What makes WHM special? Nothing anymore.

[Raso]

It's in every MMO. The simple fact is that there are only so many ways to DEAL DAMAGE to something or make the blue bars go back up.

Not really, there are plenty of ways to make healers different. A class can focus on HoTs, one can focus on shields and damage prevention, one can focus on speedy smaller heals, one can focus on single target heals, one can be a hybrid damage and healing, one can focus on big expensive heals but must spend time doing some another thing to get that mana back etc.

The only thing that is really required is they can put up a set heals per second number to clear content while excelling at something to make it unique.

AST's problem was it wasn't clearing that set heals per second number so it was buffed, but in doing so it duplicates WHM's spells and encroached on the one area it was excelling at thus not making it unique anymore while AST has a very unique mechanic that can not be matched.