Paragon leveling, introduced in Patch 1.0.4, was Blizzard’s answer to those who criticized Diablo III’s lack of end-game content. It also addressed a common complaint regarding Magic Find (MF). See, up until that point, most players would swap in a second set of MF gear right before downing an Elite/Boss monster. The purpose of this was to obtain better loot. But the process proved arduous, and sometimes deadly. A re-imagining of the system seemed inevitable.
And so the Paragon level system was born…
Paragon leveling effectively solved this problem by providing players with 3% MF and Gold Find (GF) per level. Players would also gain 3 points towards their primary stat, 2 Vitality points, and 1 point of everything else for each ding. MF and GF were effectively capped at 300%, but with the inclusion of Monster Power in Patch 1.0.5, one could achieve as much as 625% MF with bonuses. Sounds good right?
But what if I told you that the experience needed to reach Character level 60 is probably less than two percent of the total XP you’ll need to achieve Paragon level 100..?
Sorry to be the harbinger of bad news, but Paragon leveling is a grindfest. The good news is you have the power to blow through all 100 levels in a fraction of the time it takes others, just by following a few pieces of simple advice.
Gearing for Paragon Leveling
The only must have piece of gear you’ll need for Paragon leveling is the Hellfire Ring. In fact, you’ll want two of them – one for yourself and one for your Follower. Whereas most ‘Bonus Experience’ gear severely gimps your DPS, a well rolled Hellfire Ring can actually boost your damage output.
Diablo 3 Hellfire Ring with uber stats
Keep grinding out rings until you find one that has at least two or three of the following attributes:
-    Double roll – primary stat
- Â Â Â Average damage
- Â Â Â All Resistance
- Â Â Â Attack Speed
- Â Â Â Critical Hit Chance
- Â Â Â Critical Hit Damage
- Â Â Â Vitality
You needn’t be as picky when it comes to your Follower’s ring. Just choose the primary stat best suited for your Follower (i.e Intelligence for an Enchantress) and go with it. Just remember, the bonus experience from a Follower’s gear is nerfed by 80%.
I’d also recommend that you socket your Helm with a Ruby. If you’re on a budget, a Star Ruby will do nicely. They’re only about 600k and provide an additional 25% bonus experience. For you rich guys, go for the Radiant Star Ruby (31%). It will cost you upwards of 20 million gold, but if you can afford it, why not?
Immortal King’s Triumph with Socketed Ruby
Alright, so in order to use a Ruby you’ll be forced to take out your +Life % gem. If you find yourself dying in situations where you used to get by, I’d suggest bumping up the Vitality of your chest or leg armor. But, generally speaking, replacing one gem is not going to make much of a difference in your performance.
The only other piece of gear I’d even consider is Leoric’s Signet. Although it grants between 20-30% bonus experience, you’re liable to lose a ton of DPS, so be advised.
Tip: As of Patch 1.0.5, if you were able to farm Monster Power (MP) X with a Leoric’s as efficiently as MPX + 1 without one, wearing one was always worth it. However, due to the MP experience buffs coming in Patch 1.0.7, only extremely powerful players should even consider using one. You’re better off giving it to one of your alts.
The other bonus experience and +experience gear pieces will end up doing more harm than good. Skip them.
