I see Cure as a very optional luxury throughout the GLD/PLD lifespan. Unlike some MMOs where some tanks spam heals on themselves as part of their threat generation, Paladin here is very much a sword-and-board pure melee. Ironically, Warrior/Marauder is designed as the self healing tank now.

Personally I've found next to no use for Cure. If you're low on health solo and spam cure on yourself you'll often end up taking more damage over the 2 second cast than Cure actually heals. The only use I found was soloing single mobs far above my level, as Cure Spam would eventually outheal a mob's DPS and heal to full after using 90% of my mana. The only time you can really use Cure in groups is during periods where you arent being attacked (or possibly weaving it in during slow boss cast times) but it always felt the time/mana is better spent on flash or damage.

Obviously in most other games Paladin = Tank/Healer hybrid. Here I guess they just went for noble protector with a shield.