Yeah the excess of oGCD heals combined with the super low incoming damage is a huge problem. I've talked about this a lot with other people, but the way the system accidentally wound up punishing you for wanting to spend your GCDs really is the biggest thing preventing the healing role from being enjoyable. It's also why the worse the healer's player or their party is, the less they mind the horribly outdated kits. After a certain point those cooldowns don't matter (or they forget they're there/under-utilize them) and they start having to react to things frantically. But for even halfway decent players, that never really happens, and it's frustrating, because you're sitting there largely just spamming the same GCD over and over without thinking about anything at all. Especially as someone that used to main WHM back in ARR, but can't stand it (or the role in general) these days.
I know part of it is that they want to make the role more approachable, but tbqh I thing the massively bloated kits and then a whole lot of nothing for downtime to reward investment in the role do the exact opposite. It looks scary and overwhelming as first; look at all these varied healing buttons! I can't believe the game is going to make me use them all! Except that's not the case at all. On the flip side I do think there *are* ways to make classes that are still simple, but have have some light interactivity to them and opening up some space for just... the slightest... bit more downtime options without making them overwhelming to easy to *stop* doing if you suddenly find yourself needing to heal right away.
I've been kicking around a few idea for a while, particularly aiming for them to be something a friend that Mostly Thinks Healing's Fine As Is (because his group is not, uh, terribly good) and wound up with something like this...
potencies are all bullshit but there to give some relative values. Also this was designed with healers having a way bigger focus on playstyle differences, with WHM being the direct, pure healer so that a regen healer could be more fleshed out elsewhere.
HEALS
LILY SYSTEM: If you have a lily charge when you cast a GCD heal, it consumes the stack and makes the spell cost 0MP and norishes the blood lily. Get 1 lily every 20s. Max of 3 lilies and 3 blood lilies.
GCD
Cure. 500 MP. 1.5C. 400~ potency. Upgrades to become esuna as well with a later trait. Upgrades to become instant cast later with a trait.
Cure 2. 800 MP. 1.5C. 800~ potency. Upgrades to grant you swiftcast with a later trait.
Medica. 600 MP. 1.5C. 300~ potency aoe.
Solas. 900 MP. 1.5C. 1200~ potency aoe smart heal (spreads healing out between the targets as needed).
Raise. 2000 MP. 8C. 20%~ revive. gets a trait later that grants the target a 50% incoming healing buff for 10s.
oGCD
Benediction. 999s Recast. 300~1500 potency ST heal. Power increases the lower the target's HP is. Cooldown is reset anytime Banish or Holy is cast.
Temperance. 60s Recast. Increase your healing power by 30% for 10s,
Divine Seal. 60s Recast. Increase incoming heals on the target by 20% for 10s.
Asylum. 60s Recast. You next three GCDs will gain an additional effect which smart heals a single target within range for 300 potency.
Protect. 60s Recast. Grants the target 10% damage reduction for 10s. Additionally, anytime the target is hit, they're healed for 100 potency.
NUKES
ELEMENTAL WRATH: Your GCD nukes fill this meter by varying amounts. It's a gauge that goes from 0-100.
Stone. 400 MP. 1.5C. 300~ potency. Gives +10 Elemental Wrath (EW)
Aero. 500MP. Instant. 100~ potency, then a 50 potency dot for 21s. Gives +20 EW.
Water. 500MP. 1.5C. 30s Cooldown, 2 stacks. 400~ potency. Gives +30 EW
Quake. 400 MP. Instant. 120~ potency aoe. Gives +10 EW.
Tornado. 500MP. Instant. 60~ potency, then 30~ potency for 21s. Gives +20 EW. Overwrites the aero dot.
Flood. 500MP. 1.5C. 30s Cooldown, 2 stacks. 250~ potency aoe. Givies +30 EW. Shares a recats timer with Water.
Banish. 0MP. Instant. 500~ potency. Resets your Benediction cooldown, and restores 500 MP. Consumes 100 EW
Holy. 0MP. Instant. 300~ potency AoE. Stuns all targets for 5s. Resets your Benediction cooldown. Consumes 100 EW
Misery. 0MP. Instants. 1200~ potency to a single target, and 60% less for nearby targets. Consumed 3 blood lilies