Why do people bother dodging aoe during trash pulls?

[Starflake]

Most people dodge the aoes that way the healer doesn't have to waste a gcd on you when they could use it healing the tank who's getting hit by 15 mobs or doing more aoe damage.

The only class that arguably shouldn't be dodging aoes is BLM with ley lines, but even then they should have the common sense to not put them down in melee range

Aoes hit you for maybe 1/5th of your HP in current expert roulettes. This means healers don't have to GCD heal anyone at all standing in aoes that isn't the tank

[Zomkei]

Aoes hit you for maybe 1/5th of your HP in current expert roulettes. This means healers don't have to GCD heal anyone at all standing in aoes that isn't the tank

don't even have to GCD heal the tank either tbh lol

[Starflake]

don't even have to GCD heal the tank either tbh lol

You don't. Tanks get hit for a very low amount of damage, especially when mitigating. It is in fact, in almost all cases a gain in DPS to eat the aoes in all classes in favour of getting more damage in.