Never before pushed to 100, need advice.

I am usually done with a character at 90~ or so.
However, Ive been enjoying Incursion enough that I am now at 97 and still not bored/done upgrading my character.
Thus, Im really considering pushing for a level 100 (which Ive never done before).

- Currently, Im just running 13-14 shaped maps, using quality/sextants as my budget allows.
- My build is a Rain of Arrows Pathfinder, a fairly mediocre but good enough (IMO) build. Its not clearing maps in seconds, but I am happy with the current power level it has.
- I am in no rush to hit 100 as long as it happens before league end. Just want to get there safely, while enjoying what the game to offer.

TLDR: Does anyone have any advice for a 'sort of casual' grind to level 100?

Also, has anyone messed with EQ+Varunastra since 3.3 and if so how is it?

Somewhere in the middle/end of 97 is the halfway point. Try to do 10 or 20% after hitting 98, look at the invested time for those % and see how it feels because that's where the real grind begins. Also you'll notice quite a big difference in EXP after hitting 98.
T13/14 is fine if you're going for decent layout/monstercount maps but heavy sextant usage is more or less required after 98 unless you want to loose your mind.

That being said, you should be fine if you just keep playing and stick to those T13/14s and play more than 2 maps a day. Try to set up your mapping style in a way that provides consistant profit and try to not loose or overspend currency for EXP in your scenario.
Also make sure to trade for a lot of mapping currency and other items you'll need before the race event starts or you might run into some trouble during the first 2 weeks of the event.

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Somewhere in the middle/end of 97 is the halfway point. Try to do 10 or 20% after hitting 98, look at the invested time for those % and see how it feels because that's where the real grind begins. Also you'll notice quite a big difference in EXP after hitting 98.
T13/14 is fine if you're going for decent layout/monstercount maps but heavy sextant usage is more or less required after 98 unless you want to loose your mind.

Would you recommend holding off on chisels/sextants until 98?
Also, would it be ideal to push into T15s/Elder 16 assuming I can clear them safely?

You should be oversustaining enough total/mixed currency trade for Chisels and Sextants and spam them.

T15/16s are better in every way but way more difficult and quite a bit harder to sustain. I would not recommend this without having a really good build with good gear and the knowledge of min-maxing the highest tiers of maps
It'll probably better for you to stay in T13/14s and play them as consistant as possible.

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You should be oversustaining enough total/mixed currency trade for Chisels and Sextants and spam them.

T15/16s are better in every way but way more difficult and quite a bit harder to sustain. I would not recommend this without having a really good build with good gear and the knowledge of min-maxing the highest tiers of maps
It'll probably better for you to stay in T13/14s and play them as consistant as possible.

Noted.
Thus, would you recommend unshaping all t15/16 maps in order to force more 14s to drop? Or it is still worth while to squeeze in a few of them even if you cant fully sustain them?

Lastly, how thoroughly to clear temples provided they are ta least t14 equivalent?

That's completely up to you. Throw some easy T15/16s in there if you like to mix it up a bit. Or don't. Both strategies are completely fine. You're taking a more casual approach to the whole thing - do what you enjoy more because you'll have to keep it up for a decent amount of time. I can't really recommend something specific here because I simply don't know the powerlevel of your build or your preferances.

The Temple clearing depends on your ability to sustain maps because the EXP in there is mediocre.
Build the Temple for maps, items, packsize and quantity rooms if you're having trouble sustaining your desired map tier and nearly fullclear it or skip the packsize room and only loot and clear desirable rooms, architects and maybe the Omnitect if you're very comfortable in killing that thing.