If anyone's wondering, the SC Ascendant is still very viable with the Red Hand as a main weapon. Finished with it all content (vanilla + DLC's + all megabosses) on latest patch. The build was centered around guns and based on propositions by Dr. Hieronymous Alloy, 1TTFFSSE and L4wlight. 14/8/15/16/17/8 + (eyestrike, penetrating visions, antipathetic field, lingering echoes, hammering thoughts, recall agony, draining whip, two-handed style, mind blades, mental binding, secret horrors, ectopsychic echo, silent scream, body attunement, keen mind, rapid casting, borrowed instinct, ringleader, amplified wave, disintegration, empty soul, improved crit., time parasite, ancestor's memory, soul's echo, prestige, shared nightmare, 1k cuts).
antipathetic + mind blades + silent scream as a combo-parts for 1k cuts
+ (pure priest oc companion: salvation of time, barring death's door, devotions for the faithful) + (chanter/druid oc companion: sure handed illa + aefyllath ues) + gun-friendly per rest bonuses (damage charged red-hand, shoot-boosting consumables, captain banquet/skewers etc. - btw: replace sth with an accurate empower if you plan to rest often).
Didn't like the Kitchen Stove for its small range, have used: 85% Red Hand, 10% Frost Seeker (mainly prior to receiving RH + skeletons), 5% Kitchen Stove (Thunderous Report).