Collecting sets....

[godcharles]

Friends,
I've gone sometimes all the way through bronze and silver levels without completing a set for a character. Usually (I've probably finished the game 50 times or more with a variety of characters since it came out in 2004) I get to Prince Aarnum and he sends me to talk to DeMordrey about sending troops to reinforce Wyvern Pass, but instead I head out the gate and go south east to the Oasis of Ahil-tar to complete the businessman's quest, and maybe get the Orc Shaman skulls for the other quest. Then I end up doing the oasis quests and usually kill D'Cay and do the Orc quests. But I started a new mage on bronze last night and in less than 8 hours of play, I've got all 6 pieces of the MAMMON'S TREASURES set. I think this may have something to do with changing my pattern by actually going through the portal by the prince and heading north instead of working the desert region. I already had 2 or 3 pieces of the set and one or 2 of the Dagowit set. For the record I also had the sword from the grave northwest of Silver Creek that you get after killing the lich that comes out of it. The sword grants +8 to FIND SPECIAL, and I was using it exclusively until I got the entire Mammon's set. I quit the game at 7 hours and 34 minutes tonight, just after getting the ring and the amulet socketed into the turban and sword (do this and you open up a ring slot and an amulet slot on your character), and I had just hit level 20. So my question is, how quickly do you complete a set, and what pattern do you follow on the map? Is my experience tonight some degree of unusual? Thanks for your input.