For those who don't know, this run involves taking :
- Act 2, Quest 8, subquest 1, the Black Soulstone.
- Take the Desolate Sands waypoint
- Find the Vault of the Assassin in Desolate Sands.
- Clear it out completely, but don't take the teleporter at the end.
- TP out, Leave Game.
- 'Resume Game' and you will start in town with a portal leading back to the Vault. Rinse, repeat.
Video: (Finding the Vault then setting a checkpoint)
Dataset 1 - Pure AV run
Run 1 - 10 minutes | Deaths: 1 | Ilvl 61+: 3 | Ilvl <61: 6Run 2 - 8 minutes |Deaths: 0 | Ilvl 61+: 3 | Ilvl <61: 4Run 3 - 8 minutes | Deaths: 2 | Ilvl 61+: 4 | Ilvl <61: 7Run 4 - 10 minutes | Deaths: 0 | Ilvl 61+: 9 | Ilvl <61: 4Run 5 - 7 minutes | Deaths: 0 | Ilvl 61+: 3 |Ilvl <61: 6
Average run time: 8.6 minutes
Average Ilvl 61+ per run: 4.4
Average rares per run: 9.8
Average rares/min: 1.14
Conclusion
More samples are needed to come to a meaningful conclusion, and I intend to supplement the existing dataset as I do more logged runs.
Dataset 2 - A2 AV run + Black Canyon Mines and Road to Alcarnus WPs
Run 1 - 14 minutes | Deaths: 2 | Ilvl 61+: 6 | Ilvl <61: 16Run 2 - 12 minutes |Deaths: 0 | Ilvl 61+: 16 | Ilvl <61: 13Run 3 - 12 minutes | Deaths: 0 | Ilvl 61+: 16 | Ilvl <61: 7Run 4 - 14 minutes | Deaths: 2 | Ilvl 61+: 12 | Ilvl <61: 10Run 5 - 12 minutes | Deaths: 0 | Ilvl 61+: 12 |Ilvl <61: 9
Average run time: 12.8 minutes
Average Ilvl 61+ per run: 12.4
Average
Average rares per run: 23.4
Average rares/min: 1.82
Conclusion
Bearing further helpful posts for guidance on how to optimize this run, I will be using this run for further datasets, the results are clear. Nearly double the rare output for an additional average 4 minutes per run.
Dataset 3 - A3 full clear
Route: Heart of Sin/Sin Heart -> restart game until Fortified Bunker spawns, clear Fortified Bunker -> take dungeon TP to Arreat Gate, full clear including any dungeons -> Skycrown Battlements -> Stonefort -> Keep Depths 1/2/3 -> Rakkis Crossing (check for Underbridge), clear back to Killing Fields -> Tower of the Cursed clear to Cyd/Azmo
Notes: I died more than usual this run, for some reason I was lagging and swapping over to the second screen to take note of all packs/deaths/etc introduced some extra lag that caused several deaths and severe rubber banding. This run could have been more efficient.
Run 1 - 55 minutes | Deaths: 8 | Ilvl 61: 25 (38.5%) | Ilvl 62: 14 (21.5%) | Ilvl 63: 8 (12.3%) | Ilvl <60: 18 (27.7%)
Packs encountered: 31
Treasure Goblins killed: 5 out of 8
Skipped Packs: 6
Total rares: 65
Average rares/min: 1.18
Conclusion
This seems to be as lucrative as the pure AV run, but without having to run in full MF. This will also obviously reduce the chance of receiving higher affixes. With MF gear swapping this would be highly more lucrative, possibly as much as the AV run w/ Black Mines and Alcarnus. I do not do MF swaps to save time and reduce deaths. Also we will be receiving statistically more Ilvl 63's in A3.
Based on the above datasets, statistically we receive the following ilvl breakdowns:
A2 pure AV: .106 ilvl 63/min | .212 ilvl 62/min | .265 ilvl 61/min
A2 AV high volume: .169 ilvl 63/min | .338 ilvl 62/min | .424 ilvl 61/min
A3 full clear: .192 ilvl 63/min | .256 ilvl 62/min | .319 ilvl 61/min
So with this in mind, it's slightly better to do A3 full clear runs (assuming you can match or beat the efficiency outlined above) if ilvl 63's is what you're seeking. Number of affixes, I have no data on unfortunately so that question remains unanswered. Overall given how many ilvl 61+ you get from the A2 high volume AV run, that looks to be the best option, especially given the # of affixes you will be getting while running in full MF.
