Quote Originally Posted by Ryme View Post
Absolutely, and I was in no way implying that sage isn't a little over tuned. Actually that was part of my point, sage is over tuned when compared to the other healers, to just about the same degree that paladin was under tuned (pre 6.08) when compared to the other tanks. Even still the difference between it and whm (who has the lowest rdps) is only around 5%, which really isn't very much of a spread between an over tuned high and a low within a job category. Of course that is just damage and is just an example that "number" wise healer are relatively balanced, with the real issues being in design.
Being a few % behind other healers would be fine if WHM wasn't also the one healer that relies most on getting carried.
But it's lowest in dps and free healing and that's a problem. Even the kit that comes with a small dps loss (Lilies) is laughably weak. Compare that to SCH losing 100 dps to use a Sacred Soil, which is far superior to a measly Rapture. It's also the only healer that is completely screwed with MP economy. Anything goes sideways and WHM is the first to suffer immensely.

WHM is roughly equal with AST on most fights but since WHM has to get carried to put out these numbers, has horrible MP economy and a laughably small toolkit with long cooldowns, making it inflexible and AST can put out consistent dps while having full access to their nuclear healbomb toolkit without any dps loss whatsoever, has crazy MP economy, quick recovery and a steroid button for GCD heals for prog/ glorious chaos... why take a WHM? It doesn't matter that dps is on par.
I agree that being within a few % of each other is a really good balance but things like free healing, mitigation, MP economy, ability to recover are also things to consider and WHM just plain sucks in all of them.

But WHM is still the most played healers on all 3 of 5 fights (not on Phionix, what a surprise) and it's so S I M P L E, so it's obviously fine. No reason for the devs to take a look at it. All the abovementioned doesn't matter as long as there are enough people wanting an easy clear while being able to turn their brains off and leaving the responsibility to their co heal. Popular = fine.
For some reason they seem more focused on making healers equally popular instead of well-designed, engaging and decently balanced in all areas.