Returning player need advice on character development and old resources

So I see alot of changes have taken place since the 2 years I left. I want some advice/recommendations on what should i do with the following?

1) Glyphs - What are they used for now?
2) Gems - best way to upgrade them efficiently? I have many flaws, splinters, etc. Also do you recommend normal resistance gems or elemental ones?
3) Old equipment - Uniques, and pinks and yellows (I hoarded many for old crafting system). Should i discard them or will they be handy at lv100.
4) I've got mixed feelings on how sapphires were turned to runes and now theres Zircon! Its spoilt my attack speed twice now. Whats the best way to increase my attack speed once more? (Other than buy for cash)
5) Has the andermant and gem drop rates reduced?
6) I notice you can equip higher level items than character level. Is there a limit or will be able to equip lv100 equipments with a lv55 character
7) Any recommendation on making my mage strong once more?

Also any other advice/recommendations for returning players would be appreciated.

 

1. Equipment crafting. Crafting guide series here if you need it.

2. You're playing a SW. You need 30 onyxes and probably 30 zircons. The other distribution of gems will depend on how you prefer to build your character. Personally, I turn everything except what I need into Shiny Dust. Tiny little flawed and splintered gems are really just dust nowadays. As for resistances, most SWs right now have 0 diamonds on their body. They probably have about 0-3% resistances on average. I have a very unpopular opinion about resistances, but let's just say that for 99% of SW players nowadays, resistances are unnecessary.

3. Depending on how long ago you left the game, those items are with high probability mostly or completely useless. If you have these items, keep them for the unique value, the rest you can probably trash: q2 amulet, q9 amulet, q8 adornment.

4. Assuming you understand how to do crafting, I would suggest crafting 3, maybe even a temporary 4th item each with 4 lines of faster attack speed on this item. Try to craft it on items already with base stats or unique values on attack speed. Then slot all Zircons in these items. Remember that you're limited to 30 Zircons. More about attack speed here if you need it.

5. Don't know about anders, but gems are plentiful now.

6. The limit is 45 levels above your own level.

7. Play ice.

 

Thanks. Those videos helped alot aswell.

Good to know the crafting system is finally not luck based.

The pinks and yellows I hoarded have atleast one unique value. I kept them for the enchantment transfers back then. But they are all lv55 to lv67(based on the old tiers they were). Should i keep them? I think one of your videos mentioned the result level becomes the average. So these equipments won’t help me make lv145 crafts right?

Also is there a way to upgrade equipment levels. Say the beareach staff ive got at lv67. Do i have to re-grind it all over at lv145?

and what do u recommend i do with my celerities. Ive got 8. Since you can socket only 5 should i dust 3 of them?

 

The level average thingy was the old (pre-CE) algorithm, I haven't checked if they've fixed their own bugs since I made the guide a few weeks ago. But anyways, I'd use them temporarily to craft a few decent items to help carry up to level 70-80. Depending on how good your items, some of them may last till you reach level 100 before you find a replacement. They aren't worth clinging to once you hit 100 and can get much better stuff.

There's no way to upgrade an existing item's level any more. So you can keep your current items and use them. Once they cease to be useful, just sell or melt them.

Dust the extra 3. Spend that dust on upgrading your runes - whichever type happens to match what you need. You can't go wrong with most rune types, except HP regen. I don't know if they intend to change what that rune does, but it's completely useless right now.