I have many road wheelsets, and hubs that include the star ratchet system. I also have many hubs that have Shimano and Campy/Fulcrum hubs. Plus a lot of clone/rebranded stuff based on the Shimano and Campagnolo designs, such as Novatec, Formula etc.
First, whether the hub has 18 'points of engagement' or a million, it makes no difference in the real world. You won't notice it and more points of engagement will not afford a performance advantage, except perhaps if you are a trials rider. Second, more than 2 pawls makes no engineering sense, as only one pawl can transmit rider torque at a time. The only reason for even a second pawl is as backup.
The only serious freehub failure I've ever encountered is with the star ratchet system, where I serviced the freehub is with a medium-weight grease. While honking up a hill, this caused the ratchets to slip against each other, and chip the teeth. Visually, damage was so subtle it was hard to tell, but both ratchets had to be replaced. Expensive mistake: use manufacturer recommended grease (expensive) to service these.
Overall, Shimano hubs are the best hub design and implementation. As much as I'm impressed with Campy hubs, the Shimano hub with the enclosed ratchet mechanism inside the freehub, and load-bearing bearings at each end of the hub is a superior design.