CRAZY EX
FOREWORD
I abandoned my previous RatA build for a while, and I actually missed almost the entire 1.2.1.6 playtest. Fortunately, the changes in 1.2.1.6 led the community to create a build like this one, and I have little left to add to it. So, Alice will remain in the 1.2.1.4 archives. At least for now.
The idea for the new build came to me while I was browsing through the entire arsenal of items that are rarely used. Among them was a pretty good and long-forgotten relic that I really wanted to use somehow. I also wanted to make something that was strong and durable, but not invincible, to add some dynamics to the typical retaliation gameplay. The starting concept killed Cally in less than a minute and survived SR36 with just over 14k HP. This was fine for me, but not enough to present the build to the open community. After a long period of testing, which consisted of trying to maximize the build’s “fat” to comfortable for a regular player lvl, without significantly reducing its damage, the final setup was born.
Important note: The build was created on the current 1.3 PT state. This means that any changes may occur in the core setup at any time. On the live 1.2.1.6, the build may even be stronger, but a lot squishier, so try it at your own risk.
Special thanks for inspiration:“Hancock” DVD, Lacuna Coil’s “Delirium” album, and an ocean of coffee.
THE BUILD
Note: The link includes a devo map progression. This is not a lvling order, it's a shortest devo path for full respec, just for your convenience.
example of normal SR gameplay, live footage
Gear explanation
Set: Dawnseeker’s Light - the core of the build. Even with 0 bonuses to Occultist, it’s still the strongest set.
Rings: Gollus’ Ring x 2 - Target farmable. Sources of some additional health regen, stats, and +6 to Menhir’s Bulwark
Head: Okaloth’s Visage - Target farmable. Main source of leech + good AoE RaTa damage.
Medal: Mythical Crest of Winter Fortitude - Main nuke on LMB + a hell ton of HP.
Belt: Mythical Sash of the Immortal Sage - Craft. - Very cheap, huge HP bonus, sweet proc, craft bonus. Craft for slow res.
Pants: Mythical Thornhide Legguards - high armor, high %RT, +4 to skills.
Boots: Stormbearers - + to CS, damage reduction.
Chest: Mythical Dawnshard Hauberk - the only source of fire to lightning conversion. Also huge HP bonus and descent proc.
Relic: Avenger - “Counter Strike at home”. Additional “On Hit” AoE RaTa proc.
Gloves: Fewmet Grips - Guaranteed 1 time drop per character. Rare for the build cast speed, HP, good %Retal, proc.
Breakpoints and mechanics
Energy
The build is extremely energy hungry. Even with a weapon aug + Ectoplasm + leech from Arcane Spark the build needs Royal Jelly Extract to compensate crazy energy consumption vs Celestials, fat solo target in SR36+, or just to farm in a campaign map. Inside the large crowds in SR all fine and dandy: energy absorption will cover all needs.
Offensive ability
While Fevered Rage allows to ignore high OA stacking, the build still needs a descent OA value to counter some high -OA debuffs combo in SR. That’s why at least one of Attack suffix or Aggressive prefix on the rings is mandatory. In fact, ~2.7k OA is enough for 100% PHT (probality to hit) under the most critical circumstances. ~2.6k is already fine. Core point: less OA → lower PTH chance → less damage end leech → less safe gameplay inside the crowds in SR.
Crowd control resistances
Yes, slow is sometimes covered by Messenger of War, but it’s not enough if you rush a high mobility build with low %CDR and CD-based survivability. So, Consecrated prefix / of Amarasta’s Flurry suffix is mandatory on one of the rings. You can also additionally use Mark of the Traveler and slow craft bonus on a belt.
Disruption res is simple: you’re disrupt-locked in a fevered SR crowd from the start → can’t use Sigil of Consumption → you’re dead. Arcane Spark + of the Gildam Arcanum suffix will partly fix that problem.
Petrify debuff is very rare, and the only one that is truly dangerous for the build is a Crate’s attack:
(see PERFORMANCE VIDEO → Crate of Entertainment)
PERFORMANCE VIDEO (WITH COMMENTS,
READ THESE COMMENTS CAREFULLY)
1.3 PT videos
Commentary
Ravager of Flesh has the crazy enegry leech abilities, and this build just can’t counter them (read: Breakpoints and mechanics). Ravager of Souls required more moving, that greatly reduce a build’s leech potential. So, Ravager of Mind is an obvious choice.
While the build can facetank Ravager’s Sunder, do not, I repeat, do not try to tank a Sunder sweep/projectile w/o any active defensive skill, and w/o a good placed Sigil of Consumption under the Ravager’s feet. This is 99,99% death.
Commentary
While this may seem as an easy fight, it’s not. The main problems are:
Cally’s bat dance
Threre’re already some strange troubles with boss’ hitboxes/large models/animation, and under a Fevered Rage everything is much worse. The 
will try to run away from your SoC stack, try to cast a Sunder wing move in ANY direction
and sometimes stops attacking completely, deciding to just stand still and eat some angel dust from her tornadoes to make a fight even more unpredictable. Maybe +150%total speed just breaking up the internal ability timer + animation speed IDK. But you have to learn how to handle all of this at Ń…2.5 speed to successfully kill the
Low armor, lack of breakers, reaction time etc
If you really can’t keep up with the speed of the fight, constantly got a Sunder right into the face, taking massive damage… It’s time to change a tactic.
- Autumn Boar → Targo the Builder,
- 1-12 Solael’s Whitchfire-Second Rite → 14-1 War Cry
- Courageous Tincture on a 2nd phase (50%> enrage)
- Aether Cluster on a 2nd phase.
Your damage will drop a lot, but your survivability will drastically increase .
Commentary
The most hard fight for the build.
First, the build is melee. That means melee range fight → eating every 
deathfart. Or do a kite fest with almost 0 dmg outcome.
Second, the build is 90% full melee proc-based, and it has only 2 strong RaTa skills with CD. That also means 0 passive retaliation damage (not counting the procs), cuz the Crate is a pure caster. The only legit way to deal some dmg: SoC + Blitz kite, or pulling the Crate into a fevered crowd of crates to trigger all possible RaTa procs (and not die in the process 
)
Third, 1.9 sec petrify debuff. Original setup has 0 petrify res, so for this particular fight I made some modifications:
Petrify res cap:
- Frozen Heart x2
- Irrah’s Patience x3
- 3pts from Autumn Boar → Ulo
Also used an Aether Cluster as well.
SR videos
BUDGET STEPPING STONE SETUP
click
This setup was made as a stepping stone for easy totem/dungeons farming. All gear parts were farmed during leveling.
Even if it’s just a totem farmer, and with not leveled (at the time of recording) t3 devos, this setup can clear SR26-27: Slow and steady.
FRESH SSF LEVELING EXPERIENCE
Soon. I need a little break.