I this is with the assumption that you're goal is becoming very fast/world class. I think you can can still become decently fast with intermediate methods ( as Tao Yu says the 40-60 range, maybe even sub-40 if you're persistent ). Personally, I want to be decently fast ( long term I'm shooting for mid 40s ) without the time investment of 3-style but still learning a better/more complex method than OP/M2.What is the purpose of an intermediate method? A stepping stone to more advanced methods.
Well, generally, knowing fewer algorithms inside and out will lead to higher TPS than learner tons of algorithms which you are less familiar with. Idk I'm probably wrong but I thought it was at least worth bringing up.Also how do intermediate methods have higher tps? 3-style should feel like algs too when your fast. Like f2l pairs.