... Snail Time ...

Ceri - Hi and welcome!

I also roll a cyclone build(atm). I'm running a resolute technique 2h mace cyclone on my first ever lvl 90 in years that I've stayed here (I'm pretty casual and I usually just reroll to a new character after I reach 80). I randomly found this thread and after reading the posts, it pretty much inspired me to actually reach 90 lol.

Current State: I continued to regain the exp that I've lost from triple RIP 1-2 days ago. I've switched to blue maps for now, running T5-T9s. I did spoil myself with a rare T12 Twinned Shipyard map though. I'm currently sitting at 42%. Will grind for more exp tomorrow. Hope everyone's doing fine!

Greetings All.. as with Ceri...read all the posts and its terrific to see such dedication

Im old and do solo...tho I trade for better bits of gear and funds. Because my clear-speed is very low, dont have a map pool problem and trade up to higher maps when I fill a tab with lows or undesirables.

I only do Ranger and only have about 5 char, most of them around the 80-ish mark. This latest is better (LA /BR with a voltaxic)...at 91/11%. I get ripp'ed for the most weirdest reasons...but it seems Im not alone in this...lol. I'm not really busting a gut to get to 100, just want to get there...eventually :).

I used to do everything in a map and pick up everything as well....but was persuaded to not pick up wisdoms or portals to make my clear speed a bit quicker and have extended that to non-build gear.

some suggestions to do chests?....run a life/cold flask...always....and double pop the flask if you get a freeze chest...as sometimes it doesnt "click" on the first drink.

take an alch...(for the white artisan chests) and the smoke mine gem to swap into a slot before opening a chest...guarantees a safe exit and shooting from a distance rather than mixing it with 3 mobs.

Did Talisman and Perandus...of 2 minds to do Prophesy as it will take away from levelling the 91....and...what do I do with all the crap?......lol.

Anyways... gl everyone in yr levelling trials/tribulations and successes.

Whisper

Outspokened - sry for your triple rip - real hard to tough that out - well done for downplaying your map level/ difficulty to boost confidence.
You need to relax and regroup after a pounding.

I had a double rip at 95 I think, and it was tough.

Sh_dow - good to see you post.

A lot of peeps on this thread don't open up any strongboxes as they rip you so easliy and the xp isn't really worth it.
I never open them, and avoid rips. You need a cold/heat flask for them which takes up a flask spot.

Gl in your leveling ambitions.

Me: 97 is flying along!


97 3%

Turnip

I open every single box I see, love those things. When I'm not using Alpha's Howl (cannot be frozen) I have a freeze immune flask, usually on a Granite or Jade that I pop before opening it. I also always jump/whirling blades/blink away from the box instantly after clicking it, to avoid the detonate dead if it's on there. That's pretty much all you need to do. I never die from boxes after doing those two things. And there's lots of shiny loot in some of them. :D

So, leveling has almost stopped now at 60% towards 93, because I found a good deal for a massive pile of Sac fragments. I love grinding them for Midnights when I'm tired and stressed out from real life, so that's what I'm doing atm.

Growing more and more fond of Caustic Arrow too, that's a really nice build tbh. I clearly underestimated how awesome pierce is. CA with 100% pierce is quite godlike, I've got to say.

Ran a really crazy Zana mission last night, a lev 76 Temple. It just spammed maps on me, I left the map with no less than TEN maps. I even got 4 maps off a single blue pack, absolutely bonkers. Nearly all of them were level-appropriate too, a whole bunch of T9-T10s. Luckiest map streak ever for me.

Hopefully I'll get some good time off this weekend so I can keep pushing for real. :)

I miss opening Strongboxes...I was opening any and all until I rip'd to one a few weeks back. And then I learned it was due to misplacing my anti-freeze flask...hmm...so...tempted...not...fair!!! :D

That's cool on the map drops Ceri. I've given up trying to understand it...Zana sold me a T11 the other day with her signature mod. A few orbs later I turned it rare with 40% packsize and very high mods for the rest. It was a bit tricky...but I got through it...and not a single map dropped..not even a crappy Tier 1 or 2...it was pretty disheartening. And then running average blue maps will sometimes drop 3-5+ really good maps...makes no damn sense to me.

I'm at 96.41% at the moment...not a lot of time to play but hoping for a few hours this evening. I'm trying to save up a row of red maps to run together and hopefully sustain higher tier maps (and make it faster to 97) but so far I only have 5 of them. I may end up breaking down and running them before then...but I'm committed to the idea...it would be great to finally sustain a pool of higher tier maps. Clearing them out is no problem for me...and the higher exp gain is awesome.

Of course I could...I suppose *shudder* buy some...:o

You used...the Frost Wall...:0 o_0 :-O

*Ahem*...anyway, good luck on Lv 99! :)

I'm at 96.50%...had a close call with a stupid Rogue of all things...normally they barely scratch me. Made a few very minor gear tweaks, new ring to up mana regen a bit and still tinkering with extra CWDT slots. Really loving the double Blasphemy Temp Chains/Enfeeb combo...along with my trusty Basalt flask and a Rumi's I'm pretty tanky.

Oh, btw Turnip...I saw a very sweet looking strongbox...rare Gemcutter's and when used a WS it was a Gems Have Experience...could...not resist...even with a Rogue inside (this was not the one that beat me up).

So I broke my rule and got the goodies...the best of which are these two:



That was worth it in my book. 8)

Edit: That Lv 19 LMP is only worth 3-5 chaos...ok...this wasn't really worth it. Ah well. ;)

So 22% into 91...long way to go to 100.

2 things I remember from past readings...."..if your defence is weak, your build is poor and you should be ashamed....

...you can never know if you have truly looked for a Mirror if you dont kill every monster, open every chest and roll every rock in a map...

cant remember who said these things, but they stuck...

I also remember the writings of Sun Tzu....sometimes the best form of defence is attack...(the art of war).

Hence I do any and all maps atm...(might change that as I rise in the ranks tho). Ofc there is fear, ofc there is rage when I rip...But underneath it all I think over time one still progresses, regardless of risk.

My main aim atm is to get Zana to 8...and tick another Perandus challenge (she is already 8 in standard).. 812k into a 1450 level....and only 8 days to go...should just do the lab....but not a fan.

It's funny how my rules with strongboxes changed over time.

Before 90
-OPEN ALL STRONGBOXES

After 90
-AVOID EM ALL except for Gemcutters or Cartographer's. If I roll a 'Detonate nearby corpses', I lure em away. I avoid "Freezing" ones or reroll em with currency. I also avoid ones that spawn mobs with "Otherworldly" stat since I don't enjoy Haast popping up for a surprise.

I didn't do much grinding today, sitting at 50something % to 91. Running blue maps is such a nice change in pace.

Got to 93 finally. :D

Now it's time to relax a bit and grind some more fragments. I might get sidetracked by Prophecy too, not decided if I'm gonna jump on that or not but knowing myself too well - I doubt I'll be able to ignore it.

Map situation is pretty bad, I dug a major hole into my T10 stash to get to 93. It wasn't big to begin with, obviously. :)

@Sh_dow:

"...you can never know if you have truly looked for a Mirror if you dont kill every monster, open every chest and roll every rock in a map..."

Yeah, that's me alright.. ;p

TL;DR: 93.0 - happy, entertained, relaxed.

Great to see everyone posting.

I'd love to be relaxed while I map, but I'm always anxious of ripping - sometimes playing at 97 with the hope of reaching 100
feels like I'm playing hardcore. I always played HC in other games, and tbh mid/late nineties feels like HC lol.

Been doing my usual thing. Interesting to see everyone doing so well ... and the ongoing strongbox debate.
If I rip to something, like strongboxes, I tend to avoid them. A boss rips me - I avoid - some map mods that have ripped me ie:
I HATE 3 extra projectiles. I'll scour that map.

Still running blue 10s some 11s.

Beginning of a level feels real slow, but fun.

GL and good thoughts to everyone.


97 7%

Turnip