It is hard to maintain surges in party play due to the fast pace, distractions, and in dungeons when there is a lot of running around surges do tend to drop off, the one minute timer is unforgiving.

Would a better solution not be:

Option 1: When a surge drops off, it does not reset to 0, instead it just goes back down 1 level. That way players could easily maintain 3>2>3>2>3>2 etc and feel they are spending their TP and contributing to damage output more effectively (barring of course the use of dread spike as needed)

Option 2: Why not add an "Enhance Surge" effect to AF armour or weapon so that when you activate surge you go straight from level 0 to 2, that way if the surge drops off its not so bad as its easier to get back up to where you where.

I also agree life surge on AA needs a rethink as I always seem to be in a WS/combo trance these days