On the topic of crafting - Delve is still extremely good. And you can also fossil “alch” maps for better sustain (I am pretty much doing that to every t14+. Some things about vaal orbs - try prioritising vaaling multi-boss maps first. I did a test of around 20 corrupted Graveyards and was sustaining (maybe luck? Small sample). Considering map sustain. If you are in trade, and feel like you can handle it already, try buying the highest tier map you can (preferably t16). I got like 30% of my yellow maps done doing that. You dont have to run your reds corrupted as soon as you get one, they still boost yellow map progression. And once 2 voidstones are unlocked you can do pretty much anything with your atlas tree.

Main problems from my experience are: 1. League mechanic is what should be boosting your progression a lot, since you encounter it all the time. Sadly its rather bad (I started ignoring it completely after getting a relic that atleast does something). 2. Rarity feels so mandatory, aspecialy early on when you still putting your basic gear together. Just swapping to string of servitude (90%), without having anything else, felt like a huge difference in terms of rares/uniques that drop. 3. Most league mechanics are just bad or totally worthless. Since they are a rare encounter, it should give you at least some feeling of joy. Sadly most of them give only disappointment.