Overpowered Alt leveling

Hi there, Lenek here! This is a very simple and straightforward build that you can access with any class in the game, thanks to a cheap Split Personality. It allows you to start from the Mercenary side of the tree if you are playing a Witch, Sorceress, or any class that lacks attack speed and overall attack damage. Once you have around 40 passive points, all you need to do is connect your starting location to the Mercenary side. Then, by grabbing a jewel socket down there, you can completely unallocate all the points from your original starting location. The best ascendancies for this setup are definitely Gemling Legionnaire Gem Studded or Pathfinder Running Assault, as they reduce the movement speed penalty from using skills while moving

At level 2, once you beat the tutorial boss, you will grab a Rampart Raptor. This unique weapon has an amazing mechanic where bolts fired by Crossbow Attacks have a 100% chance to not expend Ammunition if you've Reloaded Recently.

For your Tabula Rasa, you can socket up to 6 jewels. Look for increased attack speed, attack speed with crossbows, and increased attack damage or increased physical damage.

You'll also want to equip a Meginord's Girdle for a massive increase to your Strength, along with two Blackheart to boost your early-game damage. Of course, you will find much better rare rings later on.

Since your starting ability will be Permafrost Bolts, combining it with the Rampart Raptor means that anything coming close to you will be instantly frozen. This mechanic makes the build incredibly safe and easy to play.

At level 11, you will be adding Grip of Winter for some flat cold damage and extra freeze buildup, along with Wanderlust for a nice 20% movement speed increase. Around this time you should also be able to slap in your Split Personality jewel to slowly start scaling your damage from the Mercenary side of the tree

At level 14, you will add a Rondel of Fragility. This gives you a massive increase to your damage and skill speed, but it comes with a downside—you will be losing some resistances

At level 27, you will add the Thrillsteel, giving us permanent Onslaught. For those who don't know, Onslaught is a massive buff that grants you 20% increased Attack, Cast, and Movement Speed

"At level 38, you will bring your Rampart Raptor to the Verisium Anvil to runeforge it, which will massively upgrade the base damage of your crossbow. If you don't have the Verisium Anvil unlocked yet, you will need to progress 'The Runeseeker' quest line by collecting map/runestone fragments through Act 4 and completing Farrow's quest there

And finally, at level 55, you will do your final upgrade to the Rampart Raptor at the Verisium Anvil