Good stuff. This is something I wanted to write as well, but you’ve beaten me to it 
Some personal experience:
- Valbury runs for aether crystals if you have a char strong enough
- I have a very different Ugdenbloom run. It’s either from ugdenbog rift up to barrowholm while doing Sylvarra’s lair or gloomwald, but different from mad lee’s.
- Darkvale up to Karroz is what worked best for me when it comes to Chthonic seals. Blood Grove is super inconvenient to farm due to blockers plus only about half of enemies are chthonic, the rest is DV/KC or beasts.