How to identify a quality item?

[Clownstyle]

So I'm a little confused here.

Got a lvl50 Cyclone Marauder which I'm enjoying.. Problem is, I don't actually know what gear I should be collecting.

I have been picking up white items with multiple gem slots and links because I've heard it's worth picking these up. Thing is, should I use collected crafting materials to convert to a rare, or just a magic item? Or just wait for "that" good item to drop?

I've been aiming for +life and +str or melee damage % (not stacking crit as using Resolute Technique)

The mats to convert a white item to a rare seem... rare (go figure) and sometimes the output is less than desired (wrong stats) is there anyway to negate this? I know there is a crafting mat to reroll stats but this only seems to work on magic items.

I have a lootfilter installed (Neversinks) which seems to have helped meaning I'm not constantly looking at junk. I'm just still unsure on what items to even bother using mats, and what to upgrade them to?

Here is my profile if that helps:
https://www.pathofexile.com/account/view-profile/Clownstyle/characters

Any help appreciated!

[Lagwin1980]

ignore whites unless they are 5 linked, 6 linked, Charomatic (at least 3 sockets linked togethere win a R/G/B) and 6 socket items.
Later you can start looking for white items above a certain item level and of specific basetypes to chance (maybe getting a rare unique)

You should really only be picking up yellow items, identifying them to see if they are keepers and if they are not vendoring them, once you get into areas that are level 60 start creating a set of gear (dosn't matter about the stats) just a 2 haded weapon, 2 rings, an amulet, belt, chest, gloves, boots and helmet once you have a full set at an item level of 60 plus then vendor the set to get a chaos orb (you can get 2 orbs for the same recipie if you don't identify the items sold)

Off and your profile is set to private, you can change that by going inot account settings on the site, it'll allow people to see your character, what their gear is and what their passive tree is.

[Loco]

Profile's set to private lol.

Anywho, leave the white items on the ground unless you come across a 6 socket, or a 5 link if you see one that's of the type of gear you're using. Pick up the rares to identify and sell to a vendor, or if they're an upgrade, or if they're good, to wear. You'll accumulate orbs of augmentation and alteration relatively quickly, and to a lesser extent, alchemy orbs.

On a side note, even six socket items of gear you won't use vendor for 7 jeweler's orbs.

I don't hesitate to use alchemy orbs to try for better gear. Take the chance, throw the dice, pray to RNJesus...an upgrade is an upgrade lol. DON'T use Chaos Exalted or Divine orbs on your gear unless you know what you're doing crafting. Those orbs are generally better suited for trading with other players and getting gear that way.

If you're running short on wisdom scrolls, you can also pick up blue items and just vendor without identifying to get transmutation shards, and orbs of transmutation in a pinch can be vendored for wisdom scrolls at a ratio of one orb becomes four wisdom scrolls.

As to your gear...well, I can't see it, and I haven't actively played a cycloner since like 1.2 tbh.

Someone that plays a cycloner would be able to better explain the ins and outs of that, I know what setup/stats you likely would want, but hopefully someone better suited to explain it will speak up.

(Edit:Bwahaha, Lagwin beat me to posting, just gonna leave it here since there is some different info too.)

[Clownstyle]

Thanks both :)

Think I have set my profile so you can see it now.. If someone can let me know if that worked!?

I'll keep farming for now, currently running the docks a few times unless you can suggest a better area?

[Loco]

Yep, works now.

(Edit -- Yeah lol, Docks until you get to act 4, then the lake for a good area.)

[Lagwin1980]

i actualy prefer fettid pool or tidal island...at least in merciless early on.

Several reasons, it's fairly small, it's prety much a straight look, it's quick and since you are able to run it fast there is a good chance of getting both masters and corrupted zones without the need to spend more time exploring.

It's unfortunet that they lowered the level of it with 2.0 since you could potentaly get the chao recipe from it...but there is still a good amount of gear and currency drop there.

Example over a 2 hour period of just farming tidal island i got this, plus a few uniques and assorted bits of gear, including a 90+ spell power dagger and about 10 sacrafice fragments, you could also get to 70 fairly easily from around level 55 in that one area

http://imgur.com/deDDGjQ

[Roxie]

to indentify what is worth and what not is pure gaming experiance/time in path of exile there is this old guide (1 year old) but still kinda has good info https://www.reddit.com/r/pathofexile/comments/1zxgg1/its_worth_keeping_if_v11all_leaguesitem_guide/