Going through a list of buffs available in upcoming Guild Wars 2 has made me realize they handle how buffs work much better than Final Fantasy.
Whenever we cast a buff (Haste, Refresh, Victory March, Phalanx II, Sneak, Protect, Regen, Hailstorm) the spell duration remaining on target gets re-set to the base value (i.e. Haste will last 3 minutes after being cast) or it has no effect at all (i.e. Sneak) and our effort is wasted.
Would it be possible for enhancing spells/effects to have additive duration each time spell is recasted on target? For example, casting Haste on someone gives them 3min effect duration, but casting the same spell again on them gives them effect that would last ~6 min and so on.
the idea behind this change is so that backline jobs could provide their support when the time allows for it (ie before engaging Legion monsters or after jumping up in Nyzul Isle) and be more free to perform other duties (meele RDM/WHM/SMN/BRD, curing people, debuffing enemies, raising people) instead of chasing after 4-5 DDs every 3 minutes to recast Haste/Firestorm/March/Auspice etc.
The "cost" associated with buffing remains the same (MP used for each cast, time wasted for casts/recasts etc) but you perform buffing at a more suitable time for you and can keep front line person off your mind for a bit longer.
I realize infinite stacking of buff durations might get ridiculous (casting Haste on someone 50x so that they are hasted for the rest of the day etc) but being able to stack duration remaining 3 or 5 times would be handy. It's not like it would leave back line jobs without things to do, as aside of other tasks you still have monsters dispelling players etc.
Ultimately, my reason behind this request is for events like Nyzul and Legion where you either need 2xSCH (instead one SCH casting Embrava twice in quick succession would suffice and it would free up second SCH slot for a different support job like RDM WHM BRD COR SMN BLM, because currently they are excluded from participation in Nyzul) or have to chase after meeles all over the place, trying be in range long enough to cast that Haste on them (telling someone to stop in Nyzul because you want to buff them is not really feasible...).
I realize there are things like RDM's Composure, SCH's Perpetuance and few armor pieces giving extended buff duration, but i think SE could let us decide when and where to buff, so we could pursue our other heart's desires instead of following a bunch of DDs and spamming buff rotation (those mythical meeleWHMs could finally come into existence... ).