So… I find this set a bit strange. At least in term of bonuses. Basically set support three skills - storm totem, PRM and… Chilling Rounds? Third one looks strange and counterproductive - it is a bonus to one highly specific single target WPS. Thats not something storm totem caster would rely on, and clearly not something Mage hunter would be too interested in. This doesn’t fix problems with DW ranged savagery or DW ranged Berothath fury, precisely lack of AOE damage most of time(and thus luck of reliability against groups), and caster with offhand\shield isn’t exactly the most damaging autoattacker.
So I am thinking this set need some reworking. I see two ways how it can be tweaked:
Make it more autoattack focused. For example replacing storm totem with savagery bonus, providing it chance to penetrate with ranged weapon and maybe inbuilt bleed->electocute or just providing Ludrigan’s sidearm with hidden penetration chance, similar to some twohanded rifles (maybe not 100% since you can wield two of them, but not zero like it is now. Maybe 70% though clearly will need more testing). Would be easiest way
Remove chilling round bonus entirely and turn it into fully fledged lightning caster set. For example replace Chilling rounds with Rune of Hagarad bonus, also providing it with 100% cold to lightning conversion, thus creating lightning Hagarrad possibility, while making new set for autoattack pistol Vindicator/Mage hunter/Druid with penetration-to-savagery bonus, chilling round bonuses from previous Ludrigan and for example 100% cold to lightning on IEE. Obviously hardest way to do it, but will open more possibilities
The current Inquisitor support does feel a little lacking - it essentially amounts to converting the Cold on Chilling Rounds to Lightning, adding Lightning/Electrocute damage and some weapon damage (which also takes the slot of the other weapon damage modifier to Chilling Rounds). Were it possible, I’d actually love to see something more creative here like a 4th projectile added to Chilling Rounds or the % chance to be used increased from 20-25% to 40-50% or so but I don’t feel those are doable without new tech (or some crafty workarounds, like just adding an extra WPS that mimics Chilling Rounds with 4 projectiles and a 25% proc chance to the set).
As to Ludrigan getting Savagery bonuses, my thoughts are:
Lightning Savagery already has 2 sets (technically 3 but Retal is it’s own thing) in Stormserpent and Ultos to work with. You can argue that Ultos gets used on Primal Strike more than Savagery and is more of a set for it but the bonuses to Savagery and +2 to all skills in Shaman are still there. It’s not like Lightning Shaman in general is short on support itemisation, Lightning Savagery specifically could perhaps do a with a little more in similar places to Primal Strike like Stormtitan Treads/Stormbearers or Feralmane Legguards and it’d be fine as well. A 3rd/4th set for the archetype might start to bloat things up a tad too much. A counterpoint though is that Lightning Storm Totem also has 2 supporting sets including Ludrigan so it is in an awkward position.
Ludrigan featuring a 1-handed ranged weapon for it’s set bothers me when it’s strongest modifiers are going to require the full set to use. Stormserpent doesn’t have this restriction and Ultos is less effected with the 4 piece set bonus and has seen use on 2-handed melee, 2-handed ranged and even dual-wield melee or ranged in the past - it has more variety in how it can be used as Lightning Savagery should be.
I’m of the opinion that just sticking Savagery bonuses onto a Legendary set like this and calling it a day is boring/bland - you’re free to disagree with me on this. Even pierce through starts to lose it’s luster as more and more guns get it regardless of whether it’s becoming a necessity for ranged builds to perform up to standard at end game or not. I’m always a fan of when a set does something unique through it’s set bonuses or skill modifiers whether it’s conversion or skill modifiers that introduce more of an emerging playstyle that isn’t seen elsewhere e.g. Ludrigan flipping PRM on it’s head turning it into an Electrocute/Lightning nuke, also thereby making Supercharged which previously was the worst node on the line more appealing for the bigger DoT and crit damage it brings.
ONE HANDED PRIMAL STRIKE RANGE WOULD BE SEXY THOUGH AMIRITE
The auto attack side honestly feels like a deadend. Doesn’t even convert the pierce for some reason, is a single WPS on a ranged AA that’s bonused for 2 handers and has no other interesting options for 1 hand. You end up going dagallon pistol to get some passthrough AoE and merge Storm Spread + Lightning Chiling Rounds. The in game results have played out rough when I’ve tried. Could probably do campaign but for being in theory a planned use of the set, it’s very underperforming. Basically mild filler while you drop storm totems and hope they kill everything, which as you mentioned already have 2 dedicated sets.
edit: for giggles plugged full ludri set into a purifier for firestrike with dag pistol and stormseer necklace for amped chilling+storm spread. I spose I’ll make in game to test but sheet damage is hilariously low, no physical res unless taking obsidian gloves, and we still have yet to get a proper lightning fire strike ranged option other than split purpose barrelsmith that is underwhelming so this has 30% fire to lightning on the necklace only (other 3 ranged optional slots for fire -> lightning blocked by set).
Before posting I actually returned and played around with my full ludri DW ranged vindicator. It is even funnier - damage is so widely inconsistent that you can’t even be sure you outdamage some enemies regen. Simple example - I did few runs against Acedian Aldric and well my killtime against this not exactly top lvl boss was flactuating between like 20 seconds and up to two-three minutes(basically character either come to him and melt through his health regen or just unable to outpace it, despite doing the same with its buffs and summons)
I am not sure that would be enough to save Ludri for AA build. I feel it would still end up showing rather inconsistent damage output compared to for example 4 Ulthos + Barrlesmiths setup(still aoe problems, but much more consistent single target damage output) on vindi. So I’d probably prefer to see AA pretence in form of chilling rounds dropped in favour of something else. Maybe lightning Hagarrad. Maybe fire->Lignting on censure. Maybe even bloody pox like stormbox
P.S Wait, was Barrelsmiths always with 100% penetration? I don’t remember that bonus when I played with them quite a long time ago
Ludrigan set needs more than love… It needs defense and more importantly focus. Inquisitor’s contribution is just slight WPS boost on non projectile based AA (Savagery). Panetti’s could also use some help. Only good part is Shaman’s Totems but totems are even better with LD and off-hand or Stromreaver .