I've played Subeta for years but never got into Battling. I thought I'd try my hand at it this year. I'm currently in Tier 1 but I'm 100 points away from Tier 2, so I thought it would be a good idea to ask about both! uwu I know from other games where battling is available I should not be struggling this hard so I'm giving my equipment the squint eye. :o
The earlier tiers have a ton of options so it’s understandable that you’re struggling! It’s difficult to see which weapons are more helpful than the others.
TheSov has some guides to early tier weapon sets over here:
Budget Guide to Tiers 1-4 OUT OF DATE
High End Weapon Sets by Tier 1-9 (Out of Date)
He appears to be partial to weapons that heal :P
Here is what I recommend:
Tier 1
Tier 2
Phoenix Quill may seem expensive now, but it’s a worthwhile investment. You will use it for the rest of your battling career!