Patch 2.5.2 has me playing way more than I planned. The Paladin tweaks feel great, but the loot chase still eats your week if you're not careful. I started logging runs because vibes don't pay the repair bill, and it's wild how much time people lose by bouncing between bosses with no plan. If you're trying to get geared fast, treat materials like a budget, not confetti, and keep an eye on what each target actually gives you. When I'm comparing routes or checking what I still need, I usually keep a tab open for Diablo 4 Items so I'm not guessing mid-session.

Quick Starts That Actually Feel Worth It
If you're early in the season, or you're dragging a friend through their first real build, Echo of Varshan is still the chillest on-ramp. You're basically converting Whispers into Malignant Hearts and turning those into consistent uniques. The upside is simple: low friction, fast resets, and you'll see enough rings, gloves, and filler pieces to get a build functioning. The downside is you'll hit a ceiling. Once you're climbing Pit tiers, Varshan starts to feel like eating snacks when you need dinner.

Armor Hunting Without Burning Your Sanity
For specific armor slots, Lord Zir and Grigoire are where I'd spend my time. Zir is the "please just drop Temerity already" kind of farm, and it's not hard, it's just repetitive. You'll be living in Helltides anyway, so scooping Exquisite Blood from Blood Maidens fits naturally. Grigoire is similar, just tied to Living Steel. In a duo during a good Helltide window, we saw Penitent Greaves pop often enough that it didn't feel like a miracle. That's the key: you want farms where the failures don't feel like a total waste.

Endgame Chasing, Burnout, and Cutting Losses
When you're in the deep end, Duriel and Andariel still run the show for the big class-defining drops. They're reliable, but the mat loop is what gets you. Shards and dolls don't magically appear, and after a bad streak you start questioning your life choices. Belial has been the pleasant surprise for Mythic hunting, especially in a full group where your time per run stays tight. Still, there are nights I'd rather play the game than manage spreadsheets and summon cycles, so if I'm one piece away and my stash is empty, I don't mind looking at Diablo 4 Items cheap to get back to pushing content instead of farming another fifty runs.