the problem with beams is the way their dps works...
cause it doesnt actually do as much dps as is stated (talking about BEAMS here, not pulse beams (phase/tachyon))
even graviton beams, meant to pressure shields, dont really do anything against shields, despite having a 200% bonus against shields, and doing 100 dps... which would be around... 200 or 300 dps? i dont know how damage is calculated
but i DO know that 2 of them still do way less shield damage than even ion cannons... and they only do 50 dps without shield bonus... (im talking straight flux here, irrelevant if its soft or hard flux)
like, beam weapons really dont feel like they do the damage that they tell you they do on paper.... especially tacticals, 75 dps? per laser? AS IF
it really seems because of the nature of venting beam weapons just cant really deliver their dps effectively, hell, even WITHOUT shields they horribly underperform (with the exception of the intense laser, it is the only beam weapon that acutally has noticable impact on shields ironically considering its heavy shield damage debuff)
the only way to make beams "work" rn is to spam them... and at that point why not spam energy projectile weapons with hard flux and do a way better job with way less effort (not to mention focusfiring with beam spam is harder than youd think in actual battles... allies getting in the way and all)
hell, beams even suck at "suppressing" enemies... cause having enemies run away to the edges of the map to get out of your laser reach just so they can vent is... not what you want...
what you ACTUALLY want is for enemy ships to vent in reach of your weapons, not for the enemy to travel to the end of the galaxy to do it, cause your laser always shot their shields... so ye, even the role people think they are good for isnt a good thing