Two-body absorptive parts generated by unitarity from multi-Regge particle production models are tested with respect to duality and symmetry structure (suppression of exotics and exchange degeneracy in output). A multi-Regge model with production of only stable particles generates exotic and non-exotic outputs of equal strength; resonances (clusters) are needed to pass these symmetry tests. Two complementary approaches are used, explicit S-matrix models and duality diagrams; the connection between dynamical assumptions and different duality diagram rules is discussed. C-parity plays a crucial role; using C-conserving duality diagrams we show that standard manipulations lead to a topological pomeron which has secondary terms; one, with Ct = −1, cancels the topological ω1 meson, another one, with Ct = +1, cancels the topological ƒ1 meson.