Quote Originally Posted by AnotherPerson View Post
Easy. The real main problem is how healers in general have terrible flexibility in DPS options and utility options to be honest. They have little to no variability other than healing -- which is why WHM is currently stuck. Having ways to branch out of that will fix WHM's issues. If THAT problem gets solved, then WHM will get a niche.

Have more shield-type skills that can immediately become a DPS skill following after - becoming DPS neutral or even possibly DPS positive under boss-downtime.

Ex: Stoneskin returns as a GCD AoE Shield skill, but has a longer cast time than recast time (3 to 4 seconds). Under the effect of Asylum, Stoneskin can be instantly cast once, but still on the GCD. After using stoneskin, the skill will turn it into the second GCD skill on the same hotbar - Earth Rupture -> AoE damage on target.
This way, the skill acts like Reaper's Soulsow -> Harvest Moon and gives WHM a way to place barriers. However, the barrier is inefficient due to the longer GCD cast time, but doesn't take away the identity of the barrier healers. At the same time, it doubles down on WHM's identity of a Conjurer and manipulates the elements while simultaneously shoring up its lack of shielding and having a more varied GCD gameplay depending on how Asylum and Stoneskin is used for optimization.
I like the direction of this, but it raises another question: how does this solve the problem of WHM bringing unique strengths to the table? Giving WHM access to weaker, inefficient versions of what the other healers have shores up the gaping holes in its kit, and that's important. What at that point does it have that elevates it from "crappier, less efficient version of the other three healers" if we're still stuck in that design rut where giving it anything useful needs to come with tradeoffs because otherwise it steps on "has an answer to literally everything" toes? As we've seen from past expansions, raw healing throughput isn't an identity; it's a one way ticket to being the weakest healer in the role, a spot it's occupied with few breaks for four expansions now.