@Jay6x The 12☆ and 14☆ weapons indeed got comparable treatments in PSO2.
As with the initial wave of 14☆ weapons, the first batch of 12☆ weapons were also 'impossible' to get. I remember staring at Dark Falz Elder's Quest logs for months thinking: "One day I am gonna get you Ely-Sion." (The 12☆ Sword, not to be confused with the 11☆ Wand.) Of course that never happened until 12☆ weapons were dropping frequently.
And exactly like 12☆ weapons. As soon as 14☆ weapons were dropping frequently,15☆ weapons were right around the corner or already introduced. (The same scenario with 12☆ weapons when 13☆ weapons arrived.)
Both never got their time to (truly) settle/shine with the mass audience. Only a handful of players got to enjoy 12☆ and or 14☆ weapons during their prime. (Thankfully I was destined to wield a Lavis Cannon during its heyday, Yamato CHOSE me. Oh did I make a lot of players jealous, that was the time I learned not to announce my drops to others any longer even when/if they asked.)
The phrase: "14☆ weapons got the same treatment as 12☆ weapons did." is well known.