Balance, Homogenisation and Encounter Design: The Problem.

[Shurrikhan]

Truth be told the DpS focus of this game is more the result of all high end fights having tight hard enrage timers. Its hard to not be dps focused when completion of a fight is more determined by doing X amount of damage before X minutes are up than being able to repeatably do mechanics.

They're not that tight, though. They still allow for failure far more than the only other real alternative -- one-shot or crippling mechanics and limited rezzes. The dps checks could more aptly be called "effective average quality of mechanics management" checks.

They're not "dps focused" so much as having so few ways by which anything but healer shields and raid mitigation/absorption CDs can actually do anything to improve your chances of reaching the end of the fight except by... dpsing.

Making the classes more homogenized is a side-effect of them simply trying to lessen their workload, in my opinion.

Tfw that exact excuse, with the alleged trade of better balancing and more engaging fights, has been used in multiple MMOs I've played, only to then create worse balance and fights which the community generally rated lower than those made before the streamlining occurred...