People hurt over PS not getting a nerf simply need to adapt and start using it. Much like the Hemlock, Volt, G2, etc. etc. etc.
I've been using PS since Day 1 and the amount of applications it has along with fast health regen while abhorrent takes some skill since the phase trails are fairly easy to track. I will also state that if people have to augment their load outs, they will and it will be just as readily available as having two-charges.
I agree that's what players who want peak performance should do (or rather, need to do). I have no problem with players exploiting issues in the meta to maximize their success. I certainly did it for MONTHS, just eating people alive with Ion while everybody was distracted by Tone's imbalance. I had a Devotion+AWall loadout on hand for awhile just in case I got frustrated and said 'fuck it, I'll just cheese this to win'.
But it's incumbent on the developer to balance the sandbox such that all or most of the tools are viable.
In Respawn's defense, few weapons are truly USELESS right now, which is an improvement from launch.
There's just a HUGE drop-off from the S-tier weapons and abilities down to the A or B tier. As far as the weapons go though, with the exception of the G2, almost all the best or 2nd best weapons in every class are the starting weapon. So it's not like anybody is screwed by the progression system out of competing....
The problem with phase shift is that it has a very low skill floor, and a very high impact on combat. You pair phase shift with tactikill and faster battery recharge, and most competent, aggressive players are going to have a phase shift in the bank at all times. A constant 'get out of jail free' for bad positioning and getting out-gunned.
Now, the smart ass in me would argue that phase shift is balanced by Respawn's declining net code performance, because it feels like every 3rd time I use it, I get shot mid-shift or have to wait an extra half-beat just for it to kick in. But that's hardly a solution, that's just two problems colliding.
I think a longer, slower-to-refill single charge IS a good compromise, because it forces the ability into defensive usage. Right now, I use phase shift very aggressively, to cross distances between myself and enemies with a range-weapon advantage, or to bounce around titans in close while firing charge shots. I always have the second charge to GTFO of dodge, so I almost always use the first charge as an attack option.
If I only have one charge, and it's slower to refill, I'm going to save it to save my life and use the extra 'phase' time to get further away from my enemy. At which point, you've basically reset the engagement and can try to e-engage or flank or just move on to another enemy, only you've burned your ability for a bit.