Finally got a level 90 build... Diminishing Returns is an appropriate name

Yeah nope.

early lvl 90's is still chill when it comes to experience gains.

But it's a grinding game so it's totally appropriate.

Peace,

-Boem-

I feel like I'm the only person playing this game that doesn't really have many issues with the current experience system and map returns. I feel like they probably could have stopped at the last experience nerf or whatever you'd call it, but it doesn't make much of a difference regardless. Most of the people that complain about the experience you gain at higher levels are the sorts of people that wouldn't get to level 100 regardless of if GGG changed the experience gain.

The experience from 80 to 90 is absolutely fine, and if you think it's too much or too grindy to the point where you need to complain then you shouldn't be playing the game. It's a grinding game, it's appropriate that it's a grind to level. You say this is your first level 90 character, but the experience rate has been nerfed several times in the past, and your account was made pretty long ago, so I'm not really sure why you're complaining.

I don't like being rude, but you've been playing since closed beta and still have a very weak grasp on the game's knowledge. Granted, you could have taken a massive break between, or have some other circumstances, but I just find that kinda funny. This is also shown by your character page. Your gear is what I'd consider to be quite garbage, though I understand that not everyone who plays has access to insane gear. Honestly, you could easily farm for better gloves and jewelry in a few hours, a decent upgrade for everything would only cost up to an exalt max, even in standard. Gear and skill limit the build a lot more than the passive tree, which is why you might be struggling but Mathil has no issues at all.

Map drops are fine, they're more plentiful than they've ever been. You can only get higher tier maps by running higher tier maps. You can't complain about having very few red maps if you never run them. And bearers are never an excuse for dying. I understand that bearers can kill players with slow reaction times from time to time, but if you're dying to them consistently you might want to work on something. You have a few seconds to react to them, there's honestly no excuse. I can justify volatiles, but never bearers.


TL;DR
You seem very ignorant to game knowledge for someone who's been playing for over 4 years. Again, I don't like to be rude, but your gear is bad, your character is bad, and honestly I think you might be bad. Following a build guide is never a good idea if you don't understand what you're doing, which seems to be the case here.

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It's amazing that you're from closed beta and still at the game knowledge level of a 1-week newbie.

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Arrowneous wrote:

The unique Storm Bearers looked like a no-brainer to kill and they were (shaped Jungle Valley map) as I was 99.99% to level 90 and was playing a tier 6 map to be very safe but when they die they drop a shocking type of orb that I wasn't paying attention to and without Fortify active I got hit by one and died. Totally pissed me off to lose 10% xp being so close to leveling but hey, this is PoE so I guess it's supposed to be a very unbalanced arpg (not really but 3 months is an impossibly short time for the QA team to debug and do any balance testing).

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Arrowneous wrote:

that I wasn't paying attention to

Lesson learned: pay attention to what you are doing. If you play a flashy build, move away from any unknown bloodlines pack for a few seconds after they die.

It takes a long time to build up a red map pool, but the maps do accumulate. I'm currently at 40 T11 maps, 18 T12 maps, 4 T13 maps and a few higher ones.

Um not sure what Malthil build guide you are following, but I'm pretty sure the optimal 5L setup for Blade Flurry is not: BF > Faster Attacks > Inc Crit Strikes > Melee Physical Damage > Faster Casting...


Faster Casting. Wut mate?

Also out of curiosity, what are you using orb of storms for? It's not linked to PCoC or any real mechanic...just curious as to what that helps you achieve.

Also you are running around with a neck that has spell damage on a BF build.

Not sure but it seems as if blindly following guides has lead you into a state of complacency where you aren't actually learning anything about the game.

I'm actually surprised that build got to level 90. You are life based but literally have 2 pieces of gear with sub par life rolls? Are you even breaking 3k life? I can't imagine you are unless you aren't taking anything except life nodes in the tree (didn't look at tree).

Crazy...your character does look like a new players character which just has me scratching my head a little. Four years of playing and this assassin is your best char? That's wild.

Please note I am not trying to be insulting or anything. It is just so amazing to me that you were able to hit 90 with that character. Kudos for that...

Your affix itemization is profoundly confusing. A few gear pieces looks like you literally found in a4 cruel and decided never to upgrade from.

For a few dozen chaos orbs you could literally double the power of your character's combat ability.

Yanno, if I'm remembering right, isn't the highest level mob in the game at present the Shaper at 84, with the general average being somewhere around 81-82 only at the extreme high end? I imagine that the experience curve is still designed with the idea that you would be fighting mobs at about the same level you are in order to gain the most optimal experience, or ones a few levels higher...

...which much like Diablo 2, don't actually exist in the game at this point and time. That could contribute a lot to the 1-70 leveling experience seeming 'fast', as you can mostly just do Story and almost always be within 5 levels of what you're fighting. Map progression would be about where it starts to slow down once you start not having a guarantee of finding mobs even close to -5 without buying up higher map tiers or getting lucky with drops.

I dunno, it makes sense to me. But around 90 is when I stopped really caring leveling in Diablo 2 as well, having done the math in much the same way in my head. Here, it's also compounded by the fact that I'm not really sure I even need those last 10 points... if my build isn't complete long before then, I should be using Regrets to fix that.

Experience curve seems fine for how it's implemented. Probably fine, period, as long as you're not in the Leaderboard chase. If you are, maintaining a realistic expectation that there are only n spots on that board and the number of people pushing for it likely well exceeds that value and that you are likely to not be in the top brackets is probably healthy.

Or I could just be weird. I'm not sure I'd argue against that charge in court.

I have made it to 88.5 - seems to be my limit, I might make it to 90 one day but am not holding my breath over that one.

leveling is cake til 96.

My build is slow as shit too, ask I_NO LOL

i never lvl post 92 93 because then i like to lower my defenses and maximize my offenses just faceroll keyboard and have some fun until i get bored and play different games or watch series.

also dying to random lag or opening boxes lag leaves a sour taste in your mouth so you´ve only really one option to lvl to 95 and further.

play extremely safe - which leads to boredom.
play extremely high ES build which is preferably ranged or bladevortex.
play a totemer with high ES.
do boring as hell gorge rotations with other autsists.(i lasted 6 runs and never did it ever again back then).

i much prefer to have fun in a game , if you turn it into a virtual workplace you will get very salty and angry over pretty much nothing.

Like some people pointed out I think too that some game knowledge is must if you want to get to at least lvl 90, make currency and farm maps/atziri/uberlab/shaper/prophecies (Pale Court) relatively easily. OP has some issues with basics. Add Chaos Damage Support gem in boots instead of armor/faster casting? Or do you know how to make 20% quality gems? Not to mention poor choice of gear/flasks.

Ill quote myself here since there is another topic where we have player who plays for 4+ years that has problem with basic mechanics of poe. https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/1810275/page/1

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I play for some time too and it took me awhile to get into game since I was casual player. What I have learned is, since I play casual and would like to experience end game, its much easier to follow builds (that I seem to like) than to make one from scratch. Most of the time I end up adjusting builds gear/skill wise to suit my needs or preference.

To get to end content/gear farming is a must. There are many ways you can make currency. Some people like to farm uber lab/atziri or Shaper and make builds/chars just with that intention. Some people farm maps or Prophecies (Pale Court). Nowadays I see people farm Chayula and other Breach maps. I farmed maps and Prophecies and managed to finish 2 builds and 36 challenges and still have 10+ exalted worth of currency.

Also, I recommend using poe trade, poe wiki and item filter. Helped me a lot. These are all essential info and tools you need as poe player. If you need help finishing challenges or leveling Masters I recommend chat channels /global 820 and /trade 820

And in the end I although I'm mostly solo player I recommend party/guild play for faster progress.

And don't craft unless you know what you are doing. Most time its much cheaper to buy item you want than craft it yourself.

Thats pretty much from my experience playing poe. Hope this helps. Good luck.