Etheria Restart Duplicate System

It didn’t take long for Etheria: Restart to ignite its first hot topic, and this one’s all about dupes. Just days before the official global launch, a single Discord feedback thread exploded with over 3,400 comments in under 24 hours.

At the heart of the debate? Whether duplicate heroes should provide stat advantages in Real-Time Arena [RTA].

Let’s dive into the controversy, what the developers are saying, how impactful these bonuses are, and what it could mean for the competitive future of Etheria.

If you’re new to the genre and this terminology, “dupes” (short for duplicates) refer to pulling the same character multiple times. In Etheria, like many gacha games, dupes can be used to boost stats—think more attack, defense, HP, crit rate, and even damage dealt or taken. These boosts apply across all game modes, including PvE, AI Arena, and, most contentiously, RTA.

Here’s the problem: many players believed dupes wouldn’t affect RTA, based on early dev statements and assumptions. The expectation was that RTA would be a fair fight—one copy of a unit could go toe-to-toe with any other, assuming equal gear. But community testing proved otherwise. Dupes do provide their stat bonuses in RTA. And that’s where the sparks started flying.

Let’s take Tiamat, a top-tier character, as an example:

• 1st Dupe: +5% ATK/DEF/HP
• 2nd Dupe: +10% Healing received
• 3rd Dupe: +5% ATK/DEF/HP
• 4th Dupe: +Crit Rate bonus
• Final Dupe: +10% Damage dealt, –10% Damage taken

One good takeaway is that duplicates do not completely change the character or unlock new broken abilities. One copy is all you need to be able to do what you want to do with that Animus. However, the above is still a hefty chunk of power, especially in a competitive PvP mode where stat margins can determine victory.

It’s no surprise that free-to-play (F2P) players and small spenders feel hard done by.

To their credit, the developers were quick to engage. The game producer himself jumped into the fray on Discord, stating that he personally asked the community manager to create the feedback thread to collect player opinions. It’s clear they want to address the situation head-on but the question remains. What path will they choose?

There are different viewpoints on this depending on what side of the fence you fall on. However, some of the biggest content creators (some of which are whales who have spent thousands in BETA) still support disabling dupes in [RTA].

Why? Because gear and skill, not dupes, should be the difference maker. Etheria already limits stamina refreshes to 10 per day, putting a natural cap on how far ahead whales can pull via farming. This structure allows grinders—whether F2P or light spenders—to eventually catch up with smart gear choices and some good RNG on stat rolls.

One intriguing idea floated by content creator Volkin is the concept of “on and off” RTA seasons:

• Main seasons: Dupes enabled, full competitive mode
• Off seasons: Dupes disabled, pure skill-based fun

It’s an elegant middle ground. Whales get their high-stakes dupe-fueled showdowns, while the wider community gets to enjoy a level playing field during alternating cycles. This model mirrors games like Epic Seven, which has seen success with similar systems.

With launch right around the corner, the ball is now in the devs’ court. They’ve promised an update soon, and whether dupes stay active in RTA, or get sidelined, will set a major precedent for Etheria’s future as an esports-ready title.
The key takeaway? Transparency and communication are crucial, and the devs seem committed to both. That’s a great sign for a game many are hoping will deliver long-term competitive thrills

It’s refreshing to see such a passionate, engaged player base pushing for fair competition, even before the game is fully live. Whether you’re a whale, a F2P warrior, or somewhere in between, this dupe debate matters. It could shape how fun, fair, and fierce Etheria’s RTA mode becomes.
We’ll be watching closely to see how the developers respond.