I do something very similar to this run, it's a mix between yours and alkaizers actually.
I start off at core like Alkaizers, I like this zone because it has a 1-3 champ packs and is small. wp to the tower of damned 1, also small, 1-3 packs, if I don't have 5 stacks I wp to tower of cursed 1, relatively small 1-3 packs. Once I have 5 stacks I head to raxxis, work my way backwards to fields of slaughter, run a circle around the fields and wp to keep depths level 1, head to level 2, clear it and teleport to town. stash the items i have and then run to skycrown battlements, clear it and stonefort.
The only area you need to know your way around if keep depths 2, which is pretty easy, the exit is always left, so I always check going right first. If i started on a bottom entrance, I do right then bottom first, if I started on a top entrance, I go right then top first. This method usually helps me finding all the champs without backtracking, "much."
Correct me if I'm wrong but iirc it's something like this.
Core = 1-3 packs
Damned 1 = 1-3 packs
Cursed 1 = 1-3 packs* I only run this if I was unlucky with packs in the first two zones.
Raxxis = 3-5 packs* Since I don't clear the top part I never count on getting the min or max number of packs.
Fields of Slaughter = 2-4 packs
Keep Depths 2 = 3-5 packs
Skycrown Battlements = 3-6 packs
Stonefort = 2-4 packs + keywarden
This is almost exactly what I do as well. Except I normally don't run battlements, I really only run stonefort for KW, becuase there are 2 points where theres a stretch of no mobs and I often lose Archon.
I'l try battlement tonight and see. I guess the only other thing I do is Keeps 3, but I only do 1 pass.....its basically a big X, so I go to the center, pick 1 leg, run it, and port out. Its quick and a good way to finish out the area since I usually have 45 seconds or more left on Archon after Keeps 2.
Getting more xp ( 18 to 19 mil ) / run from your route - for the same amount of time i need for a alkaizer run. Generally i do not play for hours straight so can't confirm xp/hour - but it's a great leap from what i have been getting so far..
This is almost exactly what I do as well. Except I normally don't run battlements, I really only run stonefort for KW, becuase there are 2 points where theres a stretch of no mobs and I often lose Archon.
I'l try battlement tonight and see. I guess the only other thing I do is Keeps 3, but I only do 1 pass.....its basically a big X, so I go to the center, pick 1 leg, run it, and port out. Its quick and a good way to finish out the area since I usually have 45 seconds or more left on Archon after Keeps 2.
I have the same issue with stonefort, also an archon build. I have no issues keeping archon up during battlements and usually walk into stonefort with a minute plus. Which gives me time to check the little paths where packs and the kw can hide. I usually repop archon in the middle of the zone and it fades at the last catapult where there are never any mobs. Sometimes archon lasts long enough to get passed the catapult but if not by that time it should have cooled off.
So I tried this run, did it about 10 times on MP0 on my Paragon 60 WD. It seems about the same as Alkaizer, maybe a bit faster if you get lucky with stacks. All in all, not a bad run and I will try to alternate between the two to keep things fresh (if there is such a thing in D3).
why would you run skycrown first when the white mob density is good? You're killing all that trash with zero stacks. Plus traversing it takes too much time.
Seems to me saving skycrown for after five stacks is way better.
Arreat Core is the best for building stacks because it's short, has good elite density, with little time wasted killing trash mobs with low stack count.
I'd be interested in seeing your data sets too, and I will ask nicely (please?)
I did add Raxxis on the end of my FoS run (I do this in an S pattern now instead of an O and that way you don't have to waste time backtracking). And based on the fact that I lose time on Archon I have to assume that the mob density isn't anywhere near the other big three (FoS, Arreat 2, Depths 2) so I'm curious to see the actual numbers on it.
I have been doing Stonefort but not Skycrown and I added that to my run and found similar results to others who have posted above. Mainly that there are large gaps where it's tough to keep Archon up, but the areas that have mobs are great density and I assume that those areas would be better after 5 stacks. Did you do any testing with that area to see if it was better to do after 5 stacks? I would be very curious to see the numbers.
Above all, thank you for the work you've done! Even if all it does is make a discussion and move the efficiency of Act 3 runs forward, you've done a good service!
PS, dear god I hate running those areas backwards. I dunno what it is about the game, but it feels like you just don't get the same field of vision when moving towards the bottom of the screen.
why would you run skycrown first when the white mob density is good? You're killing all that trash with zero stacks. Plus traversing it takes too much time.
Seems to me saving skycrown for after five stacks is way better.
Arreat Core is the best for building stacks because it's short, has good elite density, with little time wasted killing trash mobs with low stack count.
Out of the 6 zones I use in the route, skycrown has the lowest xp/min, and the highest elites/min. This makes it perfect for starting the run with, as you can get that 4-5 stacks quick without sacrificing xp. The Core of Arreat's xp/min is too low in my opinion, which is why I don't use it, as my xp/min drops significantly.
It takes me a little under 12 to do the entire run on average. This run is specifically made for xp/hour and not loot, although if you add the core and the caverns of frost in the fields of slaughter, it will be perfect for loot, as those two zones are extremely high in elites, but they will drop your exp/hour.
You mention Caverns of Frost. Does this also include Icefall Caverns? My instinct says "no" since it sort of feels like it's bigger, maze-ier, and maybe there's fewer elites, but I was wondering what your data says.
There is a lot of dead space at the beginning of Skycrown (walking from town to the exit point from town, walking from the door to the stairs) that you don't need to do if you run it backwards. It may only be 10-15 seconds, but it adds up when your runs are 10 mins. (if you do the math, it's about a 2.5% loss in experience per hour).
I'm not sure that Raxxis matters if you run it backwards or not, but the density in Raxxis isn't enough for me to build up Archon, so I have to start in the fields and then once I have an Archon buffer, I can do Raxxis fine. I do Skycrown forwards as well because I do Stonefort afterwards and that area has the same Archon mob spacing problem.
The Icefall caves are TERRIBLE. I went into one with a minute buffer on Archon and lost it before the end of the cave. Despite the number of elites/resplendent chest, the mob density is terrible. I haven't gotten a map with Caverns yet, so I can't make the comparison.
Out of the 6 zones I use in the route, skycrown has the lowest xp/min, and the highest elites/min. This makes it perfect for starting the run with, as you can get that 4-5 stacks quick without sacrificing xp. The Core of Arreat's xp/min is too low in my opinion, which is why I don't use it, as my xp/min drops significantly.
I'd really like to see your data because core's exp per minute shouldn't even equal a minute.
There is a lot of dead space at the beginning of Skycrown (walking from town to the exit point from town, walking from the door to the stairs) that you don't need to do if you run it backwards. It may only be 10-15 seconds, but it adds up when your runs are 10 mins. (if you do the math, it's about a 2.5% loss in experience per hour).
As an archon I think it's worth the 15s to run to the beginning since I get that time in archon from the starter pack that runs down the steps.
I'm not sure that Raxxis matters if you run it backwards or not, but the density in Raxxis isn't enough for me to build up Archon, so I have to start in the fields and then once I have an Archon buffer, I can do Raxxis fine. I do Skycrown forwards as well because I do Stonefort afterwards and that area has the same Archon mob spacing problem.
The only time I have issues with keeping archon up going backwards in raxxis is if the door is open and the amount of mobs outside the door is low that going inside wasted a bunch of archon time.
The only time I have issues with keeping archon up going backwards in raxxis is if the door is open and the amount of mobs outside the door is low that going inside wasted a bunch of archon time.
do you refresh before you go to that area? I usually cancel Archon and recast my buff spells before depths, fields, and crater 2.
The only time I have issues with keeping archon up going backwards in raxxis is if the door is open and the amount of mobs outside the door is low that going inside wasted a bunch of archon time.
do you refresh before you go to that area? I usually cancel Archon and recast my buff spells before depths, fields, and crater 2.
It can vary because the beginning of the run isn't consistent keeping archon up, however usually I refresh after taking the raxxis wp. Sometimes I have a really good archon coming out of tower of the damned so I don't refresh. I also don't refresh going in fields of slaughter after raxxis, and sometimes I refresh at skycrown after keep depths depending if I had to back track. If I have less than 60s after keep depths, I usually refresh at skycrown. I use teleport archon so I'd rather keep the 10s teleport, the 40% resists, and 300% damage nuke over my buffs. Which are force weapon/blood magic and shock armor/scramble.
What do you all do with loot?
Pick up legendary/sets only? All rares? i63 only?
I think it depends on your money situation and what you're going for. When you're lower paragon level, I think it's really worth your effort to just power level and pick up Legendaries until you hit mid paragon levels. After that I think you can stop to pick up items as they start to get better. Remember magic find does affect how many 6 affix items you find vs 4 affix items.
I have done research on it and vendoring yellow items is the best gold/hr, but obviously it's all aggregate (no large payoffs).
MF for items with 6 affixes is done before those with 4 affixes. Do some research before you post next time.
MF will increase faster when you ignore MF at the beginning paragon levels and level up faster. Finding equipment on the AH to blast through MP0 without magic find is WAY cheaper than that same equipment with high MF (sometimes ten times as much). Long term benefit vs short term. If you're going to play this game for more than 50 hrs (everyone I know) then you want to power level and ignore MF.
This is almost exactly what I do as well. Except I normally don't run battlements, I really only run stonefort for KW, becuase there are 2 points where theres a stretch of no mobs and I often lose Archon.
I'l try battlement tonight and see. I guess the only other thing I do is Keeps 3, but I only do 1 pass.....its basically a big X, so I go to the center, pick 1 leg, run it, and port out. Its quick and a good way to finish out the area since I usually have 45 seconds or more left on Archon after Keeps 2.
Thank you for sharing the tip.
I have the same issue with stonefort, also an archon build. I have no issues keeping archon up during battlements and usually walk into stonefort with a minute plus. Which gives me time to check the little paths where packs and the kw can hide. I usually repop archon in the middle of the zone and it fades at the last catapult where there are never any mobs. Sometimes archon lasts long enough to get passed the catapult but if not by that time it should have cooled off.
Seems to me saving skycrown for after five stacks is way better.
Arreat Core is the best for building stacks because it's short, has good elite density, with little time wasted killing trash mobs with low stack count.
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I did add Raxxis on the end of my FoS run (I do this in an S pattern now instead of an O and that way you don't have to waste time backtracking). And based on the fact that I lose time on Archon I have to assume that the mob density isn't anywhere near the other big three (FoS, Arreat 2, Depths 2) so I'm curious to see the actual numbers on it.
I have been doing Stonefort but not Skycrown and I added that to my run and found similar results to others who have posted above. Mainly that there are large gaps where it's tough to keep Archon up, but the areas that have mobs are great density and I assume that those areas would be better after 5 stacks. Did you do any testing with that area to see if it was better to do after 5 stacks? I would be very curious to see the numbers.
Above all, thank you for the work you've done! Even if all it does is make a discussion and move the efficiency of Act 3 runs forward, you've done a good service!
Out of the 6 zones I use in the route, skycrown has the lowest xp/min, and the highest elites/min. This makes it perfect for starting the run with, as you can get that 4-5 stacks quick without sacrificing xp. The Core of Arreat's xp/min is too low in my opinion, which is why I don't use it, as my xp/min drops significantly.
My D3 Character: http://us.battle.net/d3/en/profile/Loras-1351/hero/29537054
What is dead may never die, but rises again harder and stronger.
I'm not sure that Raxxis matters if you run it backwards or not, but the density in Raxxis isn't enough for me to build up Archon, so I have to start in the fields and then once I have an Archon buffer, I can do Raxxis fine. I do Skycrown forwards as well because I do Stonefort afterwards and that area has the same Archon mob spacing problem.
The Icefall caves are TERRIBLE. I went into one with a minute buffer on Archon and lost it before the end of the cave. Despite the number of elites/resplendent chest, the mob density is terrible. I haven't gotten a map with Caverns yet, so I can't make the comparison.
I'd really like to see your data because core's exp per minute shouldn't even equal a minute.
As an archon I think it's worth the 15s to run to the beginning since I get that time in archon from the starter pack that runs down the steps.
The only time I have issues with keeping archon up going backwards in raxxis is if the door is open and the amount of mobs outside the door is low that going inside wasted a bunch of archon time.
It can vary because the beginning of the run isn't consistent keeping archon up, however usually I refresh after taking the raxxis wp. Sometimes I have a really good archon coming out of tower of the damned so I don't refresh. I also don't refresh going in fields of slaughter after raxxis, and sometimes I refresh at skycrown after keep depths depending if I had to back track. If I have less than 60s after keep depths, I usually refresh at skycrown. I use teleport archon so I'd rather keep the 10s teleport, the 40% resists, and 300% damage nuke over my buffs. Which are force weapon/blood magic and shock armor/scramble.
if you have a chance, let me know how it goes bro! love hearing how everyone elses stats compare
My D3 Character: http://us.battle.net/d3/en/profile/Loras-1351/hero/29537054
What is dead may never die, but rises again harder and stronger.
Pick up legendary/sets only? All rares? i63 only?
Edit:
so basically you took all the hard data from http://eu.battle.net/d3/en/forum/topic/6134583402?page=1 and posted it as your own?
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I think it depends on your money situation and what you're going for. When you're lower paragon level, I think it's really worth your effort to just power level and pick up Legendaries until you hit mid paragon levels. After that I think you can stop to pick up items as they start to get better. Remember magic find does affect how many 6 affix items you find vs 4 affix items.
I have done research on it and vendoring yellow items is the best gold/hr, but obviously it's all aggregate (no large payoffs).
MF will increase faster when you ignore MF at the beginning paragon levels and level up faster. Finding equipment on the AH to blast through MP0 without magic find is WAY cheaper than that same equipment with high MF (sometimes ten times as much). Long term benefit vs short term. If you're going to play this game for more than 50 hrs (everyone I know) then you want to power level and ignore MF.
http://www.diablofans.com/topic/82138-the-raoha-route-the-bar-has-been-raised-even-further-30-faster-then-alkaizers-route/