This thread is all about how to gain the most paragon levels and legendary drops in the shortest amount of time. I'll go over a few basics, tips, as well as comps. Please add all of the useful information you can to this thread. Relevant advice/data should also include your XP/hour on runs. Please include info about your party when you post your XP rate. I have some experience with GR39-42, but still have a lot to learn. Shall we begin...
Basics:
Speed clearing greater rifts is a very effective way to play D3. This constitutes farming a large stack of greater rift keys and then finding a party that can clear them very quickly (2-3 min). Only one party member uses keystones to activate the greater rift. The other party members hide all but one of their keys in the inventory of another toon or at the vendor. The other party members simply upgrade keystone after every rift and recycle one key. Side note: As a general rule in public parties, the ZDPS role uses his keys to begin the rifts as he is wearing XP gear and will gain more from the rift.
Tips:
Tip 1) Upgrade your key, DE your crap, and repair your gear before 30 seconds expires. Blood shards included. This is actually really easy to do and will protect you from wasting literally billions of XP. Every second you waste in town cost you many rifts in the long run.
1.1) It takes longer to flip crappy legs onto the floor than just DE'ing them at the repair guy.
1.2) If you are putting in the keys, put the key in the second the obelisk closes and start the next GR.
1.3) Do your runs in Act 1. It's a very small map.
1.4) Don't be "hold on my shards are capped" guy. I've left shards on the ground more than once and didn't make it back in time. Remember to spend your shards. If you forget, don't punish your entire party for it.
Tip 2) Good ZDPS specs actually make the runs faster. A great ZDPS player, although not dealing dmg, can heavily boost your clear time via CC and buffs. As an added bonus, the ZDPS usually wears some amount of XP boosting gear.
Tip 3) Optimize your speed farming set. Even if it isn't your push set, you are going to be spending more time in the farm gear than anything else. Maximize it to increase your speed.
Tip 4) Try to improve at speed farming with your class. It is not solely about gear. I've seen plenty of geared DPS not juicing the bar anywhere near the level they could be (ie: dying 6 times per run, not using skills effectively,etc).
Tip 5) If you are a DPS, be aggressive. It's not hardcore mode. If you learn your class well, the small/moderate risk of dying is well worth killing several extra enemies at once and blowing up the rift faster.
Tip 6) Learn the maps (especially the ZDPS)! This may be tip #1 for importance. Great speed runners almost never hit dead ends. The maps are repetitive and you can memorize them. This includes pylon spawn points.
6.1) It is usually quicker to advance through the rift than detour. Just skip it if its not in/on your way to the end.
Tip 7) Speaking of pylons. Use nemesis bracers in your party. A step further. It should be on a character that can get to and click them very quickly.
Tip 8) Personal bonus tip: Farm up pools of reflection. You will gain 25% more total XP. It's the most powerful tool for leveling.
Comps/specs:
Composition basics: The main goal is to move fast, blow stuff up, and stay alive. I've made a simple checklist of things you will need to make a generic comp
1) AoE damage to clear whites/elites (ie: Multishot, Whirlwind)
2) Move speed buffs (ie: MoC Annihilation, Chilanik's Chain)
3) Boss damage (ie: Shield Bash, Crashing Rain)
4) Survival cooldowns/buffs (ie: Shield Glare, War Cry)
5) High mobility character with Nemesis Bracers
*Proven top level speed GR specs:
*I've seen or used these builds firsthand. They are very strong. I couldn't find good DH or Crusader builds so I posted my own on Dfans (If you have stat questions just ask me.)
Crusader - zDPS zDPS Speed Sader - Crusader - Diablo III Builds - Diablo Fans
Crusader - Shield Bash (47+)
Demon Hunter - Fire Unhallowed Essence Fire UE Speed GR - Demon Hunter - Diablo III Builds - Diablo Fans
Demon Hunter - Physical/Leech Natalya (45-) Physical Nats Speed/Leech - Demon Hunter - Diablo III Builds - Diablo Fans
Demon Hunter - Fire Natalya (47+) Fire Nats Speed GR - Demon Hunter - Diablo III Builds - Diablo Fans
Monk - Exploding Palm (47+)/EP leech Higgs 46+ GR Speed EP Focus + Restraint - Monk - Diablo III Builds - Diablo Fans
Monk - Pull Leech http://www.diablofans.com/builds/54946-datmodz-zdps-monk-50b-xp-hour
Barbarian - Team speed WW http://www.diablofans.com/builds/56266-build-barb-speedgr47-video
Wizard - Aether Walker/zDPS - See [MENTION=49942]Jojothewhale[/MENTION] post http://us.battle.net/d3/en/calculator/wizard#QPhYjT!aiXY!cYZbYZ
Comps:
zSader, EP Monk, UE DH, Nats DH (fire), 49+
My current favorite comp for destroying a GR is ZSader, Barb/EP Monk, DH, DH. This comp can fly through the whites and has very high boss damage. The specs change depending on what level rift you run, but I feel like it is a strong group.
zSader, Bash Sader, EP Monk, WW Barb, 49+
The comp I'm most interested in trying is zSader, SB Sader, Barb, EP Monk. It has all of the above, but when you think about it, could potentially be better. The barb fills the same damage roll as the Multishot DH and trades wolf buff for move speed and war cry (might be nice to have war cry in higher tier). The SB Sader can burst much harder than a Nats DH (yes, its absurd.) And what is the number one reason why this should be amazing? All of these classes can run right past low density mobs and not worry about getting one shot like a DH/Wiz. Find the juice and blast it, no more wasting time on small groups or taking 3 Multishots at 2 guys following you.
zSader, Pull Monk/zWiz, UE DH/Barb, Nats DH/Bash Sader, 43+
Grab a leech partner and really get efficient with your keys. Dual leech. I've done this before and it's quite good. Make sure you bring your leetest DPS buddies to this party.
Confirmed XP rates (full XP gear):
GR39 = 40-45B/hour
GR41 = 53-58B/hour (dual zDPS)
Anyways, please post here about what you learn and I will continue to update to make it as helpful as possible. Lets hit that GG status team.
Basics:
Speed clearing greater rifts is a very effective way to play D3. This constitutes farming a large stack of greater rift keys and then finding a party that can clear them very quickly (2-3 min). Only one party member uses keystones to activate the greater rift. The other party members hide all but one of their keys in the inventory of another toon or at the vendor. The other party members simply upgrade keystone after every rift and recycle one key. Side note: As a general rule in public parties, the ZDPS role uses his keys to begin the rifts as he is wearing XP gear and will gain more from the rift.
Tips:
Tip 1) Upgrade your key, DE your crap, and repair your gear before 30 seconds expires. Blood shards included. This is actually really easy to do and will protect you from wasting literally billions of XP. Every second you waste in town cost you many rifts in the long run.
1.1) It takes longer to flip crappy legs onto the floor than just DE'ing them at the repair guy.
1.2) If you are putting in the keys, put the key in the second the obelisk closes and start the next GR.
1.3) Do your runs in Act 1. It's a very small map.
1.4) Don't be "hold on my shards are capped" guy. I've left shards on the ground more than once and didn't make it back in time. Remember to spend your shards. If you forget, don't punish your entire party for it.
Tip 2) Good ZDPS specs actually make the runs faster. A great ZDPS player, although not dealing dmg, can heavily boost your clear time via CC and buffs. As an added bonus, the ZDPS usually wears some amount of XP boosting gear.
Tip 3) Optimize your speed farming set. Even if it isn't your push set, you are going to be spending more time in the farm gear than anything else. Maximize it to increase your speed.
Tip 4) Try to improve at speed farming with your class. It is not solely about gear. I've seen plenty of geared DPS not juicing the bar anywhere near the level they could be (ie: dying 6 times per run, not using skills effectively,etc).
Tip 5) If you are a DPS, be aggressive. It's not hardcore mode. If you learn your class well, the small/moderate risk of dying is well worth killing several extra enemies at once and blowing up the rift faster.
Tip 6) Learn the maps (especially the ZDPS)! This may be tip #1 for importance. Great speed runners almost never hit dead ends. The maps are repetitive and you can memorize them. This includes pylon spawn points.
6.1) It is usually quicker to advance through the rift than detour. Just skip it if its not in/on your way to the end.
Tip 7) Speaking of pylons. Use nemesis bracers in your party. A step further. It should be on a character that can get to and click them very quickly.
Tip 8) Personal bonus tip: Farm up pools of reflection. You will gain 25% more total XP. It's the most powerful tool for leveling.
Comps/specs:
Composition basics: The main goal is to move fast, blow stuff up, and stay alive. I've made a simple checklist of things you will need to make a generic comp
1) AoE damage to clear whites/elites (ie: Multishot, Whirlwind)
2) Move speed buffs (ie: MoC Annihilation, Chilanik's Chain)
3) Boss damage (ie: Shield Bash, Crashing Rain)
4) Survival cooldowns/buffs (ie: Shield Glare, War Cry)
5) High mobility character with Nemesis Bracers
*Proven top level speed GR specs:
*I've seen or used these builds firsthand. They are very strong. I couldn't find good DH or Crusader builds so I posted my own on Dfans (If you have stat questions just ask me.)
Crusader - zDPS zDPS Speed Sader - Crusader - Diablo III Builds - Diablo Fans
Crusader - Shield Bash (47+)
Demon Hunter - Fire Unhallowed Essence Fire UE Speed GR - Demon Hunter - Diablo III Builds - Diablo Fans
Demon Hunter - Physical/Leech Natalya (45-) Physical Nats Speed/Leech - Demon Hunter - Diablo III Builds - Diablo Fans
Demon Hunter - Fire Natalya (47+) Fire Nats Speed GR - Demon Hunter - Diablo III Builds - Diablo Fans
Monk - Exploding Palm (47+)/EP leech Higgs 46+ GR Speed EP Focus + Restraint - Monk - Diablo III Builds - Diablo Fans
Monk - Pull Leech http://www.diablofans.com/builds/54946-datmodz-zdps-monk-50b-xp-hour
Barbarian - Team speed WW http://www.diablofans.com/builds/56266-build-barb-speedgr47-video
Wizard - Aether Walker/zDPS - See [MENTION=49942]Jojothewhale[/MENTION] post http://us.battle.net/d3/en/calculator/wizard#QPhYjT!aiXY!cYZbYZ
Comps:
zSader, EP Monk, UE DH, Nats DH (fire), 49+
My current favorite comp for destroying a GR is ZSader, Barb/EP Monk, DH, DH. This comp can fly through the whites and has very high boss damage. The specs change depending on what level rift you run, but I feel like it is a strong group.
zSader, Bash Sader, EP Monk, WW Barb, 49+
The comp I'm most interested in trying is zSader, SB Sader, Barb, EP Monk. It has all of the above, but when you think about it, could potentially be better. The barb fills the same damage roll as the Multishot DH and trades wolf buff for move speed and war cry (might be nice to have war cry in higher tier). The SB Sader can burst much harder than a Nats DH (yes, its absurd.) And what is the number one reason why this should be amazing? All of these classes can run right past low density mobs and not worry about getting one shot like a DH/Wiz. Find the juice and blast it, no more wasting time on small groups or taking 3 Multishots at 2 guys following you.
zSader, Pull Monk/zWiz, UE DH/Barb, Nats DH/Bash Sader, 43+
Grab a leech partner and really get efficient with your keys. Dual leech. I've done this before and it's quite good. Make sure you bring your leetest DPS buddies to this party.
Confirmed XP rates (full XP gear):
GR39 = 40-45B/hour
GR41 = 53-58B/hour (dual zDPS)
Anyways, please post here about what you learn and I will continue to update to make it as helpful as possible. Lets hit that GG status team.
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