Efficient progression

[Crunchy II]

I'm finding it hard to decide how best to level a char efficiently. My first run through with my Monk I explored every nook and cranny, read every conversation etc. It took me a relatively long time to get to 60 but that was OK!

On my second and subsequent chars I'd like to get more a balance with speed however. I won't be reading optional quest text. I'll probably read the main quest text as it doesn't take too long and it's nice to follow the main story line.

To keep the chars level appropriate for the current content is it best to do full clears? The problem I have with this is I end up running around a lot going back to explore corridors, sometimes it's a maze of more rooms and an event I missed but often enough it's a dead end and a wasted journey.

What do you guys do now when your levelling? Are full clears inefficient? Is it best to instead get +exp gear and just do the main story line?

[Shagsbeard]

I tend to do what ever I feel is fun, and not worry too much about efficiency. If it's not fun, I pick up a different game or go outside.

[krovak]

I have put a fat ruby in a helmet and tried to get as much +exp per kill as possible. With this setup, running through the game will get you to level 60 in the middle of act 4 hell. Usually I was killing hell Diablo with 5 stacks of Nephalem Valor already...

[Shagsbeard]

I don't think rubies give bonus experience for kills. They give raised "bonus experience". The experience you get for kill streaks and killing a lot of monsters with a single blow is labeled "bonus experience" in game. I could be wrong.

[DZJB]

Do whatever you feel like!

I usually get all the quest logs, and logs that always spawn, etc and I like to listen to all the dialogue. Why? Because I like to do it. But, that's mostly limited to normal difficulty anyways (first clear per char).

If you full clear with a flawless ruby in your helm in normal, you'll easily be overlevelled (around lvl 36 after Diablo). And around 52 after nightmare. It's a bit of a trade-off really: you get the most xp in Hell, so you'll benefit the most from a ruby in this difficulty. However, an amethyst is tempting because Hell tends to get harder if you play without too many twinking items like myself.

One last thing though. Now with the implementation of the Paragon system, I'll always socket a ruby in my helm.

[krovak]

I don't think rubies give bonus experience for kills. They give raised "bonus experience". The experience you get for kill streaks and killing a lot of monsters with a single blow is labeled "bonus experience" in game. I could be wrong.

Raising only exp earned by mighty blows, massacres etc. would be a very stupid bonus (i.e. weak in comparison with % life, MF or GF). I am pretty sure that ruby does raise exp for kills.

Now with the implementation of the Paragon system, I'll always socket a ruby in my helm.

Keep in mind that 5 stacks of NV will get you another 75% experience gain. The effect of a ruby will therefore be substantially lower, while % life from amethyst is still very nice (especially in inferno) and hard to get elsewhere.

[SnickerSnack]

Keep in mind that 5 stacks of NV will get you another 75% experience gain. The effect of a ruby will therefore be substantially lower, while % life from amethyst is still very nice (especially in inferno) and hard to get elsewhere.

If you already have some +life% on other gear, then the bonus from the amethyst is less important.

For my barbarian, using a perfect square ruby takes me from 175% xp to 198%, an increase of ~13.1%. Using a perfect square amethyst takes me from 119% life to 131%, an increase of ~10.1%. Since I don't have trouble surviving in the area that have the right DPS for, I go with the ruby.

I'm playing SC, so the choice might different for those on HC.