I have no idea how caster ritualist performs and will not speculate now.
I've been complaining here (https://titanquestfans.net/index.php?topic=439.msg4677#msg4677) that full summoner ritualist still suffers a slowdown at the very end of legendary when using not ideal gear. It is the result of monster hp and damage scaling, though, how much damage do you think these pathetic wolves do?
(https://s8.postimg.cc/di2angyz9/ritualist_dmg.jpg)
- 5-9K per hit, like an average hero. Damage is acually not the problem, though adding more of it helps. It is how they distribute it, AI that makes them run in different directions. Their hp is also still too low for that part of the game. When they do so, they are almost instantly debuffed and at low health, so I have to call them back, heal out of their near death experience and point at mob manually or else they run in same directions again, several times per fight. That is not comfortable.
A summoner would only use stats for gear stat requirements but still needs lots of them. I did a summoner champion with almost 1 : 1: 1 str : int : dex ratio, stonebinders, armor of Odysseus and a staff, but that was before Anniversary. When using pet jewellery and no %str or %int items you might still need something granting stats even to equip your main stat gear. Highest requirement on staves is 640 int, str gear is 600+ str, stonebinders - 425 dex, prowlers cuirass - 480. I think I went 2 : 1 int : dex on my ritualist and still can only equip best staves only with requirements reducing items.
3. Is spear a good choice for melee?
If you invest in its damage its good, like all things I guess. I would dare say spears are actually best melee weapons in the game, but it doesn't mean you don't need to invest in them when using them.
never played ritualist but i can safely say that traps are so much stronger than wolves.. plus you can throw them and stay far back behind.. like i did with Typhon here:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cCINC7qpcZM
last part.. actually i could've thrown it much farther if i zoomed out my view.. for traps, 3 jewelries are enough
edit: so i had it zoomed all along ahah :D
but that one is not ritualist
but for playing HC, i really wouldn't recommend a pure petmaster.. people think it's safe because you don't have to fight.. i say it's safer if you can kill mobs and bosses much quicker