If you're using a character in a single role, you're not playing correctly. I'm sorry to be harsh like that, but it's the truth. The reason all the talk is about "which weapon is best for which character" is because roles are fluid in combat. In most of the difficult fights, especially end-game fights, your characters will not have fixed roles. Each character will have their role shift between two or three roles, on average, in every combat. You need to be able to switch to multiple Sentinels to block heavy attacks, multiple Medics to get back up from heavy attacks, and multiple Soldiers and Ravagers for dealing damage, in addition to having the buff classes. I don't think you can get through the game without ever changing Paradigms and roles mid-combat. It's certainly not the way the game was designed.