So,

You just finished the story and you want to play some rifts, but they are too hard. What if I told you that you can get everything you need for Lunacy 1000 in shops?
Let's separate the important from non important stuff first.

-NOT IMPORTANT-

You don't need them when you start farming Rifts, and you won't use them later. I'll tell you why.
1. They can't contribute to a set. You have 9 to 12 slots to fit in all the set items you need, and they want to take away 2? No, thank you.
2. They can't have duplicate attributes, like Precision + 5% CHC.
3. They don't have anything wow on them, like Dogmatic Scanner does for example.
It was a fair idea, trying to not make them overpowered, but to make some interesting combos. Unfortunately, the idea failed.
There is one item that is a game changer, and that's Pango's Pride. The cloak adds another dimension to the game, which is cool. The text on Pango is wrong btw, it should read: Become cloaked after not clicking the boost button for 3 seconds. I'll let you figure it out.

Tip 1: Legendaries don't matter.

-NOT IMPORTANT-

They don't matter. I keep hearing people saying: Uuuu, 4k firepower, uuuu, 4k precision, nice. I'm not ready then, I'm not even close to that.
Attributes don't matter. I mean, get some firepower, yes, but other than that, forget it.
For this experiment, we will go with:

Firepower: 3,000 (142% damage)
Precision: 1,500 (20% critical hit chance)
Expertise: 1,000
We're gonna leave Structure, Utility and Resistance at base, 600. Just a note, getting every attribute to 1,000 is absolutely worth it.
To get to those numbers, we will need almost every item to have Firepower (that's a general idea), 2 items with Precision and 1 with Expertise.

Tip 2: Attributes don't matter (except Firepower).

-IMPORTANT-
I'll make a subjective list of ships for Rifts:

1. Sentinel
Survivability: high
DPS: average
Clear time: average

2. Gunship
Survivability: average
DPS: high
Clear time: fast

3. Interceptor
Survivability: low
DPS: high
Clear time: fast

4. Striker
Survivability: average
DPS: high
Clear time: fast

5. Stinger
Survivability: low
DPS: high
Clear time: average

6. Vindicator
Survivability: high
DPS: average
Clear time: slow

7. Scout
Survivability: average
DPS: high
Clear time: slow

8. Bomber
Survivability: average
DPS: average
Clear time: slow

9. Vanguard

Tip 3: Know your ship.
For example, Gunship is a flying brick. Absolutely can't dogfight. But put 200 handling on him (on booster and cargo) and it becomes the best ship in game.

-SEMI IMPORTANT-

Since we are poor, we will go with Sentinel III+, with one good passive (20% reduced weapon energy consumption).

These are all amazing, maybe they are even sorted:
1. While shields are fully charged, gain 20% reduced boost energy and weapon energy consumption
2. Using a consumable immediately triggers the shield to recharge
3. 15% increased shield hit points
4. Collecting an energy orb deploys an energy shield for 2s

Tip 4: Most of the ships have 1 to 2 great passives. Sentinel has 4.

-CRITICAL-

Get a decent weapon. Don't go in a 1k rift with a Flak and go: I can't kill them.
And when I say a decent weapon, I mean a Gauss. Or an Autocannon.

This is the best one you can get in the game:

Critical hits have a 40% chance to recharge weapon energy by 2%
+20% increased damage if your ship is exposed to sunlight

Get it in Drake system.
If you can't sustain it (energy wise), get a Powerful one.
If you can't sustain the Powerful, get Efficient.
If you can't hit anything with it, get Calibrated. And a pair of glasses.

But, since we are poor, we will go with a nice
Critical hits have a 40% chance to recharge weapon energy by 2%

Tip 5: Use this weapon.

Now, you can buy a level 29 Uncommon Gauss in a shop, up it to 30, upgrade to superior and slap Barrage on it. Roll Critical 40 on it.

-IMPORTANT-

All the gear you need you can get in shops in Ceto. With 2 exceptions:
Vigilante Set (for the buff) - you can buy or farm in Drake system - greens are fine.
Dogmatic Scanner - you want to farm a Rare (prototype), even for ultra late game.

Tip 6: Know where to shop.
Shops, open world, high risk area or rift, you do 95% of your farming in Ceto and Drake systems.

Tip 7: Set gear is the best.

Tip 8: Set bonuses are important.

Tip 9: Vigilante Set 2 pieces bonus is the best damage buffer in the game.

Tip 10: Vigilante, Bloodstar, Autonomous and Siren 2 pieces set bonuses are all amazing. On any ship.

Tip 11: Only the shield should be Starforged. Everything else doesn't matter, superior is just fine.

-NOT IMPORTANT-
1. (Rare) Bloodstar Optimized FFT Core - you will never stop firing, so this is just for the 5 seconds per kill boost. You can use any Core you like.

-CRITICAL- (now this is how a legendary item looks like)
2. Superior
with Instantly starts recharging when depleted; can only occur once every 20 seconds
Try to get this one as close to "Starforged Autonomous Overcharged Genesis Barrier, Restore Protocol Catalyst", expecially on Sentinel.
Basically, with 70% damage reduction, the enemies just scratch you, and you keep regenerating shield 24/7

Tip 12: Equip the best shield.

-NOT IMPORTANT-
3. (Rare) Bloodstar Optimized Renegade Plating. Hands down, best plating in game. This is not the game where you play with life steal, or think about 10% recharge per kill. You just want to be beefy. And this baby goes to 22k when starforged. And gives you Bloodstar set bonus.

-CRITICAL-
4. (Rare)
(bonus if you roll Gauss Cannons deal 20% increased damage)
Critical hits web targets for 3 seconds - amazing. Let's you target enemies easier + enables Exploitation

Tip 13: Equip the best sensor.

-CRITICAL-
5. (Rare) 45 seconds of non-stop boost, and that's w/o the constant 5 sec per kill regen from Bloodstar bonus

Tip 14: Equip the best booster.

-NOT IMPORTANT-
6. (Rare) Optimized Autonomous Cargo - Any will do, but this one has repair on it, and a nice 2 piece set bonus to go with the shield.

Now, prototype is better than just rare. Superior is better than rare prototype. But for the Core, Sensor, Booster and Cargo you only get bigger numbers, which we said don't matter.
For the shield and plating, go for starforged.

-CRITICAL-

Adam's perks are game changers. They may be the most important choices of the game.

-CRITICAL-
With this perk and Starforged Autonomous Overcharged Genesis Barrier the Sentinel becomes immortal.
Not sure on the math here, but with 2,000 expertise and this perk, Sentinel's shield get like 50-70% damage reduction. That's like a 50k shield becoming 150k shield.
Pair with Restore Protocol Catalyst, most of the hits don't even stop the shield from constantly charging.
Pair "After shutdown duration, instantly restore shield to full capacity" genesis barrier special and "Using a consumable immediately triggers the shield to recharge" Sentinel's passive, you get full shield back on demand, just like HBO.

Tip 15: Perks: Exit Strategy.

-CRITICAL-
So, when you play, as soon as you lock the target, inject it with corrosion. This will activate Reactive Armor. This is spamable, and you do it for every target you kill. It even does additional damage.

Tip 16: Perks: Play it Safe - spam it.

-SEMI IMPORTANT-
3. Crit Happens is a nice damage boost. You can use Relentless if you run low on weapon energy (which you should not be on the Sentinel).

-NOT IMPORTANT-
4. Critical Faculty - nothing good for the Sentinel here. His ULT sux.

-CRITICAL- (pun intended)
You pair this with Dogmatic Scanner, your crit chance goes from 20 to 30% (up to 40% even).
Now, crits are boss in this game. They do double damage, recharge your weapon energy, they proc your free missiles, they web you targets and they proc the Symphony.

Tip 16: Perks: Exploitation.

-CRITICAL-
OH, my love. To be honest, all level 30 perks are good. But this one...
In the end game, you will have close to 40% crit. So, more often then not, enemies will explode on death, the area is huge and the damage is HEALTH based.
Just use this.

Tip 17: Focus on big juicy targets whenever you can. The more health they have, the bigger the boom.

-CRITICAL-
1. Teleporter (Scurry)
Enables you to reach critical targets fast (like big beefy ships and snipers)
Enables you to escape getting webbed (which is how you will die)
The hook is great and all. For rifts, teleporter is better.

-CRITICAL-
2. Corrosion Injector
The synergy with Play it Safe gives a lot of survivability.

3. Nano Transmitter
Nice to have if you somehow get low on Armor or Hull.

-IMPORTANT-
4. Front Shield Generator: All Day: Blocked damage is converted into weapon energy
An easy way to recover you weapon energy and it actually blocks damage.

Essential Gear
Starforged Autonomous Overcharged Genesis Barrier, Restore Protocol Catalyst, with Instantly starts recharging...
Eco Cruise Booster

Tip 18:
In game, go to Settings, Mouse and Keyboard, set Boost Behaviour to Toggle.
Equip an Eco Cruise Booster, never stop boosting. You stop, you die.
And you'll get to use your pinky as an old man, an added bonus.

Tip 19:
When you get webbed (can't move) don't think, just teleport out. Just drop your target and teleport out.

Tip 20:
As soon as you see the sniper, teleport to him and kill him. Just drop your target and kill him.

Tip 21:
Play it safe (Reactive Armor) and Corrosion Injector (Mercy Kill) combo is key to survival.

Tip 22:
Keep strafing. To the left or to the right, just constantly circle your target.

Tip 23:
Don't go into "A random item is overheated for 10 seconds" portals.

Essential Gear

• Superior Redemption Optimized Dogmatic Scanner with +20% damage of choice (and I do mean gauss)
  
• Superior Gauss Cannon with Barrage

Critical hits have a 40% chance to recharge weapon energy by 2%

Tip 24:
And you'll get to use your index finger as an old man, an added bonus.

Tip 25:
Front Shield Generator (All Day) is the best way to regenerate weapon energy.

Tip 26:
Energy Injector and Damage Booster are the only consumables you need.

Tip 27:
Weapon Spread is a thing. Don't shoot from 2km and wonder why you miss. You should fight between 300 and 800m.

Tip 28:
Powerful Rockets (200 of them) are great for downing the boss.

I actually played what I just wrote down. It took me maybe 2 hours to get all the gear, some resources.
And the rift itself takes me 10 minutes. Kind of slow, but I played 2 x 1000 lunacy, slow and easy.

I took out my endgame Sentinel for a spin after, and there is a difference. About twice as fast in clearing.

The main difference was the weapon and the crit chance.

There you go. Blue rifts, easy. I wish some of them were blue. My eyes hurt.