So I've been theoretizing if doing 15-puzzle in any% to get Emergency Exit to save time on exiting cave after Vampire would be worth it. Haven't done any testing so all statements below are pure theory

Time wasted to get Emergency exit: Best case scenario: 35s(don't remember if it's 2nd place only Kappa ) Worst case: 65s

Time saved on exiting Earth Cave: Comparing against 0 encouters on way back: couple seconds on best case 15-puzzle?(don't know how much this would take) Realisticly: tens of seconds + skiping potential encouters with Piscodemons, Cockatrices and poisoners

What do you think?

Its already known to save time. The only reason most runners dont actually do it is because it means only 1 in every 6 runs on average will get beyond pirates just on that. This means a lot of resetting, first of all to get a good early game (which quite a few top runners already reset over) and then on top of that only getting 1 in every 6 runs beyond that 6:30 point anyway.

To give a bit of backstory, back when crono was grinding for WR he would reset over good menu/ good garland/good pirates to begin with. This would mean that it'd take him about 30 minutes to get a run going. If he had gone for 15, that would have multiplied by 6, meaning one run every 3 hours.

Tldr; yes it saves time, we know that. Feel free to go for it, just know that its a 1/6 drop and by 2 times it doesnt save time anymore.

I also reset over Cornelia Menu/Garland not so much pirates though. What Crrool said is pretty much correct, it does save time, but makes the run even more reset heavy than it already is when going for a top time. Also, the time save you get from it is entirely subjective. You will save more time if you would have gotten bad RNG on the walk out than if you get good RNG. I've had walks out from vampire that if I went for EE, I would save only 10-15s. Ive also had walks out where if I had an EE I would have saved 2 mins. Its really hard to know if it really is worth it to get or not.

Some runners will go for it, are willing to do the resets over it. Personally, I just pray for good RNG and go with it. The WR in this category is "free". By that I mean that 1:27:01 is very beatable with the current route and strats with solid RNG and good execution. I can see, and have been on pace for more than once, the time for this game getting pushed into the 1:25:xx range. Thats where EE strats will come into play. Once someone gets a time in that area, runners will be forced to do EE in order to beat it. As it stands right now though, its not really required to get a top time or even WR for that matter