Full STR WAR is nothing to write off.

[NightReach]

Even without 2.1 buffs, There are WAR's tanking turn 5. Come 2.1, WAR's will get +30% Mitigation from Vegeance, +30% Healing when Mantr is up, +40% when Convalence is up. +20% DR from Inner Beast. VIT is safer, but I dont think it will be a Must in 2.1.

Nothing is a must, but your job is staying alive and that is it whatever makes your healer life easier is what you should be doing. In fact the extra HP becomes even more valuable due to mitigation. 5% even a 10% increased DPS is not worth you accidentally dying cuz u get hit by 2 liquid chained with DS+plummet+auto.

Grpyphonskin rings are probably fine when u have 8k+. But going full str means you lose 500+ hp and I would never give that up for measly tiny increase in DPS in scope of things. Imagine all your hard work increasing your dps can be completely overshadow by an extra firestarter proc.