This post is a work in progress, updating as I get time available**

To start off this is just my way of leveling for a mage. This way may not work for you, but with a bit of trial&error and some practice, you might just benefit from it. I am currently lvl 61, and the past 31 lvls I have gained at a very fast rate due to a tried and true technique I have been using to exp. Now I'm not claiming this to be the fastest way to lvl, I am still relatively new to the game with only 5days of play time. I just want to put it out there so maybe y'all can benefit from it. If it helps let me know, heck you might be able to improve on it. In the 50s range I have been getting 2-3 lvls an hour. The build I use is a AoE/Shadow Mage, with +Shadow Gear, 1/3 ratio on End and Int, but that is really up to you.

Fighting in Demonic Crypts 40+ Dungeon, Shadow/Divine Enemies Lvld here from 40-61 so far.

---The Build--- -
Shadow Lightning (left click)
Shadow Bolt (right click)
Gaseous Blast
Ring of Fire
Blue Shield Of Life (Use if you are more of a pure Int mage)
Improved Shadow Lightning
Divine Ward (These 2 are up to you, if you need the resist)
Shadow Ward (Use them!)
Mental Prowess
Bookworm (Can be changed if you are not using pure Int)

That's the build. Now the hunting technique.

Like always bring enough pots, collumn of Mana and 1 of Health should be enough for about 5/6 runs, depends on size of instanced dungeon, enemies, etc etc.

(If you are a pure Int mage make sure your Mana Shield (Blue Shield of Life) is always up and running.)

Ok. Here we go. I suggesting starting slow with one mob group at a time if you are new to crypt hunting. Once you get the hang of what this build can do you can move onto mass hunting.

Power time. Run past first mob group, into second, third, even fourth or more, when you are surrounded on all sides at any time is probably enough mobs. Cast Gaseous, followed by a Ring of Fire. THen quickly hit with a shadow lightning. All the while moving, to confuse the ranged mobs they will miss you and move away from you when you get close. This little bit of moving while fighting will save you massive amounts of potions! Continue blasting away with Shadow Lightning, all the while moving, and when Gaseous returns to active, use it, followed by Ring of Fire. Whenever mobs are not surrounding you completely get a move onto other groups. ANd ya know? That is basically the whole strategy. Might not sound like much, but using it I have been gaining atleast 1000exp every instance, if not more. Sometimes a tiny bit less due to it being a small instance. But I can clear an instance in less than 2minutes, time varies though. Up to about 5min, but no dungeon inside the crypts is very big at all. For even quicker leveling, dont worry about loot/chests etc etc keep moving killing, finish all mobs fast, reset, repeat. For bosses that are left usually because they have more health, use shadow bolt to quickly finish them off, incase they dont die with the rest of the fodder.

(I'm sorry if this all sounds like one big mess, but try it out. It is easy to get the hang of, and heck it might just help you out. I am hopefully going to have a video soon, to further explain the process.)

I will update this guide ASAP. Need to put the lower lvl build/dungeon up.

If you have any feedback please feel free to tell me!

Quote:

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In the 50s range I have been getting 2-3 lvls an hour

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Mind that was at patch 83 when gaseous was for unlimited mobs. The amount of mobs affected now depends on level, and can be as few as 6-8 if im good.

Furthermore, blue screen of life, have doubts it will do good.. expecially at high ranks (4/6 and up) it will rederict 61% of the dmg to mana and will make it 60% more.

This is actually the base of a good aoe mage as it was before the patch, after the patch as I said I have doubts.

Well I was going to do a "Bluescreen Mage" writeup but somebody beat me to the punch.

Sarnya, you'll be happy to know that your build scales to 100. I've been running a Bluescreen all INT mage through the whole new 75+ dungeon (both on the PTS and now in build .91) and really really like the way the build plays. At level 100 taking into account gear I'm at 235 END (5707hp) and 1337 INT (52,423m). This is the sweet spot I've found, I went lower in hp but the build was way too fragile. I have a bit different skill setup though. Passives are CouchP, Book, Mental and Imp SL. On the active side, Bluescreen of Life, Acidic Blight, Unnerving Shout and Gaseous Blast. Shadow Lightning on RC and Either Ice Shards or Shadow Bolt on LC.

AI changed again in .91 so you can once again circle strafe using Shadow Lightning. The only drawback I've found is that you actually run out of mana sometimes when the group is bigger than 30 mobs and if you forget to recast bluescreen you'll be taking a quick trip to the graveyard. I won't claim this is any sort of Speed Demon build that will power level your toon instantly, but it is pretty efficient and fun to play.

This is primarily a solo PVE build, you'll have to adjust somewhat for group situations or HDoL by changing out your gear and skills. The usefulness of the Bluescreen Mage in PVP is still debateable, even with proper skill selection.

I've been using this same method since the new build. But I removed the divine and shadow ward for the passive 100% hp per endurance skill (forgot its name) and for the Heal self not other spell.

100% health per endurance?! Wow thats a bit too much.
I think you mean Gym Freak, 50% per endurance, heaviest there is ;)

Yeah that one. lol.

If mine were true?? >_>

This is not a build for overall play. This is my fast leveling build, built specifically for Demonic Crypts. I use a High Int, Shadow/AoE, mage for leveling. The technique I use I tried to explain. But I think once I get a video up, it will help to better explain it.

Probably not going to update this post. The method works great from 40/45 - 60. After that though it starts to slow down. But it might help yall get from 40-60 faster as a mage. Good luck runners.

Ya I can see why it starts to slow down BIG TIME cause of the AoE & Spirit of the Hare nerfs. Its really inefficient now. I have seen a bunch of higher levels grinding to 100 in HDoL now probably for the good balance of exp (lots of champs & heroes), $$$$, and higher mythic drop rate.

Leveling to 100 in HDoL will take you about 15 years tho.

What I'm doing now is tailoring my resists to fit one specific place, and doing mostly shadow AoE. Once the resists are fine tuned, potion use drops to almost none, and you can make good money and fast xp.

Maybe, maybe not. To each his own. That's why these power leveling guides may not help that much. You pretty much have to just play the game & find out for yourself what works for you. And then you might find out that you can do the things that others say you can't do because they can't do it themselves or you might be able to do things that others never thought were possible.

My tip for people is always been to figure out how things work best for you to level. I don't believe in telling people how to make their chars or how to level in DR when someone asks for the best.

Anyways I made a fraps of my aoeing the other day and thought I'd link the youtube version here for people to see how I am leveling.

I do my runs without popping any potions because I am a scrooge. I can spend money faster then I can make it when I aoe(I like to buy skills I'll never use), and I've never done boss runs for cash. Xp rate is just shortly below 16k an hour. I'm going to try to do some runs with potions in the next day or two and I'll repost with the xp rate on that. I assume it will be anywhere from 20k-25k an hour.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFnDthHawPA This shows two xp runs from oblesk to well the oblesk again after selling shop items. Downtimes are sped up by 300%.

And here is my info, much more then you should need.

I'm level 82
Stats are:
Str: 10
Agi: 10
End: 291
Int: 925
HP: 10746
MP: 30262

Resists:
Fire: 524
Ice: 367
Poison: 134
Shadow: 520
Divine: 270

Bonuses:
Fire: 265
Ice: 63
Poison: 14
Shadow: 242
Divine: 0

Skills are:
Shadow Lightning (right click) <-- My main skill
Gaseous Blast <-- After nerf still good for killing mobs
Blue Screen of Life <-- I never use it in aoe I just keep it on my bar for when I decide to pvp.
Improved Shadow Lightning <-- Important for shadow lightning to do good aoe damage
Average BMI <-- For 10% HP boost
Gym Freak <-- Also for 50% HP boost
Mental Prowless <-- For 20% damage bonus
Couch Potato <-- for 20% MP boost
Book Worm <-- for 100% MP boost
Shadow Bolt <-- For clean up or aggroing a group when they are too spread out for Shadow Lightning

Edit: I just did 2 runs same as before using potions this time to get rid of downtime from healing. I also pulled larger groups due to me not having to worry about mp/hp. The two runs took me 6 minutes and 3 seconds and got 2250 xp in that time. thats 1 minute and 28 seconds sorter then before with a gain of 250xp more. It figures out to be 22,314 xp an hour. I was still picking drops which slowed me down a bit.