I like the changes in principle. The numbers will still need tweaking.

What they've done is they've given us the choice between recovering MP (passive mode) and healing (active mode). Unlike in FFXI or Everquest, we're still allowed to move while in recovery mode, but doing so reduces our regen. Switching modes takes time, so it rewards being clever about it. A skilled player will have more mana to play with and thus be able to cast more heals than an unskilled one. At the risk of being flamed for saying the "W" word: I played a priest in WoW for four years and then quit because my mana regeneration was taken out of my hands and made passive, I applaud this system. It's a better system than WoW had in any iteration.

For four-man parties at my rank, the numbers seem to be working out alright, too. I don't have THM high enough to have Absorb MP (though I'm working on that), but I still am able to solo-heal for Toto-Rak just fine. I have to switch to passive mode when I don't expect to need to cast, and stand still to recover while everyone else is scurrying around looking for photocells.

Reading this thread, it sounds like the numbers are tuned wrong for the high levels.

Also, if they let us cast spells in passive mode like they said they will, I'll be sad, because it'll mean another bland passive mana regeneration game.