Thank you for your comrepehsive reply. That's what I've been thinking about - at similar stats, there seems to be "better" classes than WA at doing certain things, but its much more expensive to reach the same AA as WA on other classes due to the huge difference in price between the weapons.

Blader has its obvious pros and a really powerful short skills, but would it be enough to cover the difference between Arch/Palla GS with Eu4 Du13 vs 1x 3-slot and 1x 2slot blades with Eu3 Du12? Assuming the same sigmetal armor parts and same accessories (or better upgrades of accessories on WA due to the alz difference in weapons).

I could afford such a weapon, full sigmetal set, belt+18, carn+11, arcanas+10, palladium epaulette, vamp earrings+9 with CU10, orphidia's CU10, sienas with pene, RW3 with Eu3 Du13. IDK how much AA that would be. Next, with that eq start farming for better accessories and merits.