You have eight shards. Each of these shards deals a relatively high damage value individually however by getting multiple shards to land upon a single target, you can get what is essentially a tremendous amount of damage off in one attack; the sort of damage values you aren't liable to see from anything short of a Blitz Needle. Now actually landing all of the shards at once is a difficult task, against some enemies you have to lure them into attacking you where as against certain enemies you'll have place the bomb in their movement or dodging paths. The easiest enemies to deal with are ones whom have an attack that either moves them directly forward like Zombies, Retrodes, Greavers, Jellies or enemies that can be lead into the shards with appropriate bomb placement and kiting such as Lichens, Scuttlebots or Mechaknights. Whilst it takes a bit of practice to understand how and where to position your bombs, one you've gotten the hang of it you can consistently land upwards of four, often as many as all eight shards into a target per bomb; which especially in smaller groups or when soloing will often one shot targets. Shards can also be used to great effect against both Trojans and Slag Guards, either by baiting them into charging and getting them to cross over a detonating RSS (Although this is something that will take a fair bit of time to pick up) or in the case of trojans allowing them to do a 'slam' and placing RSS behind them during their cooldown animation.

When it comes to slower targets like Lumbers or various bosses you're unlikely to actually get all eight shards in, however for the most part you are able to repeatedly drop RSS safely whilst kiting meaning multiple lots of 3-4 shards which is often still more than adequate dps. Against the Royal Jelly and Vanaduke you can get upwards of eight shards off at once although it requires you to place it where they're going, which against Vana often means dropping an RSS when he charges much like you can do with Trojans or Slag Guards. This of course comes with immensely high risk, and as a bomber you're often liable to just be Shiver or Veilering during Vana anyway, but it's certainly a satisfying thing to do and is nice if like me you're crazy enough to solo Vana with bombs.

Using RSS on targets that have less predictable movement patterns like Devilite or Kats is considerably more difficult, and if you aren't using either Shivermist or Voltaic Tempest to reduce their mobility you are often better using Blast Bombs for their area of effect (Especially against Devilites who do so love to evade projectiles). You can use RSS on them via more advance targets like using your own body to block off their movement, but these a situations where you timing becomes imperative and a mistake is a lot more likely to get you killed than simply taking the odd bit of damage. Using RSS on Wolvers is a bit different to other agile targets, since they do have an excellent habit of warping into you which means by running over your own shards whilst chaining you can often get them tunnel up directly on shards, and since they have knockdown you can easily combo them. It is worth noting though that against Wolvers and Gremlins DBB is generally better due to the aoe although RSS will work on both proficently if you know what you're doing.

tl;dr You can really use RSS to great effect on basically anything that isn't a Devilite -without Shivering first- and it's an imperitive tool for bombers looking to deal with ranged targets, effectively handle Greavers, and actually dps bosses if you so choose to do so.

I realize this isn't especially in-depth, but I was about to go in the shower before I saw your responce, so if you have any further questions feel free to ask and I'll answer them when I'm back.

On a side note, the Antigua/RSS changes are up on the test server now?

Yup, the Antigua line is now pure typed as is RSS unfortunately. As for not talking about them, rules be damned I think making sure people don't waste their ce crafting items Three Rings are intending to ruin takes priority over pretending these changes aren't occuring. Besides that we're not talking about actual new content where spoilers apply, we're discussing damage changes to existing weapons and these particular changes have already been discussed by Nick himself in this very section of the forums.

Ffffffffff- wasn't there mega negative reception to the proposed changes of RSS? Why would they do that? T_T

WIth RSS is very easy to beat trojans. Charge RSS and stand in front of trojan. When he charge to strike u with his sword run behind him, place RSS and get back to your first position. This will keep him always turned in one direction. Reapet this multiple times and he will be dust.

Why haven't they made a 5* Version for Rock Salt & Sun Shards?

- How do you efficiently kill a Trojan with RSS? I've tried using it on them but it doesn't really always work.
- Against mobile enemies, do you have to use this bomb point blank for it to do high damage? Or is there a way to use it at range as well?
- Is there a way to really get 8 shards into one target? I still don't get how that works, especially because they shoot in different directions.
- Is RSS practical in a team of 4, or is it a soloist's secret weapon?

I'm a Mad Bomber, i love RSS, use it lots. It is especially BEST in Firestorm Citadel, because that is mostly zombies, and they are grand fun with an RSS

Trojan: yes, it can kill them. Generally I only get one hit on, or may two hits, per bomb. I'm lucky if I get 3. Maybe I just haven't figured it out, but unless you're great at bullfighting them to run over it at just the right second, I don't see how you'll ever get 8 with them. Let them get ready to attack, move around them, drop the bomb, move back. Takes practice. FSC is a great place to practice, since so many are trapped behind screens.

8 Shards: I easily get 2 on a skelly, often 3 or 4. To get 8, you have to get right in front, I mean, kiss that zombie right in the face. Then put the bomb down. Then back up fast. As it attacks, it slides forward, takes more shards. Or, let them leap and time it just right, they take 8. 8 is wonderful, but even 4 is more damage than I can do with any other weapon I own. So, not bad. I melt them pretty fast. My favorite is to just dance around right in their faces.

Another way to max out the damage is to team up with someone using a vortex bomb. I've got max CTR, so I stand right in the center of the vortex and spam shards. Risky? Yes. Fun? Oh F*&^ yes! I love it. Then again, I'm MAD.

Team weapon? Well, i use it in teams. But recently I've definitely noticed I do less damage when some swordie is busy smacking my chosen Zombie around with an avenger, cause they take the zombies right off my bomb. Note what we've said above about how to max damage with the RSS? Well now try to do that with 3 teammates constantly pushing your targets around the screen. Again in FSC, there's enough to do and enough hordes it doesn't matter. In other places, or with fast moving targets like kats, the RSS is a much slower choice of weapon for killing things.

Range: well, you can still peg things at range. Ask the Strikers I've killed as they run away from me in LockDown (though in their defense I die more than them. ;) Shards is the ONLY ranged bomb you have. If you really go pure bomber, Shards is better than wasting your money on some stupid gun you'll have no bonuses on. Will it really shine as a fast killer? No. But it will do better for those long range pupies than trying to kill them with your Shivermist. ;)

Wait what? They are changing RSS?

The very weapon that gives me pride and joy every time I head down into the clockworks and utterly decimate Danger Rooms with?

WHY?! Antigua Line needs the change, NOT RSS! The < Censoring 20 obscenities >

No really. Radiant Sun Shards was my 1st 4* craft, my first love, and the very weapon that gave me pride as a bomber. Even when I was in T2 gear, I once went into an undead T3 Arena and was the last man standing in a group of Skolvers.

This change goes through, and I might as well go Swordie or Gunner.

I mean seriously, I don't have any other bombing weapon I can actively rely on for Elemental Damage besides my personal Lightning Capacitor and (to a limited degree) my Fiery Atomizer. (I don't own an Electron Vortex line currently.)

Let's start a protest guys! Bomber union!

(where i get these political ideas from...)

Radiance is my mainstay. I never delve into a clockwork tunnel (in hopes of finding a danger room) without it at close hand. It is my first piece of "endgame" gear, and I never regret spending the cash to craft it.

The ability to deal in excess in 400 dmg in T2, or 1000 in T3 is why I love it to death.

My motto has become "where all else fails, shard."

It's also the reason why friends around me ditch their pulsars. :D

If they do this. I will be angered beyond belief. This weapon is the only reason why I am still bombing today. My ability to Blast bomb still needs work. (though its sharpened over the past week, thanks to soloing practice.) My vortex is still 3*. (Charge is notoriously difficult to use.) And acting as the support specialist behind the line of wolvers becomes boring after awhile. (Though Fire and Shock somewhat make up for this.)

"Radiant Sun Shards"

As the wiki states, "Some bombs are fun to use, and aren't useful. Radiant Sun Shards are both fun to use, and useful."

Don't take away my fun. Just don't. This bomb has much sentimental meaning as well as it does usefulness in the Clockworks.

Well lets look at the plus of making it pure piercing.

It is actually amazing on beasts, lay one before a wolver or alpha bite and they can clip all of the shards.

Can also spam it to randomly take out beasts.

Gremlins have that first strike which brings them a bit forward. Maybe place one before one of their attacks to one shot them? I don't think that would work though with how quick they are.

Still useful on zombies, just not as.... but still doable....

Can use it to smash mender bubbles quickly?

Better for trojans...

There is not enough good.

Keep RSS split elemental or piercing please!!!!

I hope the RSS stays the way it is, it functions as a gun of sorts to me when soloing (sniping gun puppies from afar is fun!), especially since I don't use guns myself.