My account doesn't have a lot of of built characters and most my of them have very questionable builds. They're below average... but enough to function until abyss 11 and clear 12 at usually 1-star per chamber. (well... 2-star if I'm lucky)
After playing the 2nd stage on the Imagarium Theater, I was actually a bit surprised how it was much easier than I expected. I had thought my crap builds would've screwed be over. But it was all thanks to the trial characters.
Unfortunately, the game mode forces you to put 4 characters in the team. I would've have wanted to split the trial Arle and Clorinde to carry my own roster. (Also thanks Scara for carrying the early stages :D)
I did like this game mode... but I probably wouldn't be coming back to it in a long while as I can't even enter the 3rd stage.
To the people with at least 16 built characters, how much more difficult is the 3rd stage though?