2014.12.28 Multiple Maps

?? Tropical Island Map of Frost?
Lady Bla Bla - Standard
Mods - ???, maybe patches of frozen ground
Quantity: +29%

Currency Expended:
1 Transmutation

Currency Gained:
2 Transmutation
1 Alteration
1 Augmentation
3 Chromatic
1 Chance
1 Alchemy
1 Chaos
3 Scrap
1 Whetstone
2 Bauble


Maps Gained:
Arcade L67
Arsenal L67

I wrote down Spliiting Tropical Island Map of Balance, but that's still in my stash.  I would run this with the Duelist or some other character who deals nearly all damage as physical anyway.  Anyway, this was the first map run with my high level Scion after respecing.  Aside from an annoying desynch death, this was a very easy run with fantastic loot.


Shocking Arcade Map of Hordes
Lady Bla Bla - Standard
Mods - Area has patches of shocking ground, increased pack size
Quantity: +12%

Currency Expended:
1 Transmutation
1 Augmentation

Currency Gained:
1 Transmutation
3 Alteration
4 Chromatic
1 Chaos
3 Scrap
1 Whetstone
1 Regret


Maps Gained:
Thicket L67
Ghetto L68

This map was not easy, and I really shouldn't have expected it to be.  I was only level 65 at the start of the map, although I did ding level 66 before the end.  I came close to being killed several times, especially early in the map.  I got into trouble less often as I got used to the map.  It played a lot like the marketplace.  The area is a large square with a central area.  The boss occupies an alcove opposite the map entrance.  I was really expecting a Marcus statue as the map boss, but it was one of the banners from Solaris Temple.

There were a couple times that I was able to get my sparks into a narrow passage between buildings that was simply devastating.  There were also a few times where I could stand on one side of a wall and have sparks wander around to the other side to take out monsters who couldn't even see me.

I did die trying to do the Eleron mission, and normally it's an easy one of taking out three pillars in a corrupted holy site.  I desynched again, which makes that death particularly annoying.

Antagonists Orchard Map of Flames
Lady Bla Bla - Standard
Mods - Rare monsters have a Nemesis mod, patches of burning ground
Quantity: +28% (+5% from Quality)

Currency Expended:
1 Transmutation

Currency Gained:
3 Transmutation
3 Alteration
7 Jewlers
3 Chromatic
1 Chaos
3 Whetstone


Maps Gained:
Cemetary L67

This was a super easy run except for the boss, who I knew would be tough.  I've seen rankings where he rates out tougher than most higher level map bosses.  The devastating effect I got in narrow passages in the arcade map was magnified in the sections of the orchard with only one entrance.  Monsters died almost instantly in those.  I did die fighting the boss once.  I walked right into one of his big, slow moving projectiles which one shotted me.

After this run, I decided that I could run Grace instead of clarity and switched out two pieces of hybrid gear for pure evasion gear.  I gained over two hundred life for about one hundred energy shield.  Ironically, by the time I 4 socketed and 4 linked those two pieces, I had exactly the same socket combinations I started with.  A super easy upgrade.

Overall, I'm bummed about the two desynch deaths, the third death was totally my fault.  However, I got three Chaos orbs and for a net investment of two level 66 maps, I now have three 67's and a 68.  I think this self casting spark build is a winner.