Alkaizer Runs

[420]

Over the past couple weeks I've been trying out the "Alkaizer Run". Made famous by Alkaizer, the first player to reach Paragon level 100.

Current Stats
I've been using my barbarian FourTwoZero:
Paragon level: 25
Magic Find: 157% (232% with 5 Nephalem Valor)
Gold Find: 182% (251% w/ 5 NV)

The Run
The idea is to only farm the areas that are the most compact and with the highest density creature spawn. Lots of tiny creatures yield more xp and drops than small groups of tough creatures. The time it takes to kill creatures is a factor too, so it's best to play on a low Monster Power. The suggestion is that you should be able to one-hit-kill most non-elites and elites shouldn't take more than 15 seconds. (Or something like that.)

Here is the description on Diablo Wiki:

1. Start game on Act Three, on the last quest: Heart of Sin : Kill Azmodan
2. Appear at the end of the The Core of Arreat, clear level.
3. Waypoint to Tower of the Damned Level 1, clear level in a circle returning to the waypoint.
4. Waypoint to Arreat Crater Level 2, clear level, portal back to town.
5. Waypoint to The Bridge of Korsikk. Clear the Fields of Slaughter level in a circle, returning to the waypoint.
6. Waypoint to The Keep Depths Level 1, take stairs to The Keep Depths Level 2, clear level and exit game.
7. Create new game, repeat.

My Notes
2. On the first run take the waypoint to "The Core of Arreat". Once you reach the checkpoint right before Azmodan there will be a town portal open right outside Azmodan, so you can go through that and work your way backward to the waypoint.

3. Circle counter clockwise (to the left) so you can see if an elite pack spawns on the stairs down, so you don't have to backtrack.

5. Once I clear Fields of Slaughter I continue on to clear Rakkis Crossing because there are usually 3+ elite groups outside and the possibility of the random side dungeons Bridge Stores and Underbridge which both spawn elite packs. (Bridge Stores is either a store or an elite pack.)


The Rewards!
I started doing these runs at Paragon level 22 (now 25) and this is what I get on average, per run:

Monster Power: MP1 (+25% XP, gold find, and magic find)
XP: 1/3 of a level. (3+ bars)
Gold: 500k (Open all containers, pick up and sell all magic items not worth keeping)
Loot: 1 legendary item every 2 runs.
Time: Around 1 hour.

Cheers,
420

EDIT 3/15/13: Added to "My Notes" section (#3)

[cuchulann]

Why not add Keep depths 1 and 3 while you are at it? Same monster density, Level 1 is accessible from 2 points, and the third also has a waypoint, is small and easy to navigate. Also level 2 is the one where the fallen maniacs spawn. So, really?! (Interabang) Why only that level? I am not seeing an advantage to this thinking.

[420]

Why not add Keep depths 1 and 3 while you are at it? Same monster density, Level 1 is accessible from 2 points, and the third also has a waypoint, is small and easy to navigate. Also level 2 is the one where the fallen maniacs spawn. So, really?! (Interabang) Why only that level? I am not seeing an advantage to this thinking.

I'm not quite sure actually. The Fallen Maniacs are the only non-elite enemies that can kill me at low MP levels. I know the run is based on speed, so maybe it has something to do with where the waypoints are placed?

There's a video on YouTube where someone claims to have an even more efficient farming method than the Alkaizer run. I'll post it here if I can find it.

-420