"Looks like the drops get somewhat randomized after a certain amount of distance from the waypoint at least."

That seems to me the result of having to make more actions. More actions = less reliability. Close to the WP it's easier because you have to make less inputs, lowering the chance of missing a click or running too far, etc.

Adding to LaV's video, here's an example on reliable drop RNG with the -seed active:

EDIT: I should add a disclaimer that in different computers I got different results even with the same seed and the same char. Following the same route and getting the same monster spawns I got different drops in different computers with the same game version installed (both 1.14d)

Can you please link it, Ryu? Thanks.

I understand now, after reading, what's being discussed about the seed. I always thought that -seed% would mean that ONLY the map would be the same; I didn't realize that every single thing one can interact with in-game would be affected as well as the map features, but I get it now.

If the reason Blazer said about Pacifist runs is the reason why it was added in the first place, then the whole -seed controversy wouldn't have a place for discussion any more, as it's an analogous case with the Pacifist category, since it "[...] is a category many games feature on their boards or subgame boards because it is a common goal across speedrunning".

I think the "Save & Exit gets new map battle.net style" category is an interesting way of removing grinding for exp at certain points of the game. I think it's in it's nature a less reset heavy category since you cannot find a good map and stick with it and I also think it creates a more linear approach to the running strats, since there wont be a place you can rely for exp; you'll just have to go... although it might just shift leveling to different areas of the game like Flayer Jungle instead of Sarina or to later points in the run like Eldritch and Pindleskin since you wont have any trouble finding them. Although I don't see Plugy being implemented for this since I think it'd be too difficult to check for hacks and cheats, a much less invasive mod that only changes your seed to a new random one uppon Save & Exit and nothing else... it still needs to be made but, in theory, it dones't sound too bad.