1. Firstly, I never said I'm taking about someone that has just lost at their own inner. Sometimes a raid can be done when people are ghosts, or on a major exploration trip, or just haven't showed because they are extremely risk averse. Let's also allow for the possibility that an attacker may have logged off.

But let's assume they HAVE just lost at their own inner and those taking the thing haven't logged off.

2. You can still often wear down an outer against a defender when that same defender can't stop you taking their item forever. But they can make it enough of a hassle to take their item that you won't bother if they can retrieve.

3. I didn't say the retriever has to do it all themselves. just show up and set an example, rather than "heroically" not. I didn't say they had to do it when they are vastly outmatched.

4. Those with the item may not be sitting at their cabal.

5. Using a healer can be dangerous when fighting a summoner plus other.

6. There are plenty of logs of people getting lots of exp retrieving against significant opposition. Partly because you can hit and run to force a defender to deplete their protections, which you cannot do when hey are raiding you. In fact, they can do it to you.