Quote Originally Posted by Lyth View Post
I think that you're needlessly digging a hole for yourself here purely for the sake of saving face. Most people do see WAR's lifesteal as actual life steal, and you yourself are on record as stating the same.
By all means quote me on where I've said as much. Not "they heal through damage dealt," but actually "stealing the lifeforce of their enemies" vampirism.

The reason why Thrill is better than a flat shield is because it still has value if you don't mitigate any damage with it. When the effect expires, you still retain the HP gained from it.
A current-and-max HP bonus will only ever outperform a shield if...
  1. you're not already topped off, and
  2. you wouldn't consume the shield within its 30-second duration.
That is not likely to happen. That is much less often the case than a hefty shield preventing a debuff, which simple added max-and-current HP cannot do.

They don't need magic. Why cast healing spells on yourself when you have enhanced wound healing and regeneration?
They naturally manipulate aether, just like every other physical job in this game. That is the only way anyone has superhuman strength in XIV. Have you never seen a Bard? They're not a "mage" --they're a physical combatant-- but still very, very obviously manipulate aether. Warrior's product/form of that aether manipulation is self-enhancement and self-healing.

But, no, Warrior does not have "magic" in the sense of casting spells. Warrior has no spells. Warrior has no casts.

Equilibrium, meanwhile, is that regeneration. I'd be fine with turning it into temp HP and a HoT. But it is not a healing spell any more than Second Wind would require a Sharlayan dissertation and complex spellforms. Not all healing abilities have to be "magic" in the sense of magecraft or magic swordsman.