So I'm level 85 and farm maps..

Maps are apparently meant to promote group play which sucks for us forever alone folks.
Groups with a mf culler will do better overall in the drops+xp department. Not to mention it's probably less boring than farming one boss all day.

in my opinion

for map drops:
I go solo in magic maps( 72- 76 ones) and get most of the time 3-5 maps(lvl 69-75) out of one. I've ran some rare ones with 60-120 %iiq ( mods+chisel) and got at most 1 or 2 lower lvl maps (lvl66-69) out of it. For getting more maps run them magic or white........

Item drops:
More iiq/iir = more magic and rare drops. i have no iir/iiq on my gear so i can only say if i am running with a culler in my group i am getting more rare/magic items and with a higher iiq from maps mods and quallity the whole screen is full of blue white and yellow in a short time!
Running with a culler in map just means you get better loot, there is no 100% warranty to get a high lvl unique, you get mostly all the time same unique's:
you know what i mean !

Time/drops/exp:
Fastest way to get some currency is farming piety or dom in a group with culler and yes you CAN get good unique's and rare's there, i got a shavs from Dom...LUCKY ME :)! Maps are more for getting exp and the map-only-unique's. 76+ maps are best way to get highend gear<<<<<<< still need a culler at your side for more/better drops!

Maps are a currency sink. That is what they are designed for. Xp cost monies.

You PAY to level up past lvl 85, not the other way around.

Boss run = loot
map = exp

Always been that way.

Well at least there are more options at end game, and while maps can still be a bit of a currency sink it's nice to know that there are some map only drops to ensure the player they are still worth doing.

It's great to also get the change up from constant piety grinds.

"

MadJoe wrote:

Well I dind't say I'm unlucky in general, in fact I'm pretty lucky with currency drops (dropped another Exalt today so I'm at 7 :P)

I just feel drops inside maps are pretty underwelming compared to regular areas, since you spend currency on them.
Just wasted 9 Chaos on lvl73 Dry Peninsula, rolled 107% Quantity. Got nothing, no maps.
At least was some decent exp.

Stop doing maps solo; that's your main issue.

Get a culler at the very least. If you have enough dps and health to tank everything, then you can get an extra person to be there with nothing but IIQ gear who will pretty much just follow from the distance, with the culler like 10 steps behind, and you fighting everything.

That said, you shouldn't forget that maps are meant as the very end-game: their purpose is to give you way more XP than you can get in normal areas, and to offer you access to the very best items available.

Of course they will feel underwelming if currency is what you're after, given that you can kill Piety in one minute or so, for free.

at 85+ i never run any maps below lvl 75/76

You pay to gain xp at this point. Pd.