Some of your relic will be useful as macro pieces at cap, and are worth upgrading to +2/3 (hands and feet, I would say, others may add to that list)
Getting your jugs to spawn at level, which is what the upgraded relic hands do, is a super dooper useful ability. The 30% reward potency that the upgraded feet give is also gravy.
You're going to start working on magian axes pretty immediately I would say. I would start with the pet -pdt axes to start with. They aren't super hard to get to the point where they make a big difference - and it does make a big difference to get your pet more tanky.
At 78, when the
perle set becomes available you'll probably want to TP in it until you get some AF3 etc. Unfortunately, people b*tch and moan about people in perle and might try to make you feel bad for wearing it - but I don't think there is anything better that you can get super easily and at that level. You should just ignore them and work on your AF3, which is going to be the most achievable "good" set you can get your hands on. My advice would be to start with the pants as the Lizard that drops the seals is pretty easy and can be soloed if you have the right atmas. People are also often killing it as it drops a key item needed to pop an in demand monster, so you may encounter folks that will let you join in just to lot those seals.
I will let others speak to the other points, and really I am pretty noobish myself (I play casually and don't really get too worried about stuff) so if peeps contradict me, please feel free to listen to them but that would be my two cents.
Edited, Apr 11th 2012 4:08pm by Olorinus