Before Occurencies Befall on Mighty Bob-ombs

Can we make an Initial Conclusion? Yes, but we need to allocate Numerical values (however said Numerical values were established on the Wiki and thru observation, since there is not an actual source for them on the patch notes).

Bombastic Demo Set:
Damage Bonus: 4
Freeze Resistance: 4
Bonus total 4, Resistance total 4

Volcanic Demo Set:
Charge Reduction Time Bonus: 4
Fire Resistance: 4
Bonus total 4, Resistance total 4

Mercurial Demo Set:
Damage Bonus: 2
Movement Speed: 2
Shock Resistance: 4
Bonus total 4, Resistance total 4

Kat Hiss Set:
Damage Bonus: 2
Charge Reduction Time Bonus: 2
Freeze Resistance: 4
Shock Resistance: -4
Curse Resistance: -2
Bonus total 4, Resistencia total -2

Starlit Demo Set:
Charge Reduction Time Bonus: 4
Damage Bonus: Slime: 2
Sleep Resistance: 4
Stun Resistance: -4
Bonus total 6, Resistance total 0

Mad Bomber Set:
Damage Bonus: 4
Charge Reduction Time Bonus: 4
Fire Resistance: -3
Freeze Resistance: -3
Poison Resistance: -3
Shock Resistance: -3
Bonus total 8, Resistance total -12

In a General observation the sets are quite well balanced among eachother, and that analysis includes Kat Hiss Set that is on the weaker side Resistance-wise, what Could be an Outlier Mad Bomber Set on the Bonus Total, get balanced thru Resistances, while doubling the Bonus substract four times as much resistance.

We Continue by listing. Sets that affect Bombs

Arcane Salamander Suit
Damage Bonus: Slime: 2
Damage Bonus: Beast: 2
Bonus total 4

Deadly Virulisk Set / Volcanic Salamander:
Damage Bonus: Slime: 4
Bonus total 4

Deadshot Set:
Damage Bonus: Undead: 4

Dragon Scale Set:
Damage Bonus: Beast: 4
Bonus total 4

Divine Set (Divine Veil being the part that provides the buff):
Damage Bonus: Fiends: 2
Bonus total 2

Heavenly Iron Set:
Damage Bonus: Fiends: 2
Bonus total 2

Valkyrie Set:
Damage Bonus: Fiends: 4
Bonus total 4

Fallen Set:
Damage Decrease: Fiends: -4
Bonus total -4

Black Kat Set:
Damage Bonus: 6
Movement Speed: 4
Fire Resistance: -3
Freeze Resistance: 4
Poison Resistance: -3
Shock Resistance: -3
Curse Resistance: -4
Bonus total 10, Resistance total -9

Chaos Set:
Defences: Normal-Elemental
Damage Bonus: 4
Charge Reduction Time Bonus: 4
Fire Resistance: -3
Freeze Resistance: -3
Poison Resistance: -3
Shock Resistance: -3
Curse Resistance: -3
Bonus total 8, Resistance total -15

Here We can see some Un-balance Black Kat Set being Somewhat stronger while the rest of the Gear remains in line with eachother, even Chaos Set doesn't deviate to much from Mad Bomber Set, again making more apparent the similitude between them.

We most keep in mind 2 things: First, the Bomber dedicated Gear is not un-balance, but can be considered a niche, what in a more general observation would make it look lacklustre; Second, The profound variability on missions and arcade level to level, where in some cases Bombs render some of the level completely Trivial.
The access to the arsenal on every level hinders some weapons and armours or Gear combination while boost others. As it Is the specialist weapons and Generalist Gear thrives while Generalist weapons (normal damage) and specialist gear (Bombs only Damage) tends to suffer.
With the exception of some gear, the game is not in a bad place from this list point of view, but we need to consider that this is the observation of only 1/3 of the game and the state of it from said perspective.

Let's Notice this:
I haven't Analyzed DPS, which I wont Until Official Data on Charging Time values and Charging Time Reduction is Disclosure

Many years ago, I did analyze DPS in the Guild Training Hall. This is what I wrote down: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1C-ZS4k9_VoyP8qPxCqPMNxwbeZybUJB…

The long and short of it, which everyone already knew, is that CTR > Damage when it comes to DPS, and it's most of the time not even close. You get the closest when using a low-damage bomb against a neutral target. There's several reasons for this.

The first is that CTR bonuses are twice as big as other bonuses. So while max ASI, DMG, and move speed increase their respective stats by 24%, CTR reduces charge time by 48%. The second is that reductive stats are already more effective than incremental ones. A 24% increase is 3.33% higher than a 20% increase, but a 24% decrease is 5% better than a 20% decrease, that's just how maths work. Combine these two and in most cases you do more DPS with a higher CTR than a higher damage bonus, although you obviously want both. The ideal is damage-increasing gear with CTR UVs.

But there's more to think about with bombs than just DPS. If you put two nitros down and the second misses entirely because the first one shoved all of your enemies out of range, then you haven't increased your DPS at all, and the second thing to consider is that your ability to stagger enemies is dependent on your damage boost, this is also going to vary with party size and depth. It's also worth thinking about flat defense, so a 24% damage increase is more than 24% in effective damage, but practical damage tests still favor CTR.

Having the biggest increase in DPS Tied to CTR and a 1/3 of the Weapon options, So dependant of CTR (Bombs only have charge attack)... can't be great. That said, no wonder why they're so hard to balance.
"...The ideal is damage-increasing gear with CTR UVs." The curse is real then... Black Kat is the curse that afflicts the game as It is... seem lore-wise fitting.

Damage per bomb and Bomb per Moment is complicated, DPS would be an absolute reductionism since a LOT of nuance is involved... Reason why Dark Briar Barage is one of the Highest Damaging Bomb is the knockdown instead of knockback, Dark Retribution can Miss (wirdly but can happen), Vortex are un-reliable when Chained (Electron Vortex can bypass this due to the shock status nature), Status Bombs re-apply status but they do not stack (Voltaic Tempest is somewhat of exception here again due to Again shock status nature). And people still reduct Bombing to a mindless game... Shards are... Just Weird...

Thanks for bringing Important data and analysis (One of the Reasons why You're one of the best...), but that still doesn't leave GH out of the Hook, We DO STILL need Official Data about it! (will probably say, Zeedy's right, and not elaborate at all.)

As allways nice to see You here, hopefully I'll see You more ingame!

I agree that the bomber armors are not very out of balance with each other. The complaint, of course, is that they are still out of balance with Black Kat and Chaos.

Comparing the value of CTR armor and damage bonus armor is tricky...

I believe Zeddy's conclusions, which favor CTR. Also, CTR benefits both damage-oriented bombs (DBB, etc.) and support-oriented bombs (haze, vortex, etc.), while damage bonus really benefits only the damage-oriented bombs.

On the other hand, CTR can be obtained through UVs, while damage bonus can't (against all monsters including the specials such as Vanaduke). The best possible bomber setup is Black Kat and CTR+4 UVs on the bombs. And if you don't want to use Black Kat, Chaos, or Mad Bomber? Then Bombastic or Mercurial Demo.

Indeed Bopp, unless You are Using Voltaic Tempest, Ash of Agni, Venom Veiler, Shivermist Buster, Torpor Tantrum, Stagger Storm... In which case Damage is Not UpFront But Overtime and/or Debuff Or Crowd Control, CTR Gear is not Optimal. And is indeed recommended to Go Damage Gear.

Perhaps unifying Damage Bonus: Families into, Damage Bonus Would be good, but also a toss up on that breaking the game entirely...
Meanwhile having a heavy CTR dependant Weapon Tree is hard to balance.

Defensively speaking Bomb sets are still very lacking... Most are just elemental with only one brand new one being Pierce resist and the singular Shadow resist one is locked behind a massive RNG wall

The shadow armour is even in dire situation since You can make a Chaos Robe and get shadow resistance and better offensive stats... so even worst!
how bad is the balance of the event and gear outside of bomber center gear? well, You have to recomend a generalist gear...
But I don't think that You need an armour of every defence giving the same ofensive bonus, a.k.a. Gunners Vichyssoise. But since the arcade is not the most common place of play, You don't benefit from having elemental defence while Your friend cover others, and take turn "tanking hits" or getting into threat range or gettin enemies aggro.

Bombs themselves also suffer a lot in terms of exploration and such

You have to use multiple blasts to break some blocks and you always have to use it multiple times for minerals

Short of a few select variants you're progress will be slowed down a lot by using bombs

Things get even worse the earlier you start bombing.... you really feel the lack of DPS, range, and defensive options more than anything else

I don't advise to start at 2 stars, I did, but the game was different, then, there was a lot more of teamplay.
And yes only 1 bomb break crystals or blocks easily, the rest fails Miserably! more gameplay problems linked to the bombs themself Like if persistency where a big Issue!