Okay, since we've recently passed the 4 reset round (Curse you Levitto!) I'm posting this up here, tips and tricks for speeding up your reset. This is going to be some info that I'm loath to pass out, but also a request for some of the bigger gangs out there. I'd love to take advantage of the gangs, but I'm sticking to my own. If only because I'm stubborn.
First off, passing the Fangs wall appears to be a straight stat test. 4 perception or 4 strength will get you over the wall. If you can level one stat specifically (like with gang control) this will go really fast for you. This would be where I request a large gang with some power and few resetters tie up the docks/park so we're on equal footing, but meh, it's part luck.
Secondly, crude ganger maps don't seem to increase your exploration to the point you need it, ie, each time you fail to climb the wall, you seem to need to explore the whole sewers (Roughly 3 times) to get it again. This is where doing the Squatter King's secondary quest is better. The explosives can give nitro, dynamite, white flakes, the first two being your better options. Haven't tried selling the medicine yet, but maybe someone else can feed in.
While you're on the docks going for info, don't forget to grab some crates. The stuff you get can help early on, or even a day or two in. Sushi crates should be praised, as should protein bars. Knit caps, cheap guns, My Little Idoru, not great options, but helpful early on. If you get sushi crates SAVE YOUR HUNGER! The moment you clear the fangs and talk to Lo you can get some use out of it.
For a quick compare, sushi is 2 hunger, seems to go from 4-7, costs one energy to make, so 3-6 per sushi. Protein bars are 4 hunger for roughly 7 to 10 energy. You trade higher highs (12vs10) for lower lows (6vs7).
Once you clear the Fangs, choose what you want to work on for a while. Getting more crates isn't horrible, probably better if you control the area. You can dive straight into David's apartment if you just want to kill him and get on with it (It's faster), but before you go try to find some gas grenades. Hitting the Docks until you get the midgard worker and following him gets you into the Midgard warehouse. Even at low levels, the midgard workers are very easy. The Midgard security, and the patrolling drone however are not. Try to get your hands on a midgard cap as soon as you can, or just avoid the non-combats. Aside from open a crate or warehouse inventory (You only need 1 unless you want stuff).
Open a crate: This is where you can grab some gas grenades, weapons, improved guns, protein bars and weak gear, and most importantly, medical supplies. Why this matters will come up later.
Grab a prototype: You really don't need any of these, so it's not suggested. If you feel like trying to get lucky for a watch of tomorrow for more cash, or a Midgard MK11 for ranged power feel free, but don't expect it. It's annoying that there's no real Prototype for Melee power.
Take a nap (Useful to heal if you were going to anyway, but really a waste, since you don't gain anything)
Guy with inventory:
Ask for papers, nothing
Demand papers, increase security (only for the day, makes security encounters tougher. Not suggested)
Beat him, fight a midgard worker, possibly get GOOD stuff. This is suggested.
Kill him. Get warehouse inventory. Be evil. That's about it.
Midgard workers are one of the only sources of Horrible Black Coffee early on. If they drop a full toolbox, you get a food item, drink item, and some tools. The tools aren't great, the food is pretty bad, but if you get coffee buy a chemistry kit and 3 papers. See the virtues of caffeine powder later on.
Want to get out of the protest fast? Head to the quad, ignore everything you can except for the moping student, ask him what's up, and head up to Dr. Myers. Trigger his mission, put on the sampler, pop an eclipse, head to the docks, and pray. If you can, get your hands on a higher grade weapon for your play style. Ranged players seem to have it easier here (And in fact for a lot of combat), with the MK weapons from the midgard warehouse being pretty easy to come by, and melee weapons capping out at 5 around here. I'm pretty much pure Melee, so someone else needs to weigh in. Why do this quest? For Experimental Chemistry later. You'll probably only have it 2 days maybe 3 (4 if you've got my luck), but it helps. You also can trigger the student PDA turn in here for the ghoul quest, which is nice for collecting (Mysterious as yet useless skills! Ooooo)
Once you save/kill David and Amundsen (Dynamite the door if you want a quick opening, this is where Midgard workers or Explosive crates help) put on scrubs and head into the outskirts of the slags. Or if you don't have scrubs, go talk to larry, go back to the docks, use an inventory, and enter the midgard warehouse. This will let you get a lot of antidote, which will really help. Scrubless route is easier, but will make the next step a little tougher.
You also want to go talk to Amanda on the beach ASAP, if you're lucky you can actually pass her event with a very low stat, as the tendrils don't do a lot of damage. If you fail, go heal, and try again. Or if you want to make sure you pass, get your stats up, grab some powerful techs, and nuke them hardcore. You can trade in your win with Dr Myers after that. (You may be able to collect 3 eggs with Fae Eyes yourself, but that doesn't seem to finish the quest, might be a bug).
IF YOU WILL GET EC SOON DO NOT USE BODY! Experimental Chemistry's big power boost is that you can trade in pep pills (Easy drops from third eye thugs during the saving quests, or from refilled pill bottles) for Caffeine powder. For 1 more body than a pep pill you get 7-8 more turns, possibly even more (Pep Pill, 5 body, 5 energy, Caffeine Powder, EC:2 pep pills, 6 body, 12-13 Energy(15?)). Both give you pep in your step which might help pass some stat checks.
Anyway, those scrubs you grabbed, the bioresearch center outside the slags? If you look like a medic, they'll ignore you. You avoid almost all combats by wearing scrubs. Either pickpocket the docs or find the break room and rest on the couch(Gives cheatsheet, heals). Talk to the docs one time about the slags, then if you've gotten a cheatsheet take the test. With the ID, you can use the main gate into the slags, as well as walking right into the Medical Center in the slags. You can also run into Boris here. Haven't tried to defeat him, but it's listed as an option. If you do his sidequest, it's most beneficial to do it if you have found the sludge beast beforehand, and after you get your ID.
Anyway, without the slag ID you'll need to adventure at the medical center in the slags until you get 1 full set of a biocontainment armor. Which will be painful.
Otherwise, with the ID, just waltz in, grab big lockers every time you can, and avoid everything else until you have either 1 full suit or 2 full suits depending on what you like.
Once you're done, head into the ruined buildings. Here you have a lot of combat, which can mean a lot of healing. From floor one, go to floor 3, the researchers on floor 2 are good for flavor, but don't seem to do anything else. MBR antidotes dropped by the crazy researchers can help, but really, you don't want to be in the building without a breathing apparatus (Gas mask, containment suit helmet)
Floor 4, moderately high perception or Nitro gets you past the crates. Using nitro seems to make it a one time event, which makes it your best option. Otherwise you have to sneak through each time. Good for exp, sucky for speed.
Floor 5, you run into a containment suited guy who is dying. Help him with MBR antidote or Slags antidote (Not sure if it's only slags or only MBR) or if you have Trauma Tech as a skill you can save him. He's an option for people who don't have the Medical ID, as he's very friendly to you back at the In Slag medical center. When you find the 'low road or high road' option, one is a tough battle (high) and one is a tough stat check (Low). The low road seems to become easier with each attempt, but still compares your stats. Each failure drops you back to floor 4, but you only need to pass the event 1 time.
Floor 6, you're done! Talk to hel, and then leave the slags, handing her a set of containment gear on the way out. Congrats, you finished a lap!
The optional quests, Myers, Ghoul king, Squatter, are not required, and you may go faster without them. Fight on your own schedule. This is just an outline.
Getting the Ghoul king beaten, either with Kingly Favor, or Born of Sorrow is probably your best choice. Pyro would be more useful if tech carried over, but using the limited nitro and Dynamite you find in a run may slow down events where you can use them to pass. But it does finish it fast if you just want rewards.
And that's all I have. Post questions, comments, or concerns here. If someone could post a more ranger friendly/optional element following guide, that would rock. Umm.. and can I get some gang tying up the early zones so nobody benefits? Please? *Would love equal playing field*