Rift it Forward
Rift it Forward is a popular semi-exploit involving Nephalem Rifts. Powerful characters clear out rifts which weaker characters open for them, sharing gold/exp/items to the weak and saving the strong from spending Rift Keys. The practice has come in for some fan criticism, but Blizzard reps have commented approvingly, so it seems unlikely to be nerfed or disabled.
- Greater Rifts, coming in Patch 2.1 look to be impossible to work in this way, as they require a Greater Rift Key from every character in the game who wishes to enter. A generous player could pause before finishing to let another player(s) join the game and share the reward, but as the rewards from a Greater Rifts are timed, that seems unlikely to happen often.
Rift if Forward Details
The usual technique is for a powerful player to solo a Rift on a high difficulty level, then to use the public or clan chat to offer spots in his game to other players. A weaker character or characters join in, share the reward when the Rift Guardian is killed and the Rift is completed, and then open up a new Rift for the powerful player. The weaker characters leave the game then, so as to remove the multiplayer scaling up of monster hit points, and hope to join in again once the Rift is nearly cleared.
This system benefits the weaker characters by giving them free experience, gold, and items, and benefits the powerful character by enabling him to do Rifts without having to farm for or spend his own Rift Keys. Though the entire system is something of an exploit, Blizzard has commented approvingly on it, and seems to have no desire to nerf or modify the shared rewards to make Rifting it Forward impossible.
Social Capital
Rifting if Forward can be seen as a sort of trading, something that's come about at least partially due to Diablo 3's lack of trading features. If Rift Keys were not Account Bound, then it's likely players would trade them for various things, much as players used to pay Runes (in Diablo 2), or gold (in Diablo 3) for getting a rush or other time-consuming service.
Since neither Rift Keys or any other commodity of value can be traded in D3v2 or Reaper of Souls, players have to find other ways to exchange value, and Rifting it Forward is essentially a way to trade time; weaker characters farm for Rift Keys and exchange those for the items and gold they gain from the Nephalem Rift completion, while the powerful players need not spend time farming Bounties and can stick entirely to the more profitable Rifts.
Blizzard Comments
Blizzard CM Grimiku commented via the Battle.net forums.[1]
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