Howto get trough labyrinth as fast/easy as possible?

I love this game, but I don't like the labyrinth at all, I just want to get through. My internet connection just died 40 minutes into my 1st try. I don't even feel like giving it a 2nd one, but it seems I have to in order to get points for the new classes, right? And it seems I have to endure it in one go, without saving. :|

(Btw: Do I have to do the three difficulty levels once, with any of my characters -- or will I have to do this for every character?)

So what are your suggestions to get through there fast? So far, I would think:

* use highest level character with lots of health and especially regen. EDIT: No. You need to endure this with EVERY character.
* pack some life flasks (unless you're CI, like me)
* make sure to have proper movement skills equipped (long range, with supports for faster casting).

These are pretty obvious. Any more advanced tricks?

And is there any way to tell which way is optional? If you branched from the straight line in that in-game labyrinth map on the stones, does it mean you should go back if you just want to be done with it?

EDIT: The answer is yes, there is a way to tell. Two tipps:
1) after you have passed through a door into another section of the lab, look at the stone map that is always next to the door. If this shows a silver key area, go back. You only need gold keys, silver ones are optional.
2) If you hit a blocked golden door, look for a door to another area near it. Walk through, and again check on stone map whether this area has a the golden key. If not, return to the area with the golden door and search for another door.

EDIT: I searched some more on the internet and found:
* suggestion to bring totems to block shooter traps (not needed imo)
* prepare against phys dmg

Another suggestion from me: Don't do the lab too early, so you have more defenses and don't die from the boss (I got oneshot with an evasion char on the last boss fight, very annoying). I do the normal lab when I reach Sarn Town in cruel. You get ASC points late, but with a proper leveling build and some very cheap leveling uniques for your char you don't need them early in the game.

You'll need to do it 3 times (once per difficulty) with each new character, however for existing characters GGG are granting free points depending on your level, 2 for cruel and 4 for merciless. You then have to do it once to pick your class and get 2 more points (for a total of 4 or 6).

I understand that you can run it at normal, but I have not done it myself on an existing character and I can't confirm that.

Edit: As you progress you can check where you are at a plaque near the door and if you are in a zone that grants you a silver key, and you don't care, you can go back and find the other exit. Progression requires only the gold keys and doors.

As of now you'll only have to do it once for existing merciless chars, but 3 times for new chars.
I had one Char who was in Merciless (lvl 75) and only did the Lab on Normal difficulty -> got 4 points extra with the patch -> didn't need to do cruel and merc Lab, but i don't know if that still works after the Patch tho

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Chris wrote:

We will be running a process tomorrow that will grant some Ascendancy points to existing Standard/Hardcore characters. Characters in Cruel will receive two points and characters in Merciless will receive four points. You still need to run a Labyrinth to actually choose an Ascendancy class. This means that if you run the Merciless Labyrinth, it'll be equivalent to running all three (due to the bonus four points).

sounds like it'll always work for any Lab if the char was on merc before the patch.

Does this mean that I can run my level 90 character in standard through the labrynth once in normal and will get the full amount of points as if I ran it all three times in the Ascendency? Or will I just get a small number of points for normal, more for cruel and all for merciless?

Long range movement skill: blink arrow/lightning warp. Many long sections of traps can be skipped completely. Whirling blades allow you travel very fast. There seems to be bias where correct exits generated (top-right).

I'm sure this has been pointed out, but the traps are mainly clustered in the side areas and in the directions towards the side areas. Basically if you want to speed through the labyrinth, avoid the traps, as in, if you're heading towards some traps you're probably going in the 'wrong' direction. After I completed the lab and re-ran a half dozen times to get a sweet helm enchantment, I started noticing the only unavoidable trap section is before the 3rd phase.

I'm going to run again right now to see if this wasn't a coincidence, but it was spread out over a few days so the layouts were different.

Lol, I say "I'm sure this has been pointed out" while it was mentioned in the exact post above me:

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andrey_petrov wrote:

Long range movement skill: blink arrow/lightning warp. Many long sections of traps can be skipped completely. Whirling blades allow you travel very fast. There seems to be bias where correct exits generated (top-right).

Well, consider my post the long version of that.

Fast movement speed is very helpful, With 60+ MS traps are a joke, and you can just run through anything. Just bring a staunching (anti-bleed) flask.

Check out reddit for the "daily labyrinth" post. Knowing the layout saves some time.
Todays (march 15th) labyrinth: http://imgur.com/MhP1Vmz