Passive Pathing preferences?

I've been pondering trying Earthquake with as much duration reduction as possible, which, starting as a Warrior, requires me to go all the way up top to almost the opposite site on the tree.
Sure, why not.
But as it turns out, armour also kinda sucks, and if I want to go EV+ES, that produces a second desired target area.

Which brings me to by actual question:

Do you prefer to go through the middle, with the starting areas of other characters, or around on the outside, potentially requiring more stat nodes, but also passing by more interesting clusters?
Purely asking for personal preferences here, my trainwreck of an example is just for illustration.

Edit: And on a related note, do you prefer taking a more scenic route to your ultimate goal for better clusters on the way, or go straight for the prize during leveling and then respec and branch out afterwards?