I have a witchblade with max resistances (even overcapped) and can’t seem to beat the Ravager superboss from Barrowholm. I have only 20% physical resistance, but the main strength that I thought this character has is the ability to reduce enemy damage. I apply all the debuffs on him before the attack and during the first attacks, so by my calculation I should apply somewhere between 75% and 97% reduced enemy damage. But still, when he curses me with amplified damage, he kills me in one hit. I don’t even have time to run when I see that he’s about to curse me. I have only 17k health and life leech of at least 35%, with a lot of %weapon dmg in the attacks. And this happens on Veteran difficulty, so what hope would I have on Ultimate? Does anyone have the experience on what it takes to beat him, because to me it quite seems undoable if even decreasing his damage to close to zero doesn’t work. Thanks.
When it comes to enemy damage reduction, I apply 30% from War Cry, 15% from Ground Smash (from Mythical Earthshatter Threads), 20% from Touch of Chaos (from Rah’Zin set), 15% from Oleron’s Blood (although this one might not trigger in the first attacks) and 18% physical from Dreeg’s Evil Eye (with Focused Gaze). I assumed that Ravager deals mainly physical damage, which is the type where I lack resistance, so the total reduction should be 80% to general damage and 98% to physical, if I continue to apply the debuffs without pause (and I can).
First things first, you should post a link of your character/build with Grimtools. This by far is the best way for anyone to gauge the issue you’re having.
Second, which version of the Ravager? It actually matters these days.
Third, you must dodge the Sunder. If you do and still just die in one hit, you’re probably heavily lacking in Health or DA.
Four, piloting matters too. If you’re just bad at the game (no offense) then the boss can be quite difficult even with an optimized build.
Thanks for the answer. I don’t have a link to the build. It’s called Ravager of Souls. Otherwise, I have no idea what I lack or not, it just seems outrageous that potentially 98% reduced enemy damage still results in a one-hit death on Veteran difficulty. If even this isn’t enough, I can understand and just avoid this superboss. The build can end hero enemies in one hit and bosses in 3-4 hits, while it takes close to no damage from them. It is very good in general. But all my characters fail to beat the Ravager, Mogdrogen or Scion of the Sands for some reason (on Veteran or harder), the main problem being survivability. This time I thought I solved this problem. This witchblade leaves Ravager at half life after a few attacks. Therefore, the problem isn’t about damage and I’d manage to beat him fairly quickly if he wouldn’t one-shot me after a few seconds. I repeat, with 75%-98% reduced enemy damage.
Sources of ‘reduced target’s damage’ don’t stack - only the highest applies
That’s interesting because I wouldn’t have designed the build like this if I wouldn’t have done a lot of research on the topic. But if this is the case, it seems that the info I got was wrong and that I need to rethink my build entirely. Do you have a source for that?
Nevermind, I’ve done a quick search and everywhere it says the same thing you said. I can’t believe why I lived with the impression that I’ve researched this in the past. I could swear that I’ve seen several claims that they stack. So, this means that I need to rethink the build. Any pointers about what to improve in survivability so I can fare well against these superbosses?
Just go to Grimtools and click Import on the top left. It gives you the the rest of what you need to copy your character’s stats. Then afterwards select Share and copy the link here. Then all the build-masters can check it out and give you tips.
This assuming you’re playing the actual game and not a pirated version or something (though maybe Grimtools still works, don’t know).
Ok, I might try that soon. But the other poster actually made sense of this, he said that the “reduced enemy damage” doesn’t stack and he’s right. I had the wrong information apparently, but at least now it makes sense why it doesn’t work like I intended it to. So, what’s your general advice to increase survivability against Ravager? More physical resistance? Are there any other tricks to diminish damage, that I’m not yet aware of?
So, if you want a general picture about the build, it dual-wields the Corruptian Axe(s) and has the full Rah’Zin set. I use the Touch of Chaos as def att replacer and have Zolhan’s Technique, Markov’s Advantage maxed. Then, I fill the WPS to 100% with Mutilate (from Blademaster Talisman) and the WPS from Oleron’s Blood. I calculated to have a total of -170% phys resistance on enemies. OA is 3.3k. DA is 2.6k. But you’re right, it’s hard to give an exact view without adding the build to the GrimTools.
these are the various defensive layers in GD
ravager can essentially be bruteforced with high armour and hp, a bit depending on which version you summoned(not your only option ofc). But it also doesn’t exactly make for the most optimized/“fast” kill in every scenario 
(nor comes as easily to all chars as others)
keep in mind Ravagers debuffs which can affect you more/less depending which version you summoned or corresponding stats you lean on. Melee AA relying on lifesteal will have a much tougher time on Ravager of Souls because of the fumble pools
With grimtools link we can really help you way better, this will also save you a lot of time of rebuilding when we can immediately give advice and the reason behind it.
Other than that, Ive often watched youtube videos to help understand piloting and learn boss mechanics. Anyhow, Ravager’s a bitch, personally he is more difficult than any other superboss (although thats mainly bc I need to practice more, usually I mostly run Cally or Crate if the build allows to kill crate)
Don’t get me wrong, I beat all the nemeses on ultimate with all my builds (Iron Maiden is a little unpredictable because of high phys dmg and amplify dmg), but these 3 superbosses feel like you need to have a very dedicated build against them and it looks like it needs to be ranged, so you can never go near them. It also looks like their lowest resistance is physical, so that type of damage would be better. And being ranged would allow you to hit and run while keeping them away from leeching life from you and healing. This witchblade clearly can’t become that dedicated build, since the debuffs that I mentioned don’t stack. It’s also dual-wielding, so most defensive skills (like Menhir’s will, Overguard and Menhir’s Bulwark) can’t be used.
the superbosses are exactly that, super, not remotely intended for just any avg build that can clear regular content, requires either more optimization or mechanic/specific boss awareness.
Originally they were even meant to only be clearable with a fraction of builds, but has over the years become more and more included in endgame build metric,
but, it doesn’t mean just because a build can clear SR 82(now 32-33) or campaign dungeons/nemesis that it means it will default clear Supers; they are deliberately overtuned stat bloated enemies
And maybe better gameplay. For example, I managed to be lucky a few times and run before the Ravager cursed me with amplify damage. If you are nimble enough to avoid that, the rest isn’t much of a problem since I seem to have damaged him pretty quickly. But I think he tends to curse you quite often. And I’m not too nimble.
he casts a RR debuff roughly every 20-25sec, but you can effectively counter that with just overcapping res +25, but that ofc isn’t as applicable for phys res, also why high armour rating is a kinda way to cheese the 
Sunder you have to avoid since it’s on his frequent melee attack/triple swipe which is used every… idono… 5? seconds. If you go long range he will cast a homing seeking sunder orb to avoid instead, unsure about its frequency since i rarely try to kite him.
*edit, his triple swipe sunder can be super fast compared to most other attack reaction times, so it can feel hard, but as long as you can survive the 1-2-3 punch itself Evading is still fine, since triple swipe sunder has so short duration, that even if you only manage to evade on the 3rd hit it wears off by the time he turns around to hit you with other attacks
(if orbs or pools are out they will ofc still apply dmg in that brief duration regardless if you got sundered+evaded on first or third swipe)
I see that Touch of Chaos works also with ranged weapons. Maybe I should do a ranged witchblade (almost identical in skills and gear), with the Rah’zin set and maybe a two-handed ranged weapon or dual-wielding pistols, to fare better? Or wait, because I’m quite stupid. I can add a ranged 2-handed weapon to the secondary weapon slot, with this build. That might do the trick
you’ll lose most of the stuff that benefits NB, dual blades, wps, pneumatic burst. But if you find kiting easier it might work even if the kill takes longer time
I have another build which I haven’t yet tried against these superbosses. It’s a retaliation Warlord on physical damage. Maybe this one would be defensive enough to provide an edge. Otherwise, only a ranged build or a dedicated build that aims only to stack physical resistance and damage absorption seems like the solution. But even for the retaliator, I can’t seem to avoid Oleron’s Rage in favor of Menhir’s Bulwark, because I lose significant OA. It’s very frustrating that I don’t usually take the latter because of that.
you can check the various top20 of bunch of different build types managing to deal with Ravager (not saying to copy paste build, but use it as confirmation phys res stackers aren’t the only capable ones)
Retal Warlords usually are pretty easy with Rabagur, since they can natively get high armour and as a fast melee attacker he generally suicides at decent speed. Naturally phys retal is atm the weakest dmg/dpstype mechanically because armour interaction, but should still be doable, provided your char’s other stats and sustain is fine.