Quick Principles (read once, save hours)

• Move speed > everything. Two Quicksilvers early, craft 10% MS boots (or buy). Equip a movement skill ASAP.
• Kill blue packs, skip rares/bosses that aren’t quest-locked in early acts. EXP/hr wins campaigns.
• Link priority > stats. 3–4L beats higher raw DPS early. Chase links; bench-craft damage later.
• Cap resists by Act 6 (after Kitava -30%), overcap by ~30% before Act 10 (-60% total).
• Use portal/logout tech to skip backtracking after quest objectives/dungeons.
• Do only passive-point side quests (list below). Skip fluff until maps.
• Bandits: 90% of league starters kill all (+2 passives). Alira is great if you need res/crit multi/mana regen.

Passive Point Side Quests (don’t miss!)

Act 1: The Dweller of the Deep • The Marooned Mariner • The Way Forward
Act 2: Deal with the Bandits (+2 if kill all)
Act 3: Victario’s Secrets • Piety’s Pets
Act 4: An Indomitable Spirit
Act 5: In Service to Science • Kitava’s Torments
Act 6: The Father of War • The Cloven One • The Puppet Mistress
Act 7: The Master of a Million Faces • Queen of Despair • Kishara’s Star
Act 8: Love is Dead • Reflection of Terror • The Gemling Legion
Act 9: Queen of the Sands • The Ruler of Highgate
Act 10: Vilenta’s Vengeance • An End to Hunger (+2)

Vendor Recipes that Turbo Leveling

• +1 Spell Wand/Staff: Magic Wand/Staff + (Ruby/Sapphire/Topaz) Ring + Orb of Alteration → +1 to Fire/Cold/Lightning Spell Gems.
  (Make elemental ring with Iron Ring + colored gem if needed.)
• % Phys Weapon: Rustic Sash + Blacksmith’s Whetstone + Weapon Base → magic weapon with % increased phys (choose highest base you can equip).
• Chromatic Orb: Vend any RGB-linked item.
• Jeweller’s Orbs: Vend any 6-socket item (low level okay).
• Flask Upgrades: 3 same-type magic flasks → 1 higher base; (Glassblower’s) for quality.
• Resistance Rings: Iron Ring + (green/red/blue) gem → 20–30% elemental res ring.

Leveling Flask Setup (swap as you go)

• 2× Quicksilver (Adrenaline/Thermal/Acceleration if possible).
• 1× Life of Staunching (bleed).
• 1× Life or Hybrid of Heat (freeze) or Warding (curses).
• 1× Granite/Jade (or Mana early). Later: Basalt/Silver depending on build.

Gem Links: Low-Stress Starters (3–6L)

Spells (Caster)

• Freezing Pulse / Arc / Storm Brand → Added Lightning/Cold → Controlled Destruction → Faster Casting → (5L) Spell Echo → (6L) Hypothermia/Lightning Pen/Elemental Focus.
• Movement: Flame Dash + low-level Arcane Surge (proc reliably).
• Auras: Clarity (tiny), Herald of Ice/Thunder, later Determination/Grace if armor/evasion build.

Melee (Ruthless & Reliable)

• Spectral Helix / Frost Blades / Ground Slam → Ancestral Call → Melee Phys → Ruthless → (5L) Elemental Damage with Attacks or Multistrike → (6L) Added Cold/Lightning or Close Combat.
• Movement: Leap Slam / Whirling Blades + Faster Attacks.
• Auras: Herald of Ice/Purity if needed → later Determination.

Bow (Smooth Clear)

• Rain of Arrows / Lightning Arrow → LMP/GMP → Mirage Archer → Added Cold/Lightning → (5L) Elemental Damage with Attacks → (6L) Inspiration.
• Movement: Dash + Second Wind.
• Auras: Herald of Ice, Precision (low).

Totems/Minions (EZ Bossing)

• Holy Flame Totem / Absolution → Added Fire/Minion Damage → Controlled Destruction → Elemental Focus.
• Summon Raging Spirit or Skeletons for side damage.
• Aura: Vitality (low) early, then swap.

💡 Tip: keep multiple weapon sets in inventory and swap to higher bases as soon as level/str/dex allows. Vendor-craft new weapons at each base upgrade.

Pantheon (early QoL)

• Major: Brine King (stun/freeze chain protection) → Lunaris for mapping later.
• Minor: Tukohama (stationary defense), Ryslatha (life flask sustain), Shakari (poison).

Labyrinth Timing (Ascendancy)

• Normal Lab: after Act 3 (complete 6 Trials in Acts 1–3).
• Cruel Lab: after Act 7 (Trials in Acts 6–7).
• Merciless Lab: after Act 10 (Trials in Acts 8–10).
• Eternal Lab: maps (endgame trials).
  Take Normal asap (huge power), Cruel around Act 7/8, Merciless before Kitava or right after.

Act-by-Act Speed Route (with the good stuff)

Act 1 (No EXP penalty—learn, loot, move)

1. Kill Hillock, town → grab skill & move skill.
2. Coast → Mud Flats (3 glyphs) → Submerged Passage (WP).
3. (Optional fast reward) Tidal Island: kill Hailrake → Quicksilver Flask.
4. Ledge (WP) → Climb → Lower Prison (WP) → Brutus → Prisoner’s Gate.
5. Ship Graveyard (WP) → Cave → Allflame → Fairgraves → reward.
6. Cavern of Wrath/Anger → Merveil → Southern Forest (Act 2).

Side passives: Dweller of the Deep, Marooned Mariner, The Way Forward.
Loot goals: 3–4L, craft +1 wand or % phys weapon, 2× QS flasks.

Act 2

• Old Fields → Crossroads (WP) → Chamber of Sins 2 (Trial + Fidelitas).
• Broken Bridge: deal with Kraityn.
• Riverways (WP) → Wetlands: kill Oak.
• Western Forest (WP): kill Alira, break seal; Weaver’s Chambers → Weaver.
• Return: take skillbooks; Poison Tree → Vaal Ruins → Northern Forest → Caverns → Pyramid Apex → Vaal Oversoul.

Bandits: kill all (+2 points) or help Alira (res/crit/mana).
Loot goals: first 4L, real boots MS, early auras set.

Act 3

• Slums → Crematorium (Trial) → Piety/Tolman → Sewer Keys → Sewers (busts).
• Marketplace (WP) → Battlefront (WP, Ribbon Spool) → Docks (Sulphite).
• Solaris 2 (WP) → Dialla (Talc) → Sewers blockage → Ebony Barracks (WP) → Gravicius.
• Lunaris 2 → Piety (Tower Key) → Imperial Gardens (WP).
• (Optional) Library for gems. Sceptre of God → Dominus → Aqueducts → Highgate.

Lab: You can run Normal Lab now.
Loot goals: weapon base upgrade, second QS, ailment flasks (Heat/Warding).

Act 4

• Dried Lake → Mines 1/2 → Crystal Veins (WP).
• Kaom’s Dream → Kaom (Eye of Fury), then Daresso’s Dream → Daresso (Eye of Desire).
• Belly 1/2 → Piety → The Harvest: kill Doedre/Maligaro/Shavronne → Malachai.

💡 Tip: craft another %phys or +1 wand if your DPS dips.

Act 5 (prepare for -30% res)

• Slave Pens → Overseer’s Tower (ring reward) → Control Blocks (Miasmeter/Vilenta later).
• Templar Courts → Chamber of Innocence → Innocence.
• Torched Courts → Ruined Square: Ossuary (Sign of Purity), Reliquary (Kitava’s Torments).
• Cathedral Rooftop/Apex → Kitava → sail to Wraeclast.

After Act 5: cap resists again (you’re -30%). Replace gear as needed.

Act 6

• Twilight Strand (clear → unlock Lilly gems).
• Coast (WP) → Mud Flats (Queen) → Karui Fortress → Tukohama.
• Ridge (WP) → Lower Prison (WP/Trial) → Shavronne’s Tower → Brutus+Shav.
• Prisoner’s Gate (WP) → Abberath (free skill point).
• Western Forest → Riverways (WP) → Wetlands → Puppet Mistress (skill point).
• Southern Forest (WP) → Cavern of Anger → Beacon → Brine King’s Reef → Brine King.

Pantheon: take Brine King major.

Act 7

• Broken Bridge → Crossroads (WP).
• Fellshrine → Crypt 1/2 (Trial) → take Maligaro’s Map from sarcophagus.
• Chamber of Sins 1 (WP) → run Map → kill Maligaro → get Obsidian Key.
• Chamber of Sins 2 (Trial) → The Den → Ashen Fields → Fortress → kill Greust.
• Northern Forest (WP) → Dread Thicket → kill Gruthkul + gather 7 Fireflies (2 skill books).
• **Causeway (WP, Kishara’s Star) → Vaal City → Temple of Decay 1/2 → Arakaali.

Lab: You can run Cruel Lab soon (after finishing Trials in 6–7).

Act 8

• Toxic Conduits → Doedre’s Cesspool → Doedre.
• Sewer Outlet (WP).
• Right path: The Quay → open Sealed Casket → kill Tolman (talk to Clarissa).
• Grain Gate (WP): kill Legionnaires → Imperial Fields (WP) → Solaris 1/2 → Dawn (Sun Orb).
• Left path from Conduits: Grand Promenade → Bath House (WP/Trial) → High Gardens → Yugul (skill point).
• Lunaris Concourse (WP) → Lunaris 1/2 → Dusk (Moon Orb).
• Harbour Bridge → Sky Shrine → Solaris & Lunaris → Blood Aqueducts → Highgate.

💡 Tip: Blood Aqueducts is a great place to over-level, farm links, or cards (Humility).

Act 9

• Descent → Vastiri Desert (WP) (optional: Oasis → Shakari for pantheon & skill book).
• Foothills (WP) → Boiling Lake (Basilisk) → back to Foothills → The Tunnel (WP/Trial) → The Quarry (WP).
• Refinery: kill General Adus (Trarthan Powder).
• (Optional) Shrine of the Winds → Garukhan (skill book).
• Belly of the Beast → Rotting Core → Black Core → Shav/Maligaro/Doedre → Depraved Trinity → sail to Oriath.

Act 10 (prepare for -60% total res)

• Cathedral Rooftop → Apex: free Bannon.
• Ravaged Square (WP) → Desecrated Chambers (WP) → Avarius, Reassembled (boss).
• (Optional) Ossuary (Trial + Elixir of Allure).
• (Optional) Control Blocks → Vilenta (skill point).
• Find Innocence in Ravaged Square → Canals → Feeding Trough → Kitava.
• Talk to Lani for skill points.

After Act 10: You’re at -60% res total. Fix resists, finish Merc Lab, start maps.

Gear Progression Cheat Sheet

• Helmet: Goldrim (res) → life/res rare → Eldritch mods later.
• Body: Tabula Rasa (6L) → 5L rare → early unique (e.g., Armour/Evasion) → 6L later.
• Weapons: upgrade bases often; re-craft at each tier; bows/daggers/claws for attacks, wands/staffs for spells.
• Rings/Amulet/Belt: stack life + res, grab leech/attributes if needed. Rustic Sash early for phys.
• Boots: 20–30% move speed with life/res.
• Gloves: attack speed (attacks), spell damage/DoT multi (casters), life/res.

What to Click (and Ignore) While Leveling

Always: Strongboxes (ID first), Essences, Shrines, Rogue Exiles, Trial Plaques, passive-point side quests.
Nice to do if on path: Delirium mirrors (if strong), Expedition nodes in open zones, Betrayal encounters (for sockets/gems).
Usually skip until maps: Heist chains, full Expedition setups, long side areas, multi-floor trials if undergeared.

Mapping On-Ramp (first 60 minutes)

1. Finish Merciless Lab if not done.
2. Buy/craft cap res + life on all slots (bench-craft if needed).
3. Get a real 5L if you used Tabula and are dying; or keep Tabula if comfy.
4. Use a Neversink loot filter (strictness: semi-strict for maps).
5. Rush Atlas unlocks (first maps white T1–T5), complete easy map bonuses.
6. Farm Essences/Delirium or Alch & Go, sell rares for alts/chaos, stabilize.