Best way to level from 98 to 99?

What maps give the best experience?

What are the best ways to augment maps to add the most experience?

The fastest way would be to get levelled in a group I believe.

For solo, I don't know the fastest way for XP, it may be build dependent. You might be able to find some methods of the players that are doing it the fastest this league, which I believe 100 was reached on day 2 this league. For non optimal players, this will take much longer, even once you build is ready. As one of these sub-optimal players, I can give some things that are relatively good for XP in my experience.

-Delve
-Breechstones
-Juiced up 8mod maps with scarabs, content such as breech/shrines, eldritch alters
-Safehouses (Unsure about current patch)
-Sanctum (Unsure about current patch)
-Some unique maps/ kirac missions, such as untainted paradise, cowards trial.
- Timeless conflict (Build dependent if solo)
- Possible T17, but would need an extremely strong build.
- Some heist layouts, though i'm not sure it can match above methods

Specifically for maps, it also depends on your build. What I have largely used the last few leagues in SC Trade is Jungle valley with breech/shrines/eater alters, but that is mostly personal preference. I don't know what the optimal scarab set up is. There is often a currency limitation as well. You need to run a lot of these, so like running enriched breech stones, if you can not sustain the cost, a budget version is probably needed. There are potentially other content that is good, I think it largely relates to how much you can add without slowing down your clear or making the maps too dangerous. Delerium, beyond etc., might be good, but I don't know the best combinations. Atlas setup is also important.

This is not an absolute list, possibly some things I have missed or don't know about, things also often change. Getting these last levels is a pretty big grind, and largely is based off clear speed, how good you build is a clearing large quantity and not dying. It has gotten a little easier, but it is still a lot of effort for not a large change in character power, so keep that in mind. Omen of amelioration may also be useful in SC.

The best way to level from 98 to 99, or 99 to 100 is to not die. The best to not die is to:

1) maximize your defenses
2) don't be too dangerous in your selection of mapping content to run

For example for the first point, if you are a run of the mill POE ninja build with no block, no endurance charges, poor mitigation pool (life or ES or whatever), etc., then it's just a matter of time until you WILL die in even relatively easy map settings, and even with omen of amelioration (2.5% XP loss instead of 10% upon death), that really stings at 98 or 99.

For the second point, it depends on your build. Is your build strongly dependent on aura effects? Don't run map mods that destroy your aura effectiveness. Is your build dependent on leech effects? Don't remove or destroy your leech through a map mod. Does your build have immunity against crit damage (e.g. elusive assassin)? If not, don't run maps with big crit chance and multipliers on monsters. You get the idea.

Common mapping choices are:

1) breach + shrine atlas strategy with breach and beyond scarabs, this strategy has constant UNAVOIDABLE damage intake so be careful
2) breachstones themselves, ideally uul-netol or chayula, probably not flawless versions because the DPS requirements there are steep
3) "5 ways" (5 emblem) timeless realm (legion) runs with good AOE clear builds
4) my preferred method: abyss + shrine + delve sulphite intoxication atlas strategy stacking regular abyss and multitude abyss (increased monster spawn) scarabs with more abyss on map device, HUGE amount of monster spawns and associated lag and unavoidable damage intake, would never try this on a build without good block


Stay away from T16.5 or T17, the increase in pack size is not worth the increased danger from scaled up map mods and wonky T17 mods themselves.

Breach (cascading+bloodlines on 8mod T16.5s) has the highest exp output by far but requires you to have multiscreen clear with prolif or high %explode.

The only thing that really adds to map experience is pack size. Beyond the effect on pack size, the mods don't matter for exp gain. So it may be best to keep the risk down and just run the maps blue.

Anything that adds more monsters to the map, especially magic and rare monsters, is good for exp.

But mostly, just don't die, even if that means running easier content.

https://www.poewiki.net/wiki/Experience#Strategy

I have levelled solo to 100 twice using Heist, and a bit of Delve. Only mapping to get more sulphite for Delve.

Edit: can't be bothered this league though.

Breaches. All 5 scarabs being the basic Breach scarab. Obviously put together a Breach atlas tree and play it on an easy t16 map layout. Dunes is a common map people will use. I did it on the Beach map this league. The "best" for me is easy and solo while collecting splinters to run some breachstones.

So for tier 16 solo maps: remember your Triple-B's. Breach, Beyond, and Betrayal.

At like lvl 97 it doesn't really mater what you do your going to get like barely any xp from monsters. So it comes down to the number of mobs you can kill and not losing xp to deaths. Pack size on the map maters but the more you add generally the more likely you'll die. Like people have said breach is good for increasing number of monsters per map but lots of other league mechanics do that as well. Betrayal is also very good for xp if you can do it without dien.

So in short run pack size maps and don't ever die.

If your looking to do it as fast as possible then you need ideal layout maps with good density like mesa or dunes maps. I would avoid indoor layout maps also when doing a level push.

I'm a caster but super tacky so there won't be any deaths, I guess I just have to optimize and stack Breach and do it that way

Main thing for myself is to find a steady pace, if you're gaining 40mill exp/hr for example then get comfortable and accept that pace. If it happens to be 50mill or 30mill exp/hr then thats ok too. Trust your in-game experience, don't run dumb map mods whatever that may be for your character, if you lose 10% exp to a death it happens.