The 2nd Anniversary Dungeon is an event progression route, not just another place to use a general story team. Anniversary content commonly separates first-clear rewards, repeatable drops, an event shop, and later acts with stricter mechanics. The exact act count, currency name, drop table, and availability can change while the event is live, so begin at the in-game event panel and treat that panel as the authority for your server.
Older Anime Vanguards anniversary guides may refer to first-anniversary acts and Cake Slices. Current community pages also use anniversary-specific terms that do not always agree. Do not spend or plan around an old currency name. Read the icon, tooltip, shop, and stage reward preview in the current 2nd Anniversary interface before farming.
Find the correct event route
From the lobby, open the event or anniversary entry point and confirm that the header identifies the current anniversary. Check its timer and any prerequisite shown beside the first act. If the route is locked, complete the named story chapter, account-level requirement, or tutorial rather than searching for an unrelated portal.
Before entering, open the reward preview for the first available act. Record the displayed event currency, stamina or entry cost, difficulty, and any special enemy tag. Repeat this check after unlocking a higher act because later stages may have different drops or modifiers.
Progress through acts before farming
Clear each required act once to expose the full route. First clears often provide account progress or one-time rewards that are more valuable than repeating an early stage immediately. A useful first-clear plan is:
- Bring the most reliable general team, not a narrow farming setup.
- Read the stage modifier before placing units.
- Use the first attempt to identify boss waves and problematic enemy types.
- Clear the act and inspect the next unlocked stage.
- Stop and improve the team if the clear becomes inconsistent.
- Choose a repeatable farm only after seeing all currently accessible rewards.
Do not assume the final numbered act is automatically the best currency-per-minute option. A shorter earlier stage can win if it has nearly the same reward and a much faster clear.
Build for event mechanics
Start with role coverage:
| Team job | Why it matters | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap opener | Stabilizes the first waves | Placement cost and early upgrade value |
| Area damage | Clears dense event enemies | Range shape and repeated coverage |
| Boss carry | Handles the act’s main health check | Single-target uptime and boss immunity |
| Support/control | Extends the damage window | Stacking rules and resistance |
| Economy/flex | Reaches upgrades on schedule | Payback before the key wave |
Replace a role only in response to a visible stage problem. If air, shielded, regeneration, or status-resistant enemies appear, use the live enemy information to select a counter. Do not infer weaknesses from character theme alone.
Placement and wave notes
On the first clear, write down the wave where your defense becomes unstable and where the boss appears. Place the main area unit so it covers more than one bend. Reserve premium range positions for carries or supports that benefit from long uptime. Avoid filling the map early; event bosses may create objects, take a different lane, or require a late specialist placement.
If the stage has multiple paths, decide whether one broad unit can cover the intersection or whether each lane needs a cheap anchor. Targeting controls can keep the boss carry focused while another unit catches fast enemies.
Choosing a farming act
Measure a complete loop from queue to reward screen. For each candidate stage, record:
- the event currency displayed per clear;
- average completion time, including loading;
- success rate without emergency attention;
- account experience or secondary drops that matter to you;
- stamina, key, or limited-entry cost;
- whether a friend or public group is required.
Divide useful reward by total minutes rather than comparing the reward number alone. If a difficult stage fails one run in five, include those lost entries and minutes. Consistency is part of farming efficiency.
Event shop priorities
Read the current shop instead of following a purchase order written for an earlier anniversary. Prioritize items that are limited, unlock a unit or evolution you actively plan to use, or remove a major progression bottleneck. Repeatable resources should usually come after unique rewards unless they are needed to finish the event route.
Keep enough currency for any item whose purchase limit resets on a timer. Confirm whether the shop displays a global event end, a weekly reset, or a per-item limit. Those are different deadlines.
Solo, co-op, and carry runs
Solo runs make timing consistent and are useful for measuring efficiency. Co-op can help when your roster lacks one role, but coordination matters more than total unit rarity. Agree on early defense, economy ownership, support placement, and boss focus before the key wave.
If another player is carrying, contribute a role that does not disrupt their setup. Ask before placing overlapping support or filling central spaces. A cheap opener or compatible buff often helps more than an under-upgraded second carry.
Troubleshooting a failed act
- Early leaks: use a cheaper opener or delay economy.
- Dense wave survives: improve area coverage or move it to a shared bend.
- Boss survives alone: increase sustained boss damage and verify control immunity.
- Cannot afford upgrades: reduce duplicate placements and set a cash deadline.
- Clear is too slow: test an earlier stage and compare currency per minute.
- Reward differs from a guide: trust the current stage preview and event panel.
What still needs live verification
The 2nd Anniversary event can be revised during its run. Verify the final act list, drop amounts, currency name, shop stock, reset schedule, difficulty modifiers, and event end time in game. Screenshots and community posts are useful for locating menus, but the server controls the actual transaction.
The best dungeon route is the one your roster clears predictably while earning the current reward you need. Unlock the route first, measure real runs, and revisit the calculation whenever an anniversary patch changes the panel.