Quote Originally Posted by Kabooa View Post
It needs to be less efficient to heal up than it is to shield up.

Shields are valuable because it's health you don't have to heal, but if the shield stops less than a standard heal brings back, that's when we're in the realm of "shields are pointless" unless something will outright kill you.
Even then they are pointless because there is another condition that you did not mention, which is the current HP of the player about the be killed. If a restorative GCD will prevent their death because they don't have enough HP to survive an unavoidable, then it is better to use that instead of a shield. Right now, the only time a shield is viable is to prevent one shots at near or max HP.

If really trying to optimize, then shields can also be used to prevent over healing in those kind of situations. However, I should also mention that ST cure bombs is something SCH is lacking. They don't have an answer for things Essential Dignity and Benediction, which is a big reason why a SCH will use shields to prevent damage, not death. It just depends on their own situation, and the competence level of their co healer. It becomes a matter of the SCH keeping everyone above a threshold that prevents their panic, and has nothing to do with optimization. I can also pretty much guarantee that Sage also will not have an answer for Essential Dignity and Benediction in the form of a giant ST cure bomb as well. Those kind of skills will undoubtedly be reserved for the pure healers.

Shields are valuable because they add HP to whatever HP the player(s) currently have, even if at max. They lose value because that is health that isn't needed to survive. This is what has to change if the devs want to invest on a barrier/pure healer set up.