So, there you go: a screenshot of the top 14, some xp growth graphs and three different ways of climbing the #d2r ladder.

D2Emu is this amazing community site that lets you explore the ladder race. Go give it a try: https://d2emu.com/

The graphs for the screenshots above are taken from the following links:
- MQT team https://d2emu.com/ladder/208992166_208993852_208986820_208987984_208991536_208992530_208986810_208988456
- top 3 https://d2emu.com/ladder/209146210_208988214_208987422

Have fun and see you in the next Baal run!

5/fin

I'm using the same screenshot as before.

Look at that xp growth for Bao: it was basically extremely slow up until level 56, then spiked up and at level 90 outpaced the other top players.

This is because Bao switched to a Mosaic build right on time.

Patch 2.6 introduced the Mosaic runeword (https://diablo2.io/runewords/mosaic-t1282119.html). It is a level 53 runeword and the center piece of the Mosaic Assassin: the strongest, fastest, density destroyer AND boss killer in the game.

Given the almost flat growth rate in early levels, it's very likely that Bao was playing solo with 7 fillers. The player then acquired runes and bases for two Mosaic runewords and smashed the xp run.

Mosaic is not prohibitively expensive to make but self-finding two Mal and two Gul runes around level 53 is close to impossible due to how #d2r drop tables work.

This is a indicator that they likely bought the material off the secondary marketplace - which is very well part of how this game works.

4/x