Can someone help me understand the purpose of Scion classes a bit more? Because right now it feels like they're just over-all better than the base classes.

To me, it seems like Hero completely replaces Hunter and Katana Braver. It out damages both if you can successfully keep Hero Bonus up and it has blocks/counters.

Gunner seems replaced by Luster (And also Hero, in a small part)

Force seems replaced by Phantom

It seems to me the Scion classes take everything the Base classes had and just make it better

Ranger's long-range is very clearly taken by both Hero and Phantom

Hunter's ability to not-die is taken by Etoile and just turned up to 11

Phantom takes Casting and makes it more fun and more survivable at the cost of a small amount of DPS

Luster out-damages pretty much every other class and has better defensive options

It just seems like Sega said "Alright, we can't fix the subclassing system and make it not terrible, so let's just make new classes that do everything so players want to play them more."

Every Scion has Melee, Range, and Tec. You're getting everything in a Scion class and choosing between them is basically picking your favorite color.

You can subclass both Phantom and Etoile. Stuff gets a lot more equal when you remember that. Can't speak for how Luster is though. Also, Etoile is melee only.

Hunter is generally safer and more survivable than hero is. Braver can more easily maintain it's katana stance and it's boost is also easier to get going.

Gunner isn't replaced because GU/FI still has the best burst damage in the game afaik. Even in that case TMG's on hero mainly exist as your PP restore machine or a quick safe movement around the field. Outside of counters it's not really high damage. Which can really be said by the class as a whole.

Can't speak on force vs phantom personally as i'm not a caster. But I do know Phantom is primarily taken as a sub class instead of a primary for most end game content just because of it's absurd amount of PP regen/up keep.

Ranger is not replaced because ranger has Blight rounds. That and it has specific attacks that are very strong for specific bosses due to piercing capabilities.

HU/ET is more tanky thank ET on it's own.

The DPS difference between a primary caster and a phantom is huge. Can't speak on luster at all.

Successor classes were originally designed to replace primary classes. This is why their classes are much simpler, flow better, and have more flexibility to some degree. However statistically speaking they're not straight better because JP complained about them making older classes irrelevant.

Generally speaking if you're wanting to min max a class setup you take a primary base class and then a successor subclass. However if you're just looking for easier gameplay that keeps you being at a competitive level for end game content then you can main a successor class. Also no, ET is strictly melee.

I'm by no means a vet but I'm trying to get as much information as I can because I intend to main being a Rod caster type mage, but according to information I've found is that Phantom vs Force trades the combined techs for Phantoms evade frames, PPregen, and Mobility. Which is trading huge burst damage.

And Phantom as a sub to force replaces tecther for better PP regen but you lose out on stuff like Light damage buffs and become mostly a Lighting only build. I'm not familiar with how much of the mobility and evade frames carry over, if any.

(From this description Phantom is very appealing to people like myself as I find myself trying to play my force like a phantom and running out of PP... Even though I've never played JP)