Can someone break down approximately what level it is safe to enter a particular act on a particular difficulty? Such as, don't enter Normal Act 2 until you are level 15. Here's a quotable list so you can plug in the numbers. Inferno is absent as you need to be 60 to enter.
well to begin with nightmare act 1 min is 30 and hell act 1 is 50, i would suggest not starting hell until you are 60 sure it may be only hell but better safe then sorry. normal i feel if you know your toon and have played thru it before its almost impossible to die unless you go afk in middle of a field somewhere. having a bit of gold for AH or luck finding good gear helps as well.
my self on my 2nd hardcore toon im almost 16 and only 1/2 thru act 1 normal.
so far i farmed the blacksmith quest to kill his wife in the cellar for 2 lvls and then i also farmed the warriors rest dungeon for 2 lvls as well. good way to get a few extra lvls as well as a good amount of blues for gearing up. works in normal might night work so well for lvls in harder play thrus, but would work for items.
once i get to 15 i find a helm with a socket and put the best red gem i can get for the bonus xp and play thru rest of normal without repeating things much
started act 2 normal at 20, killed ghom in act 3 at 30 and just starting act 4 normal at 32. sure sure prob several lvls above where i should be just figure the more lvls i get in now means less i have to do later when i want to start hell at 60. Once i kill diablo on normal i will prob grind a few lvls out in pony land before starting nightmare.
I was also semi interested in this. I feel like I'm being waaaay too cautious so far in HC, and i'm not even lvl 20 yet. Yet I'm pretty sure none of my SC chars ever died in normal, and probably the majority of NM. But like a lot of posters say, better safe than sorry.
I didn't find level to be a big factor in Normal mode. I usually end up finishing it in the low 30's.
In NM, I usually level myself to 39 in Crypt of the Ancients (mobs in Act 1, NM go up to L35) - not specially because it's needed but because it's an easy power leveling spot (another good spot is Leoric's Manor). In Act 3, I bring myself up to about 48 on the first 2 quests (Signal Fires and Catapults) and end up completing NM at 51.
In Hell mode, I try to finish Act 1 at 58 and get to 60 before fighting Kulle and Belial.
What I've done on my two wizards and my monk (and I have yet to die before 60):
For entire normal I just play through with a 21 or 23% xp gem.
Nightmare Act1: 30
Nightmare Act2: 37 - 38
Nightmare Act3: 46 (Crater runs are better XP than Act 4, and even to some extend hell)
Nightmare Act4: 50
Hell Act1: 50 - Usually 51 because of crater runs and clearing Act 4 nm
Hell Act2: 54 - 55
Hell Act3: 58
Hell Act4: 60
The only point I feel I have to slow down is end nightmare (but mainly because it's so good xp to do craters) and before going into Act 2 hell. Crypt runs usually takes care of that (The crypt event with the 3 ghosts is amazing xp).
Normal Act2:
Normal Act3:
Normal Act4
Nightmare Act1:
Nightmare Act2:
Nightmare Act3:
Nightmare Act4:
Hell Act1:
Hell Act2:
Hell Act3:
Hell Act4:
my self on my 2nd hardcore toon im almost 16 and only 1/2 thru act 1 normal.
so far i farmed the blacksmith quest to kill his wife in the cellar for 2 lvls and then i also farmed the warriors rest dungeon for 2 lvls as well. good way to get a few extra lvls as well as a good amount of blues for gearing up. works in normal might night work so well for lvls in harder play thrus, but would work for items.
once i get to 15 i find a helm with a socket and put the best red gem i can get for the bonus xp and play thru rest of normal without repeating things much
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AghlyWOq6kI0dDRYY0dpNUkzY0VDWWsteEE0Qm5LR3c#gid=0
I didn't find level to be a big factor in Normal mode. I usually end up finishing it in the low 30's.
In NM, I usually level myself to 39 in Crypt of the Ancients (mobs in Act 1, NM go up to L35) - not specially because it's needed but because it's an easy power leveling spot (another good spot is Leoric's Manor). In Act 3, I bring myself up to about 48 on the first 2 quests (Signal Fires and Catapults) and end up completing NM at 51.
In Hell mode, I try to finish Act 1 at 58 and get to 60 before fighting Kulle and Belial.
For entire normal I just play through with a 21 or 23% xp gem.
Nightmare Act1: 30
Nightmare Act2: 37 - 38
Nightmare Act3: 46 (Crater runs are better XP than Act 4, and even to some extend hell)
Nightmare Act4: 50
Hell Act1: 50 - Usually 51 because of crater runs and clearing Act 4 nm
Hell Act2: 54 - 55
Hell Act3: 58
Hell Act4: 60
The only point I feel I have to slow down is end nightmare (but mainly because it's so good xp to do craters) and before going into Act 2 hell. Crypt runs usually takes care of that (The crypt event with the 3 ghosts is amazing xp).