Up until 40 it’s really free play. Just don’t push your mastery bar beyond where it should be as you can’t reassign those points. But shoot, max out devouring swarm as soon as you can and spam that and you’ll level up fast!
I strongly recommend shaman start. Max briarthorn and get mastery up to 1 point windego totem, then max oakskin, then windego.
Devotions, go wolverine, hound, lizard, messanger of war (then unspec lizard once messenger complete). This path boosts your pets retaliations quickly, as well as yours.
If its not your first build, try to pass over or make some retalliation components for your gear, if it is your first, just muddle through till you can find a perdition set.
If you are going for early shield, look for a weapon that lowers resistances by a set amount, plaguebearers hammers work good.
Hey bro, thank you for the build. The concept is quite awesome. I ran into this build quite late running a stormcaller build and I’ve already put 50 points in the shaman mastery… Do you think 50/50 soldier/shaman build would be viable? It would look something like this… http://grimcalc.com/build/OcBoSJ
If it wouldn’t I’ll just make another character and raise it up…
I think it’s still viable. Though your grimcalc has two exclusive skills with points in them, and since both can’t be active at the same time, it’s best to find a new home for your points in one of them. I’d recommend keeping menhir’s bulwark. Some of the points you’ve put in your mastery bar could make up for some health so it’s not a total waste but beyond that there isn’t much benefit in the shaman line for this build beyond oak skin. If you decide to go with it, I’d rob points from mog’s pact (which you’ve done on this calc) and veterancy. Those two focus on health regen, since you will have a higher health pool from the mastery bar you won’t need as much regen. Plus those are the lesser of the skill tree for this build anyways imo. I would max out wendigo though, the last 2 points there give the biggest gain and it’s definitely needed.
Thank you very much for your quick and detailed reply. Didn’t notice I had two exclusive skills in the calc lol I’ll give it a try and see how it goes… Thank you again bro
I started a new char with this build and it’s great. Had a bit of trouble at the lower levels, but since I’ve found some gear with nice retaliation it’s easy AF. Rangers and casters are painful to fight, still trying to get some nice reflect gear.
Reflect gear is rare, gotta watch for it on green items. There are also some reflect stats on devotions. It’s no secret that this build can stretch your patience out at times. I however, was ok with that. I often watched a show or something to that extent while I played since this build doesn’t require great attention to play 
True. Most of my reflect gear is green, and with Shield Wall devotion proc I can get around 160% reflect, but fights against caster/ranger bosses can take some time.
Just started ultimate, it’ss fun to watch how you just walk past something and when it touches you, they instantly die. 
Back in 2013 With the help of a player name Raven made sort of a retal/reflect character. Using Dreeg dream armor. Gave up until I saw this build in action. New character, only level 18
Have completed the turtle, what is the best thing to attach it to? I know you can buy back Devotion point, but can you buy back detachment?
Attach it to anything that is constant log mog’s pact or menhir’s bulwark. As long as it’s attached to something like a buff you always have running then it will be there when you needed. Some say it will activate as long as it’s attached to any skill but I feel better and have had 100% success with it activating when I tie it into a constant skill/buff.
And yes you can buy back all devotion points including those that get tied into a skill so no worries there. It’s only attribute points and the mastery/mastery bar points that you can’t get back in this game.
Incredible build. awesome
Hello, trying this build a little, real fun
But I cant find where you get your ascendant affinity from?
Where does retaliation damage come from starting out? It seems like mostly toughness skills in Soldier early level.
Looking at the devotion pictures the ascendant affinity clearly comes from wolverine which gives 6 ascendant points.
Yeah it’s me being an rtard forgetting you can spec out of crossroads, thanks man
Gratulation for being add to the Build Compendium IV @ Squib 
Starting out retaliation right away is very slow
Early on you have to go with the normal fighter/caster till you get retaliation items and devotions. Perdition set lvl 40 is the sweet spot to switch, dont worry the set parts drops a lot and you just need 2 pieces to get decent damage.
Thanks!
Could you give me a quick leveling guide on starting this build? going directly for this type of build or just level with normal damage leveling build? TY
Normal til 40. Then, like dekaron said, if you have any of the perdition gear (lvl 40 requirement) switch to that and start the retaliation build at lvl 40.