ARKS Connect Memories results

[TehCubey]

I'd say ET's skill floor is the lowest out of the three successor classes. It's a very safe class, and also one where you can just use any PA and deal big dick damage (unless you're playing Wand). Yet not only is it the least played of the successors but somehow managed to evade the "oh, shiny!" syndrome, where everyone plays the new class because it's new. Did damage balancer turn people off, I wonder?

BTW the MPAs I'm in have consistently more Phantoms than either Heros or Etoilles, while these two seem about equal in numbers. Not representative of the game average at all - I wonder is it because expert players are by definition more likely to go for the top meta pick, or is ship 10 just a weird statistical anomaly.

[Kondibon]

also one where you can just use any PA and deal big dick damage (unless you're playing Wand).

I think you got that backwards. Wand is the one where you can just do whatever and do a ton of damage. If you don't abuse DB and DS's mechanics they don't actually do that much damage.

Also, based on what they said about where and when people use Etoile it seems like the main reason it's not used is because its attacks are slow and heavy. That's not as useful in content where you're fighting through groups of weak mobs that die to faster attacks that do less damage per hit.

[echofaith]

I think a big part of the usage is outside actual meta content. For example, Hunter may have extra because of many people intending to subclass it. So besides actual main Hunters, many others Mains(Fighters, Rangers, Bravers, etc) played it even if it was just to rush to 95.
Similar thing may happen with successors. I do see more Phantoms in EQs too, but in my case at least, my other 2 characters whose only purpose are weeklies are Hero 24/7.

As for Etoile, the class main appeal is being safe, but damage balancer isnt as "free" as say automate. You get to play safe with lower hp and avoid 1hko, but you lose potential facetanking other classes can do(middle of resta spam, megiverse, SSA, passives) and you have an actual downtime from manual mates if you get hit too often. The PAs and regulars themselves look pretty and their DPS isnt bad by any means, but they are slower and feels less smooth than the previous 2 classes, while also lacking technics, so that may also keep many from playing it. For me, Etoile feels like a Hunter that loses part of its tankiness for more fluidity in their moves.

[Cyclon]

As for Etoile, the class main appeal is being safe, but damage balancer isnt as "free" as say automate.

From my experience, Eoile facetanks just fine, especially since Etoile Boost all but nullifies multi hit attacks. I doubt that's part of the problem.

I was expecting bigger numbers on Su. I guess my brain is confused since they stick out a lot more than everything else. Outside of that, apart from Hero being super high, I'm not seeing a lot that's surprising.

[Zephyrion]

From my experience, Eoile facetanks just fine, especially since Etoile Boost all but nullifies multi hit attacks. I doubt that's part of the problem.

I was expecting bigger numbers on Su. I guess my brain is confused since they stick out a lot more than everything else. Outside of that, apart from Hero being super high, I'm not seeing a lot that's surprising.

I really think the core of it is Etoile is a regular class disguised as an advanced class. By that I mean, both Hr and Ph are insanely fast with ubiquitous PAs, access to techs and encourage a fluid and very nervous playstyle with straightforward weapon mechanics and multipliers
Meanwhile Etoile is slower, has multipliers that need you to work around them (mainly the same arts/tech arts rotations), very specific learning curves on their weapons, and no techs (very similarly to how HU or FI would deal with all this).

Those points don't make it any less fun, but they make it less appealing as a "pick and play" class and doesn't exactly allow to get fast weeklies and stuff.

[Kondibon]

I was expecting bigger numbers on Su.

I think a big hit against Su is that you can't transfer pets and/or candies as easily as weapons, so people are less likely to use Su on multiple characters. Heck the reason successor classes are so high is probably people using them for alts, since they don't need sub classes.

Those points don't make it any less fun, but they make it less appealing as a "pick and play" class and doesn't exactly allow to get fast weeklies and stuff.

This is actually what I meant by the class not being as good for easy stuff. Though, to be honest, even I've been playing it less.

[Dark Mits]

I'd say ET's skill floor is the lowest out of the three successor classes. It's a very safe class, and also one where you can just use any PA and deal big dick damage (unless you're playing Wand). Yet not only is it the least played of the successors but somehow managed to evade the "oh, shiny!" syndrome, where everyone plays the new class because it's new. Did damage balancer turn people off, I wonder?

If I had to guess, the cause may have been the presentation of the class. It was advertised as a class with emphasis on being defensive, with no techniques and with support abilities. This possibly pushed some potential players away, for the same reason that Techtor/Techer pushed potential players away from the description of "support".

BTW the MPAs I'm in have consistently more Phantoms than either Heros or Etoilles, while these two seem about equal in numbers. Not representative of the game average at all - I wonder is it because expert players are by definition more likely to go for the top meta pick, or is ship 10 just a weird statistical anomaly.

I guess we should wait for Sega to release "official" numbers, but in Ship 2 non-expert EQs Phantoms are almost 40% if not higher of the total populace. I also do not remember the last time I saw a Summoner despite them having a new pet recently. Fighter and Bouncer are also about 1% or less.

[Kondibon]

Su is in a weird position right now because it's a good class in terms of potential damage output, but like etoile it has a hard time "keeping up" with other classes that can just attack without needing to worry about positioning a pet or the setup Redran needs. On top of that, bosses in UH content tend to chew through most pets, even Melon.

[TehCubey]

I think you got that backwards. Wand is the one where you can just do whatever and do a ton of damage. If you don't abuse DB and DS's mechanics they don't actually do that much damage.

Also, based on what they said about where and when people use Etoile it seems like the main reason it's not used is because its attacks are slow and heavy. That's not as useful in content where you're fighting through groups of weak mobs that die to faster attacks that do less damage per hit.

I should be more specific here - I weren't saying that the class actually deals good damage but rather that it feels like it does. It's not with every class that you can use any PA and see a 6 digit number appear as it hits the enemy. As for the attacks being slow so the dps isn't actually that high - well, you can't really calculate dps on a napkin so that's less important. Actual power matters only when you deal with people who use parses, read online guides, etc. What matters is perceived power.

But apparently I was wrong since people disliked how slow and heavy the class is, while I thought that's what they'd like about it. Kinda makes me wonder why Hunter is the most popular legacy class then.

[Kondibon]

I should be more specific here - I weren't saying that the class actually deals good damage but rather that it feels like it does. It's not with every class that you can use any PA and see a 6 digit number appear as it hits the enemy. As for the attacks being slow so the dps isn't actually that high - well, you can't really calculate dps on a napkin so that's less important. Actual power matters only when you deal with people who use parses, read online guides, etc. What matters is perceived power.

That's fair. The same thing happened with rising slash on hero.

But apparently I was wrong since people disliked how slow and heavy the class is, while I thought that's what they'd like about it. Kinda makes me wonder why Hunter is the most popular legacy class then.

It's less that people dislike how slow it is (I love it personally), and more that in daily content or guruguru quests with a bunch of trash mobs that die fast the class feels clunky. Nothing sucks more than using a wand PA only to have the enemy be die midway through or someone else kill it and you try to move and aim it off in some other random direction. I think if the other two weapons were a bit more well rounded then it wouldn't feel as bad for that kind of stuff. I don't know if the DB buffs really addressed that though.