Its complex issue.
Balancing by accuracy makes it invalid as a choice vs targets with high mdef (targets you really want to target are dangerous, and dangerous enemies tend to have better than avg mdef.)
Balancing by FAT makes it OP on high fat chars.
4 AP allows for 3 bros to control 6 tough enemies, that is OP.
Current version is OK-ish, but 4AP leftover taxes you with a mandatory QH perk to do something usefull with said 4 AP. That makes it a bit underwhelming, but still useful (as that is THE ONLY way to control a stun-immune target. (Taunt has lots of restrictions).
Personally, I’d like it to be able to be used as an offhand slot weapon (a unique mainhand-dualgrip-offhand choice) to allow for a weapon+whip combo without a QH perk (duelist should apply) or control kit (mace+whip, without a QH perk) or whip+net combo.
That solves a problem with not really usefull 4 AP lefover, when used as a control tool, and doesn’t allow for massed 4 AP use, and doesn’t require a buff to its controlling potencial to offset a hier AP cost (past 5).
But it takes dev time..