Galvanic Shards = shock + clear (with
Zealous Inquisition)
shock = more dmg and enables
Shockburst Rounds single target
that's it!
IF YOU'RE STUCK
1) buy a better weapon
500+dps (PHYS / LIGHTNING ONLY! NO FIRE / COLD!)
+3 proj skills (pref higher obv)
2) buy rings with flat dmg (also gloves)
+phys or +lightning
remember to catalyze! (Uul-Netol / Esh)
3) make sure you're using
Voltaic Mark +
Conductivity on tanky foes
if you're still not doing enough damage, double-check your gem sockets and passive tree to ensure you're running the most-optimal setup for your current level.
obviously, you could also go down the
Hand of Wisdom and Action route for giga damage but, well... then you'd be cringe, so...
as for dying:
1) buy a better body armor / helmet
these two slots have the highest roll values
2) add 20% quality all pieces of gear (Armorer's Scraps)
this increases the evasion / energy shield values by 1.2x
if you're sitting around 3k combined life + energy shield, you should be fine (but the more, the merrier!)
you may need to go through the "upgrade" process a couple of times for different progression stages. as you accumulate more currency, be prepared to spend it for a better overall experience!