It'd be a good idea to make most of the AOE buffs not self only cast. The problems with I see with auspice, protectra, shellra and barspellgas etc. are that they need the whm to rush into harms way to cast them. Curaga and a few others center around the target why can't buffs?

If a lot of these spells weren't self only then it'd be easier to stand back as a mage instead of inside the AOE areas. WHM isn't a bard singing. :P