Why do players avoid treasure in Gauntlet?

[landshark9]

In all of the high-scoring runs of Gauntlet that I've seen, the player makes a conscious effort to avoid picking up treasure unless it is blocking a path. What's the reasoning? Does it increase rank or speed up your health loss?

[IIOPAII]

the dificulty of game increase whit your score.

[Chad]

but the treasure score is so low 100pt, does it really matter? then why even go for 8000pt deaths? I think there is something to be said about "cover" to use chests as a blockade to protect monsters from rushing the player, but most treasures are avoided at even at the cost of losing time.

[Chufoglu]

In some cases is about cover, generally is about difficulty (more points=more difficult), but is not important (few points). Is best to make points in the end of the game, not in the early levels, to build health/special potions. +-300.000 points=inevitable decrease of health for lack of food.

[Chad]

ok, that makes sense but then why go for points at all? i.e. why use potions for super death kills? wouldn't that push you over a difficulty level? Or after a certain level does the difficulty points thing go away? btw, it's really great to watch these extreme recordings.

[Chufoglu]

Higher difficulty is about 350.000 points, no makes sense don´t go for points with 350.000 if you go for a record of points.