Last time I tested weapon rarity and phantasm damage, ascended did the same damage as exotics.
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/Tests-for-phantasms-and-weapon-grades/first#post3011036
However,
http://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/223bmq/are_ascended_weaponslegendary_weapons_pointless/
An anet dev responded to an engineer’s post about kits and ascended weapons with “Ask this question again in a couple weeks.
” Engineers have a similar problem as mesmers since kits currently use exotic quality.
There is hope for better phantasms!
