Should healers now be allowed to play how they choose to play?

[IttyBitty]

one or two extra utility abilities does not, a paradigm shift make. its not comparable to having to completely change the skills you use.

and if you think doing damage isn't part of a tanks role then you don't know how tanks work - doing higher damage grants more agro - its all part of their role and doesn't require any (or very minimal) adjustment to play.

A tank's job is to hold aggro, ergo they should only care about using their highest emnity combo/aoe skills. How much or little damage they do while doing it is inconsequential, so long as enemies are staying put. If they are holding aggro, they are doing their job, right? I mean, if a healer simply keeping everybody alive is "doing their job", then the same should hold true for tanks - or do you hold tanks to a higher standard for some inane reason?

being situationally aware is much more taxing

Speaking as a healer, situational awareness is a "piece of piss" and not taxing in any way whatsoever. You glance at health bars occasionally while observing what everybody else is observing. Tres difficile!

It's pretty easy to counter the "I got more DPS skills" argument. DPS kits got more potent DPS rotations and thus mobs would naturally get more HP to suit. In order to keep healer clears of MSQ at a decent time, we give them more abilities to DPS with. Power creep and the like.

If this were the case, you would have one DPS skill that received traits to increase damage alongside level increases. Or they'd buff the damage component of the "Maim & Mend" traits.