Originally Posted by
Shurrikhan
Is that such a bad thing? Like, I obviously get the appeal of gauging situations to gamble on what the best investment will be for ultimately consequent rDPS, and in having a larger range of options therein (from pure defensive to pure offensive), but as it stands, would it be so bad for MP to just be a means of making DRK's apm/dps that much more flexible (offensive), or having exceedingly granular control over its sustain (defensive)?
If you reintroduce Dark Arts as an MP spender capable of offensive value, too, it makes little to no sense to leave Edge and Flood, just due to the sheer button-inefficiency of it.
If you then want more animations, moreover, that can still be accomplished just by replacing the single buffing action with any of various follow-up actions determined by one's most recent action, each with their own animation (SE->DA looks like Scourge and adds a DoT; CnS->DA launches forward a second self in a whirling flurry of shadowy blades; Syphon->DA steals buffs from nearby enemies; TNB->DA explodes the shield for damage based its damage absorbed; etc., etc.).