Our simulations bring forth highly useful quantitative parameters for assessing the characteristics of a self-reproducing attractor. These are MR, the chemical path length from seed to attractor and RQ the reproduction quality measured via flux-composition similarity. We find that MR diminishes with the increase of the overall catalytic strength in the network, as well as with compositional proximity between seed and target attractor. These findings suggest relationships between network catalytic parameters and attractor dynamics efficacy. Likewise, we show that the path to attractor and attained reproduction quality of the target does not correlate with the prevalence of autocatalytic cycles or the degree of catalytic closure within the network. In a similar comparative vein, we note that while CAS-like models call for an enormous increase in the network's chemical diversity to reach reproduction, the attractor dynamics of GARD culminates in a significant size diminution of the molecular repertoire, coupled with an enrichment of network members with stronger catalytic capabilities. Repertoire diminution also remedies a key criticism on life's origin with catalytic networks, claiming that the needed repertoire explosion needed for catalytic closure challenges mutual interaction specificity.