Lack of proper crafting is making SSF unplayable in endgame

I’m lvl 80 Invoker Monk SSF and currently on the Tier 9 quest. At this point it feels like I don’t have the damage to kill Rare mobs fast enough before they nuke me with some bs ability like exploding Fire rings or Chaos tracking orbs. Running 1300 heath with 850 energy shield. Ice strike 22K DPS, double herald setup. Trying to get more Passive points? Nope, lose XP when you die in a map. I must have crafted 5 mods on 50 Expert Quarterstaffs but it is always bs modifiers like Stun threshold and accuracy rating. If anything is good, it rolls into fire damage. It’s like the game is making me hit a wall with lack of damage or health, forcing to trade for Polcikiren ring and a better QS. This is so f’d up. I want to actually have my own build getting to Tier 15 rather than with gear someone else got. Does anyone else have this experience?