I'm bored when I heal because I need more complex DPS rotations

[ASkellington]

With the first option, if you're a player who is alienated by the change, too bad, sucks to be you, this game no longer welcomes your preferences. But at least with the second, even if you aren't getting your first choice, even if you need to change classes to do it, there's a class where you can still have the type of experience you enjoy, the one that fits your needs.

I think the option that caters to multiple preferences is the better choice because it serves the most people as best it can, thus maximizing utility.

What you're not understanding is that it doesn't cater to multiple preferences.

AST has a card mechanic.
SGE and SCH are shield healers.

If you like WHM, a healer that has no card mechanic, a slower APM, and isn't a shield healer, you are out of luck unless you play another job. Is my point. WHM getting an extra dps button that fits its design of a GCD healer, may have a longer recast timer than Glare (say 20s for example), is not alienating people. If they forget to press the button? It really doesn't matter outside of EX and Savage.

Further, there's nothing stopping WHM from being an easy to access healer with extra complexity if you want it other than a limited design. Which is what it and all four healers have.

You used SMN vs BLM as an example, but a better one would probably be GNB vs WAR. WAR has Fell Cleave for its DPS burst as well as an extra buff to manage. GNB has 2 bursts in a minute.

WHM can get a similar treatment as WAR while also being something that current WHM mains and future ones like. And I still don't see why it can't get that.

[ForsakenRoe]

You used SMN vs BLM as an example, but a better one would probably be GNB vs WAR. WAR has Fell Cleave for its DPS burst as well as an extra buff to manage. GNB has 2 bursts in a minute.

Or better yet, WHM/AST as WAR/DRK. One has a slower, very GCD locked gameplay style, and one is about pooling everything for the 2min window and going absolutely ape mode with doubleweaves.

Most people who suggest 'designs' for WHM over on the Healer section, make sure it remains that slower, GCD focused gameplay choice. But said people also want it to have more rewarding feeling GCDs than just spamming Glare. Misery's a good example. Preparing and using one in an AOE pull is more damage than casting 4 Holys, but we don't often do it, because in dungeons it doesn't really matter if someone's being 'suboptimal'