Ballistic Mastery is useful even to high-tech ships that can mount few critical ballistics. Nice on Paragon or Ziggurat with Heavy Needlers. I would like Energy Mastery to be similarly useful for atypical ships with energy weapons, like Onslaught and its TPCs.
This leaves me thinking we could overhaul the skill even further. Make the damage bonus 10% at no flux and 30% at max flux. Then make the damage falloff based on the weapon's range instead of a flat 1000: so rather than x0 bonus at 1000 range it would be x0 at whatever the weapon's maximum range is, then it would scale up to x1 at 500 range. So a paragon's tach lance would get x0 at 2000 range, x0.5 at 1250 range, and x1 at 500 range. Any weapon with 500 range or less would just get a x1 modifier. Although I guess the problem there would be anything with 600 range would be really awkward for the AI to use properly. We could have the lowest range for the x0 modifier be 1000, but I imagine the text on this hypothetical skill is getting a little messy. Any thoughts?
I prefer a steady damage bonus. I am okay with flux supercharge alone.
Ships generally want to attack at maximum range, player and AI alike. Also, some ships may have energy weapons of varying range, like beams and plasma cannons.
Based on weapon range would probably hurt ships that have very short range to begin with, AMB Afflictor or HSA Phase Lance Harbinger, who probably need to attack at maximum range.
Basic Ballistic Mastery have two perks, +10% damage and better accuracy. Basic Energy Mastery could have damage and more damage as its two perks. (+10% plus more from flux supercharge.)