DeletedUser
1. Tragic damage range and limit for players leveled enough to use it.
It's not supposed to be a great duelling weapon, it's meant for doing jobs. Just like the Trompet is.
2. You throw acid, fling acid or spray acid. You don't smash it into objects while its in your hand. Vigor (raw muscle power) or Shooting (precision with projectiles)? Which one seems more of a fit? How is this item melee?? I dare anyone to rationally explain this.
Every other ranged weapon is a gun (yes, I'm ignoring the boomerang since it doesn't fit my arguments ). These all require precision and proficiencies that I would actually argue should only come from the Aim skill (how is shooting different from Aim?), but let's just call it 'Shooting'. Throwing an item - which I suppose is done with the acid - requires something very different from firing a gun. The aiming process is completely different and the firing method certainly is. I don't think it's that far off to make damage dependant on raw muscle power as you put it.
3. The set affords +18 Shooting ONLY if the Corrosive Acid (melee!!) is equipped (all 6 items are required).
You just answered that yourself:
4. The set is explicitly meant to help with the Charlatan job, which requires NO vigor, but does require shooting. Same goes for Smuggling Goods (another job using the set).
5. The Black Bowler Hat and Brown Waistcoat both afford shooting buffs and no vigor buffs. Who thought it would be a good idea to pair them with a melee weapon??
6. The Charlatan job requires NO strength skills. Not one. However, it does require dexterity. It's not a brawn job. It's a brain job.
The whole set (as all other sets) is designed for doing jobs, not duelling. Thus the 18 shooting is providing a very good bonus for the jobs, while not affecting duelling. In my oppinion it's a bonus much better than +18 Vigor would be - as you still wouldn't be able to duel, and you'd be worse at the jobs.