessa should just heal unless she's in Dragon Awakening mode.
-Burn top-left vine crystal with Charlotta for Den's Ring
-Go up the tree trunk
-Left path, Left, Straight, Left
-Get the Steel Spear from the vine crystal right before the save point
-MENU: Steel Spear on Karikaro; Den's Ring on Zephy
-"You should be a little more patient."
-Leave with Minessa

Chapter 4:
-Skill Acquire everything from Fomrenard except the trap skill and the blocked factor; equip Relief and Big Healing on the frontliners
-Go to North Star Temple
-GO RIGHT
-Second floor
-"I don't know."
-Go to the vine crystal for a Robe of the Wise
-MENU: Robe of the Wise on Minessa; Rock Drop on all frontliners
*When you have the choice of healing with multiple characters, from best to worst: Zephy, Minessa, Karikaro.

Chapter 5:
*Devour the Aqua Dragon with Zephy; Skill Acquire everything and equip HP Super Enhance and SP Super Enhance
-Skill Acquire everything from Eclipse
*Note: If you want to gamble for a Red Devil, you can exit after Aqua Dragon, buy a Silver Bow for Laponette, swap in Laponette over Minessa and try to get devours for Karikaro and Zephy (and maybe Minessa if you find three).  That being said, the skill you can get from this enemy isn't helpful in late game and probably doesn't save a ton in midgame.  Attempt it if you like.
-Take the bottom route; break the barrier for Mace of Spells, Robe of Spells, and Great Tiger's Earrings
-Get the treasure chest near the event for 3K gold
-MENU: Robe of Spells and Great Tiger's Earrings on Karikaro; Mace of Spells on Minessa; Star Spirit's Earrings on Minessa --> Zephy; Rock Star on all frontliners
-"Sorry."
-Leave with Minessa

Chapter 6:
-Buy a Silver Sword, Silver Mace, and Silver Spear, and get a total of 10 Panaceas
-Skill Acquire everything from Gran Boros; equip Pickles, Defense Crush, and Heal Party on all frontliners; equip Silver weapons
-Go to Huntery, skip optional cutscene
-Memory Jump to North Star Temple Depths and beat Ragnard
-Skill Acquire Offense Super Enhance from Ragnard and equip it on all frontliners; get Speed Super Enhance for Zephy, but don't equip it yet
-Go to South Star Temple
-GO RIGHT, then go straight
-Continue, skip the barrier
-GO RIGHT, LEFT, THEN LEFT
-Skip everything on the first floor
-Second floor
-Skip first room chests
-Get the chest on the right after hallways for 4.8K gold
-Continue down the big room, go across the bridge, get chest for 13K gold
-GO LEFT and then LEFT again
-Run to the save point
-MENU: Hell Flame on frontliners
-Stop off at Witches' Den, get up to ~50 (45 minimum) total Dragon Meats, give 5 to each little sister
-Yes, you have to run through this dungeon twice, or just about.
-Run to first event
-MEMORY JUMP TO SOUTH STAR TEMPLE DEPTHS
-MENU: Shooting Star on all frontliners

Chapter 7:
-Skill Acquire everything from Remnant; equip Tornado, Dragon's Charm (over SP Super Enhance for Zephy), and Soul Boost on all frontliners
-Go to Wilderness of Atonement.
*Devour 3 Lockjirans in this dungeon.
*NEVER USE FARIA'S ROBE OF PROTECTION (overworld skill) to protect against purple mist.  It just wastes time.  The damage from said mist is minimal.
-Take the first purple road, get all chests
-Take the second purple road, get all chests
-GO LEFT for 3.9K
-Continue through the first barrier
-Go up-left for a chest with 6K gold
-Go through the barrier on the right for Celestial Maiden's Mace and a Panacea
*Note: If you haven't found 3 Lockjirans by the time you reach the save point, trigger the save point, warp out with Minessa, and run through the dungeon again.  Lockjirans are common enough that you probably won't have to make more than a couple extra trips.  Don't forget to Memory Jump to the end once you find three, if you have to make multiple trips.
-MENU pt.1: Skill Acquire everything from Lockjiran; Secrets of Mages over Offense Enhance on all frontliners; Hell Flame on all frontliners
-MENU pt.2: Equip Celestial Maiden's Plumage, Celestial Maiden's Boots, and Great Fire Charm on Karikaro; Celestial Maiden's Mace and Robe of Spells on Minessa
-"Yeah, I'm fine."

Chapter 8:
-"We can't do it."
-Leave for the Witches' Den; buy a Crystal Sword, Mace, and Spear
-Give each little sister 5 Dragon Meats (+ more if necessary)
-Go to Underground Path
-MENU: Skill Acquire everything from Gain Zora; Full Relief over Relief and Black Hole on all frontliners; equip Crystal Spear and Great Tiger's Earrings on Karikaro; Crystal Mace on Minessa; Crystal Sword on Zephy
-Run straight until the event
-MENU: Skill Acquire everything from Engelma; Tornado on all frontliners; equip Great Wind Charm on Karikaro

Chapter 9:
-"Let's go after her."
-GO RIGHT
-GO STRAIGHT
-GO STRAIGHT (leftish)
-GO LEFT
-GO RIGHT --> BRIDGE --> LEFT (note: not 100% sure these directions are correct; just recognize that the only goal in this chapter is to get to the save point)
-Run to the save point
-Chest for 4444 gold
-MENU: Great Tiger's Earrings on Karikaro; Great Horn on all frontliners

Chapter 10:
-Skill Acquire everything from Audion
-Sell all weapons, armor, and materials; buy 15 total Dragon Meats if you're somehow low
-Give each little sister 5 Dragon Meats
-Go to West Star Temple
-GO RIGHT all the way to the dead end; get Perfect Boots and Perfectmail
-Up stairs
-GO UP (on the map) for 4 Platinum items to sell later
-Across nearby Laponette bridge: Guardian Mace
-Continue in this direction, go down stairs
*Optional: GO PAST STAIRS for 12K gold if you're worried about money, then go back and down the stairs.
-GO LEFT across Laponette bridge for Guardian Sword
-Get the Charm of the Dark God (middle of first big room in this area)
-Through barrier, across Laponette bridge, get Holy Water of Revival, take stairs
-Go north then up-right to the event
-Down the up-right stairs
-Go through the purple mist for 10K gold
-Right to three chests: Guardian Boots, Guardian Spear, and Guardianmail
-Zigzag RIGHT THEN LEFT downwards to next stairs
-GO LEFT
-MENU: Guardian Spear, Guardianmail, Guardian Boots, and Great Wind Charm on Karikaro; Guardian Mace, Celestial Maiden's Plumage, and Perfect Boots on Minessa; Guardian Sword, Perfectmail, and Celestial Maiden's Boots on Zephy; Dead Wind on all frontliners
-"Why did you save me?"

Interlude:
-Skill Acquire everything from Sofi Tear
-Sell Platinum materials; Buy Platinum Sword, Platinum Mace, Platinum Spear, 2 Platinummails, 2 Platinum Boots
-Platinum Mace, Platinummail, and Platinum Boots on Minessa; Platinum Spear and Great Water Charm on Karikaro; Platinum Sword, Platinummail, and Platinum Boots on Zephy; Water Post on all frontliners

Final Chapter:
-Sanctuary Cave --> Holy Cave
-Up-left around big circle for a vine crystal with a Dragon Star's Brooch
-Stop at save point and:
-MENU: Dragon Star's Brooch on Zephy; Great Fire Charm on Karikaro; Hell Fire on all frontliners
-Up at middle-top for a vine crystal with Fairy's Necklace
-GO RIGHT at bottom-right
-Go up stairs
-Run to event; at branch between purple mist and Laponette bridge, just tank through the mist
-GO DOWN at middle; through purple mist for a vine crystal with Dragon Star's Armor, then the other way
-At the very bottom (on the minimap), vine crystal with Dragon Star's Boots
-MENU pt.1: Charm of the Dark God on Karikaro; Guardian Sword, Dragon Star's Armor, Dragon Star's Boots, and Fairy's Necklace on Zephy; Dragon Star Brooch on Minessa
-MENU pt.2: Skill Acquire everything from Zaingills; Zephy: Party All over elemental, Speed Super Enhance over Dragon's Charm, Earth Dragon's Wings over Secrets of Mages, SP Super Enhance over Offense Super Enhance; Minessa and Karikaro: Great Horn over elemental, remove Defense Crush and Soul Boost, and equip Dark Zone on bottom slot
*Varnir fight: Use Great Horn with Minessa and Karikaro until the lower two segments are dead, then use Dark Zone.  Zephy should heal or Soul Boost virtually every turn.  Don't be afraid to pop all remaining Holy Waters of Revival if Zephy or Minessa begins to run low on SP.