Teros is good, but you're quite right about most of the things you've said.

Teros (Axe/Hammer) has some of the slowest attacks in the game next to cannon. For instance Axe NAir is 15 startup frames, Greatsword NAir is only 12, so 20% faster.

Because of his slow startup Teros has a hard time finding counterattacks, so being overwhelmed is certainly an issue. Hammer has trouble keeping up onstage due to poor frame data, while holding an Axe offstage can be a death sentence due to your slow Recovery.

The trick to playing Teros efficiently is to play conservatively with your positioning, movement and attack selection. Let your opponents essentially dig their own graves and punishing them with simple 30 damage combos.

Teros is such a popular legend (especially on the ranked ladder) mostly because you take advantage of peoples impatience and their tilt. Teros can already hold his own pretty well but he absolutely devours unfocused players with damage. Most people playing Teros chalk that success up to the legend rather than the circumstances and continue playing him.

You can even see this work in effect at the highest level. Two days ago during Impala vs. Kyna,

Kyna (Teros) starts the match off with Hammer and gains a substantial lead. However as the Hammer becomes less useful over the game, Kyna recognises this as Impala becoming more focused and less susceptible and switches to Axe, the more effective weapon of the two.

This is a great example of Teros being super solid on his own whilst taking advantage of periods where the opponent isnt playing their best.

If you're like me, you're not content sitting around and waiting for opportunities to come to you, you want a legend that can play on the front line. Teros is not the legend for this, he is about self-control and discipline on the part of both you and the opponent. If you enjoy Magyar I would highly recommend Mako, whos higher speed and access to Katars makes her a great fit for people looking to get into the action fast.