One of the reasons there is such a large amount of DPS players in most MMOs (relative to healers and tanks) is because there are far more DPS classes than healer and tank classes typically. Some people might like the concept of a particular class even though they enjoy a healer role more, that class by probability is going to be a DPS class.
Look at Rift for example. Of the 32 soul trees you have 4 healer souls (not counting Justicar here), 5 tank souls (counting hybrids), 2 pure support souls, 1 CC soul, and almost 20 DPS souls. Of course the game is going to wind up having a lot more DPS than tanks and healers.
I think it is a game specific meme with WoW being the worst offender. I always play the tank but I won't tank in WoW because the community is terrible. But in some games it is almost the oposite. Too many tanks although healers seem to be a rarity in every game.
One of the reasons there is such a large amount of DPS players in most MMOs (relative to healers and tanks) is because there are far more DPS classes than healer and tank classes typically. Some people might like the concept of a particular class even though they enjoy a healer role more, that class by probability is going to be a DPS class.
Look at Rift for example. Of the 32 soul trees you have 4 healer souls (not counting Justicar here), 5 tank souls (counting hybrids), 2 pure support souls, 1 CC soul, and almost 20 DPS souls. Of course the game is going to wind up having a lot more DPS than tanks and healers.
1. This is no problem as long as your game supports large groups. If you can have at least 6, even better 8 or 10 or even 12 people in a group. You dont need that many tanks and healers.
2. Games with really small group sizes, such as WoW with only 5 or SW:TOR with even only 4 people in group will have a lot more trouble with this.
3. Vanguard has 3 tank, 4 healer and 8 damage dealer classes and allows 6 people parties. Yet the game still had quite a shortage of tanks. Never really of healers, though, because those have been available in ambundance. In fact when I look at the game now, healers are nothing short dominant.
I think that the majority of players choose a class based on their type. Bard, Warrior, Wizard, Cleric, ect. I'd also say a lot of players are loyal to a certain class as well whether or not it is a tank in one game or a healer in the next. But I think players are more than likely to try classes if thier design is sufficient. I think it comes down to horrible class design for players to hate class system as well as not playing anything outside of a class they are loyal to.
Of course. It's because it's easy for people to blame a death on a healer or tank. Most of the DPS people don't want to take responsibility for the fact that a group going into the ground might because of them, so instead they opt to go "The healer wasn't healing." or "The tank lost aggro."
In short, there's a lot of people doing dps because there's a lot of people that are simply cowards.
Oh, and before someone tells me that there are a lot of people that play dps because they find it the most fun since someone IS going to say that to cover them, that is mostly false. Every person that you ask why they play dps will say they do it is fun because nobody wants to admit that they are afraid that they caused a group to wipe.
You sound pretty sure of yourself. You must be one of those tanks or healers that think they carry groups by themselves. I've noticed a lot of tanks and healers have sort of a god complex because they think they're the most important part to a group. When in fact, the real reason is that healers and tanks are usually in short supply, because frankly most people find them boring to play. Not to say they're not important, but all three are equally important to a groups success.
I could overgeneralize as well and say that all people that play tanks and healers only play them to feel useful and wanted. Because maybe they feel unappreciated in real life and want people to love them, not because they actually like to play them. But we know that isn't true. Some people just like to play certain things, and it's not always one thing or the other. People have their reasons whatever they may be.
I'm glad GW2 will be doing away with the trinity so we won't have the arrogant tank and healer types. Not to say all are like this, or that there aren't arrogant DPS as well. Just in my experience, I've seen more people playing a tank or healer play the "if you don't do this my way, I'll just leave and you won't be able to do it without me" card. Though I have a feeling a lot of these types won't play, as they won't be able to feel superior to anybody else. Obviously, some people will still feel this way regardless. But hopefully no trinity will help a bit.
TL;DR: Don't stereotype because it makes you sound ignorant.
Never cared and never will what the majority or minority is playing I'm playing the class I want to. If it means I cant join some guilds so be it, big deal..
Yes I love playing a healer I don't find it boring cause you always have to be aware of new situations and have your mana pot ready if things are going bad. I think DPS is overrated I care about the people who are doing the job the right way and not some dps whores thinking that DPS is more important than perma CC the damn add or stuff like that.
Personally I think in a good group everyone contributes:
Good tank makes it easy for a healer to focus a bit more on the other classes, nice DPS means more mana saved for the group and stuff like that.
We need a MMORPG Cataclysm asap, finish the dark age of MMORPGS now!
"Everything you're bitching about is wrong. People don't have the time to invest in corpse runs, impossible zones, or long winded quests. Sometimes, they just want to pop on and play." "Then maybe MMORPGs aren't for you."
I think it's pretty easy to see why most people play DPS, and that's because it's less pressure. While DPS classes have a bit more responsibility now thanks to the advent of DPS meters, the tank and the healer really hold the fate of the entire group in their hands. Not to mention that tanking isn't what it used to be. I played a paladin tank in EQ, and I loved tanking, but now that almost every pull is AoE, and you have to keep aggro on like 5 mobs at a time with the DPS all whacking on different targets, it's a pain a real pain to play a tank class.
I think it's pretty easy to see why most people play DPS, and that's because it's less pressure. While DPS classes have a bit more responsibility now thanks to the advent of DPS meters, the tank and the healer really hold the fate of the entire group in their hands. Not to mention that tanking isn't what it used to be. I played a paladin tank in EQ, and I loved tanking, but now that almost every pull is AoE, and you have to keep aggro on like 5 mobs at a time with the DPS all whacking on different targets, it's a pain a real pain to play a tank class.
I've never played a tank for any length of time, and certainly not in raids. From your statement, (rings true) I'll think i'll stay away from them too.
DPS'ers don't have as much responsibility as others, they're a more, (forgive me here) basic class as far as level of difficulty.
I myself prefer the healer type or stealth class, (DPS with a twist).
I do tend to play Tank classes, in WoW have both a warrior and a tankadin, but.. when it comes to dps.. i use the 'you pulled it. you tank it' rule.. once they die a few times.. they tend to wake up a bit
I loved to tank and heal in EQ, and it carried over to DAoC and ended in Warcraft.
At the end, i would only heal and tank for friends. The DPS in Warcraft always seemed to know how to tank better then me, and would let me know. The DPS in Warcraft always seemed to know how to heal better then me, and let me know. Didn't matter if we wiped or not.
After Lich King released, I respec'd into DPS talents, looked up some rotation theories and gave it a try. I found i was getting praised in almost every group for my awesome DPS. I was topping charts constantly, and when i hit 80 and started to raid, i still was top of most 10 mans, and top 3 in most 25s. It was great.
Instead of being constantly told how to play, I was being praised for being able to read and follow a rotation. Easier work, less responsibility, and more praise, why would anyone want to go back to Tanking or Healing after that?
This is how I feel, but the opposite, it makes me realize how big of idiots most DPS are.
I play a healer, hop on a character I haven't played in years (dps), and play. I'm undergeared, sometimes by upwards of twenty levels, still topping dps meters.
Of course. It's because it's easy for people to blame a death on a healer or tank. Most of the DPS people don't want to take responsibility for the fact that a group going into the ground might because of them, so instead they opt to go "The healer wasn't healing." or "The tank lost aggro."
In short, there's a lot of people doing dps because there's a lot of people that are simply cowards.
Oh, and before someone tells me that there are a lot of people that play dps because they find it the most fun since someone IS going to say that to cover them, that is mostly false. Every person that you ask why they play dps will say they do it is fun because nobody wants to admit that they are afraid that they caused a group to wipe.
I agree with a lot of what you say, but most of the time the "DPS" isn't the cause of the group wipe.....In WoW atleast half the times my group has wiped was because of the hunter, and I know they are counted as DPS, but really they are different. They don't seem to understand that they aren't supposed to be pulling rooms when people say OOM, and they aren't supposed to set their pets on aggressive. I have only been the cause of a wipe a few times ever, and i almost always play as a rogue.....it has to do with skill not the class.
Of course. It's because it's easy for people to blame a death on a healer or tank. Most of the DPS people don't want to take responsibility for the fact that a group going into the ground might because of them, so instead they opt to go "The healer wasn't healing." or "The tank lost aggro."
In short, there's a lot of people doing dps because there's a lot of people that are simply cowards.
Oh, and before someone tells me that there are a lot of people that play dps because they find it the most fun since someone IS going to say that to cover them, that is mostly false. Every person that you ask why they play dps will say they do it is fun because nobody wants to admit that they are afraid that they caused a group to wipe.
I agree with a lot of what you say, but most of the time the "DPS" isn't the cause of the group wipe.....In WoW atleast half the times my group has wiped was because of the hunter, and I know they are counted as DPS, but really they are different. They don't seem to understand that they aren't supposed to be pulling rooms when people say OOM, and they aren't supposed to set their pets on aggressive. I have only been the cause of a wipe a few times ever, and i almost always play as a rogue.....it has to do with skill not the class.
Ye the OP forgot to mention the puller role, they are not in all games, but in the games where this role is set properly it was just great to play them to me. Also i hate the mellee puller that some game have because it make no sense to me. Now that you talked about it, i think the puller role was the one i liked the most.
WoW is bad example though, it's pick up and play game these days, and the nature of the game attracts people, who want less responsibility and quick rewards. Damage dealing should be about threat management, surviving and depending on tank and healer a lot. That's excluding possible kiting, crowd controlling, silencing etc. WoW just happens to have very independent damage dealing role, and it doesn't have specialized roles other than the main three ones. Discipline priest might be only exception of true hybird spec, if it's still the same, I wouldn't know, and there isn't puller, CC'er or anything like that.
I play DPS primarily because I'm usually a solo player. When I do PVE, a dps class kills mobs faster than a tank or a healer. Also, I believe that dps is really the class that is fit for solo players since tanks and healers may need other players when dealing with some tough mobs or bosses.
I play DPS primarily because I'm usually a solo player. [...]
Well ... sorry, but I doubt thats any factor.
In Vanguard, tanks and healers have only turned MORE popular once the playerbase thinned.
Its simply that they are much better solists. A Paladin, Dread Knight, Cleric, Bear Shaman, Disciple or Blood Mage who can stand in front of a mob and kill it while healing itself. Wolf Shaman, Phoenix Shaman arent as good at it, though they both can kite pretty well if things get too tough. Or make the questline and switch to Bear Shaman, of course.
This is not possible for any dps class. They always have to kite. Except for Necromancer, who gets a personal tank summon.
And Warriors (tanks) and Monks (melee dd) have no means to heal themselves, and no ability to kite, thus they are the worst of all solists.
I play DPS primarily because I'm usually a solo player. [...]
Well ... sorry, but I doubt thats any factor.
In Vanguard, tanks and healers have only turned MORE popular once the playerbase thinned.
Its simply that they are much better solists. A Paladin, Dread Knight, Cleric, Bear Shaman, Disciple or Blood Mage who can stand in front of a mob and kill it while healing itself. Wolf Shaman, Phoenix Shaman arent as good at it, though they both can kite pretty well if things get too tough. Or make the questline and switch to Bear Shaman, of course.
This is not possible for any dps class. They always have to kite. Except for Necromancer, who gets a personal tank summon.
And Warriors (tanks) and Monks (melee dd) have no means to heal themselves, and no ability to kite, thus they are the worst of all solists.
I noticed the high number of people who picked Healer, and in recent MMO titles there certainly have been a lot of them.
But like you said, it's because healers aren't what they used to be, 8 years go a healer could do one thing, heal very well, forget soloing, they had no ability to do that in any reasonable fashion.
It's only been with the advent of the more combat oriented healer of recent years that people want to play healer, and most of them because they generally are great soloists, not because of any great desire to heal I suspect.
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
I've played all kinds, and I would have tended towards DPS in the past. I tanked for a while but found that it stressed me out terribly, I'd end up stiff as a board IRL from the tension. Weirdly, I much prefer being a healer now (even though that can be stressful too), possibly because I'm better at it than I was at tanking.
Well designed healing classes, or healing hybrids, are a lot of fun to play too. Mind you, in some games they were rather tedious to level (yeah, you can outheal anything but it takes you ten minutes to beat a mob down because your attack skills are so weak).
I also love tossing heals around in PvP. I don't know how accurate the poll is but I always had a feeling that DPS classes are ten a penny in most games, whereas a decent healer or tank will always be in demand.
I play DPS primarily because I'm usually a solo player. When I do PVE, a dps class kills mobs faster than a tank or a healer. Also, I believe that dps is really the class that is fit for solo players since tanks and healers may need other players when dealing with some tough mobs or bosses.
Now THAT's more like an urban myth.
In absolutely any game I've played Offtanks and hybrid healers were generally the best soloists. Now you can argue with that T12 specced mage that burns away hordes of mobs while running about spamming AE, or the early Aion mage that got so many CCs you'd wipe your eyes and keep crying. But generally, stay away from DPS if you wanna be a good soloist.
I wouldn't say most people prefer DPS classes, but I do believe most people prefer classes that require less responsibility for them in a group situation. I've met a lot of people over the years that loved playing a certain class but ended up rerolling to something else because they feared/disliked always being asked to heal or tank.
I've played all kinds, and I would have tended towards DPS in the past. I tanked for a while but found that it stressed me out terribly, I'd end up stiff as a board IRL from the tension. Weirdly, I much prefer being a healer now (even though that can be stressful too), possibly because I'm better at it than I was at tanking.
Well designed healing classes, or healing hybrids, are a lot of fun to play too. Mind you, in some games they were rather tedious to level (yeah, you can outheal anything but it takes you ten minutes to beat a mob down because your attack skills are so weak).
I also love tossing heals around in PvP. I don't know how accurate the poll is but I always had a feeling that DPS classes are ten a penny in most games, whereas a decent healer or tank will always be in demand.
Most play dps classes because they are simple when in a party, your sole focus is just doing damage on what your targeting, unlike a Tank or a Healer, who has alot more things to worry about. In most real mmorpgs (WoW, Rift and its ilk i do not consider real mmorpgs) The real dps's classes cannot solo well because quite frankly their defese sucked. Friar in Daoc is a good example of a hybrid healer, Can heal a party well (though not as well as a pure healer due to skill points being less focused) but they can also solo really well with some fairly powerful 2 hand staff attacks, not to mention they were scary in pvp with the right build. Sadly not many games actually make a hybrid healer correctly, daoc was one of the few.
Ahh what I wouldn't give for a daoc 2. same setting, or hell even a sci-fi-like game that was simmlar, but then again with how themepark and generic most mmo's are that come out now a days, mythic would probally screw it up hardcore cuz they'd just try to clone wow like everyone else does Even SW:ToR is just a generic wow clone, with voice acting in some quests, combat was the same and unimpressive/intersting, and I bet it'll still be a linear quest grind with quest hubs like wow. Honestly a huge majority of MMOrpg players never read quests, and skip if it has VA, since it always ends up being "Go kill 6 rats" or go fetch said item. In WoW for example, some quests have 2 pages of text then its like "Go kill 6 wolfs". MMO's have fallen on dark times since WoW's release, and its been steadily going downhill slowly.
Being a pessimist is a win-win pattern of thinking. If you're a pessimist (I'll admit that I am!) you're either:
A. Proven right (if something bad happens)
or
B. Pleasantly surprised (if something good happens)
Comments
One of the reasons there is such a large amount of DPS players in most MMOs (relative to healers and tanks) is because there are far more DPS classes than healer and tank classes typically. Some people might like the concept of a particular class even though they enjoy a healer role more, that class by probability is going to be a DPS class.
Look at Rift for example. Of the 32 soul trees you have 4 healer souls (not counting Justicar here), 5 tank souls (counting hybrids), 2 pure support souls, 1 CC soul, and almost 20 DPS souls. Of course the game is going to wind up having a lot more DPS than tanks and healers.
I think it is a game specific meme with WoW being the worst offender. I always play the tank but I won't tank in WoW because the community is terrible. But in some games it is almost the oposite. Too many tanks although healers seem to be a rarity in every game.
1. This is no problem as long as your game supports large groups. If you can have at least 6, even better 8 or 10 or even 12 people in a group. You dont need that many tanks and healers.
2. Games with really small group sizes, such as WoW with only 5 or SW:TOR with even only 4 people in group will have a lot more trouble with this.
3. Vanguard has 3 tank, 4 healer and 8 damage dealer classes and allows 6 people parties. Yet the game still had quite a shortage of tanks. Never really of healers, though, because those have been available in ambundance. In fact when I look at the game now, healers are nothing short dominant.
I think that the majority of players choose a class based on their type. Bard, Warrior, Wizard, Cleric, ect. I'd also say a lot of players are loyal to a certain class as well whether or not it is a tank in one game or a healer in the next. But I think players are more than likely to try classes if thier design is sufficient. I think it comes down to horrible class design for players to hate class system as well as not playing anything outside of a class they are loyal to.
Depends heavily on fun-mechanics.
I think most people try to spec for DPS though, because it is the least responsible job and you "just" have to put out numbers.
Unfortunately, most of the time this makes for a really mediocre gaming experience; Since you don't have any rush.
But yea, I think most people choose DPS or hybrid(DPS specced) chars...
Meridion
You sound pretty sure of yourself. You must be one of those tanks or healers that think they carry groups by themselves. I've noticed a lot of tanks and healers have sort of a god complex because they think they're the most important part to a group. When in fact, the real reason is that healers and tanks are usually in short supply, because frankly most people find them boring to play. Not to say they're not important, but all three are equally important to a groups success.
I could overgeneralize as well and say that all people that play tanks and healers only play them to feel useful and wanted. Because maybe they feel unappreciated in real life and want people to love them, not because they actually like to play them. But we know that isn't true. Some people just like to play certain things, and it's not always one thing or the other. People have their reasons whatever they may be.
I'm glad GW2 will be doing away with the trinity so we won't have the arrogant tank and healer types. Not to say all are like this, or that there aren't arrogant DPS as well. Just in my experience, I've seen more people playing a tank or healer play the "if you don't do this my way, I'll just leave and you won't be able to do it without me" card. Though I have a feeling a lot of these types won't play, as they won't be able to feel superior to anybody else. Obviously, some people will still feel this way regardless. But hopefully no trinity will help a bit.
TL;DR: Don't stereotype because it makes you sound ignorant.
Great response here, could use more new posts though.
Survivor of the great MMORPG Famine of 2011
Never cared and never will what the majority or minority is playing I'm playing the class I want to. If it means I cant join some guilds so be it, big deal..
Yes I love playing a healer I don't find it boring cause you always have to be aware of new situations and have your mana pot ready if things are going bad. I think DPS is overrated I care about the people who are doing the job the right way and not some dps whores thinking that DPS is more important than perma CC the damn add or stuff like that.
Personally I think in a good group everyone contributes:
Good tank makes it easy for a healer to focus a bit more on the other classes, nice DPS means more mana saved for the group and stuff like that.
We need a MMORPG Cataclysm asap, finish the dark age of MMORPGS now!
"Everything you're bitching about is wrong. People don't have the time to invest in corpse runs, impossible zones, or long winded quests. Sometimes, they just want to pop on and play."
"Then maybe MMORPGs aren't for you."
I think it's pretty easy to see why most people play DPS, and that's because it's less pressure. While DPS classes have a bit more responsibility now thanks to the advent of DPS meters, the tank and the healer really hold the fate of the entire group in their hands. Not to mention that tanking isn't what it used to be. I played a paladin tank in EQ, and I loved tanking, but now that almost every pull is AoE, and you have to keep aggro on like 5 mobs at a time with the DPS all whacking on different targets, it's a pain a real pain to play a tank class.
I've never played a tank for any length of time, and certainly not in raids. From your statement, (rings true) I'll think i'll stay away from them too.
DPS'ers don't have as much responsibility as others, they're a more, (forgive me here) basic class as far as level of difficulty.
I myself prefer the healer type or stealth class, (DPS with a twist).
I like playing healers because I like helping others.
Tanking though is my new playtoy. Its nice to not need to look at hitpoint bars all the time.
The only class i never played intensively during all those years is a tank. I prefer hybrid but themeparks usually don't let do some.
I do tend to play Tank classes, in WoW have both a warrior and a tankadin, but.. when it comes to dps.. i use the 'you pulled it. you tank it' rule.. once they die a few times.. they tend to wake up a bit
This is how I feel, but the opposite, it makes me realize how big of idiots most DPS are.
I play a healer, hop on a character I haven't played in years (dps), and play. I'm undergeared, sometimes by upwards of twenty levels, still topping dps meters.
I agree with a lot of what you say, but most of the time the "DPS" isn't the cause of the group wipe.....In WoW atleast half the times my group has wiped was because of the hunter, and I know they are counted as DPS, but really they are different. They don't seem to understand that they aren't supposed to be pulling rooms when people say OOM, and they aren't supposed to set their pets on aggressive. I have only been the cause of a wipe a few times ever, and i almost always play as a rogue.....it has to do with skill not the class.
Ye the OP forgot to mention the puller role, they are not in all games, but in the games where this role is set properly it was just great to play them to me. Also i hate the mellee puller that some game have because it make no sense to me. Now that you talked about it, i think the puller role was the one i liked the most.
WoW is bad example though, it's pick up and play game these days, and the nature of the game attracts people, who want less responsibility and quick rewards. Damage dealing should be about threat management, surviving and depending on tank and healer a lot. That's excluding possible kiting, crowd controlling, silencing etc. WoW just happens to have very independent damage dealing role, and it doesn't have specialized roles other than the main three ones. Discipline priest might be only exception of true hybird spec, if it's still the same, I wouldn't know, and there isn't puller, CC'er or anything like that.
I mostly prefer Paladins. They don't do much damage, but they never die. I hate dying
I play DPS primarily because I'm usually a solo player. When I do PVE, a dps class kills mobs faster than a tank or a healer. Also, I believe that dps is really the class that is fit for solo players since tanks and healers may need other players when dealing with some tough mobs or bosses.
Well ... sorry, but I doubt thats any factor.
In Vanguard, tanks and healers have only turned MORE popular once the playerbase thinned.
Its simply that they are much better solists. A Paladin, Dread Knight, Cleric, Bear Shaman, Disciple or Blood Mage who can stand in front of a mob and kill it while healing itself. Wolf Shaman, Phoenix Shaman arent as good at it, though they both can kite pretty well if things get too tough. Or make the questline and switch to Bear Shaman, of course.
This is not possible for any dps class. They always have to kite. Except for Necromancer, who gets a personal tank summon.
And Warriors (tanks) and Monks (melee dd) have no means to heal themselves, and no ability to kite, thus they are the worst of all solists.
I noticed the high number of people who picked Healer, and in recent MMO titles there certainly have been a lot of them.
But like you said, it's because healers aren't what they used to be, 8 years go a healer could do one thing, heal very well, forget soloing, they had no ability to do that in any reasonable fashion.
It's only been with the advent of the more combat oriented healer of recent years that people want to play healer, and most of them because they generally are great soloists, not because of any great desire to heal I suspect.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
I've played all kinds, and I would have tended towards DPS in the past. I tanked for a while but found that it stressed me out terribly, I'd end up stiff as a board IRL from the tension. Weirdly, I much prefer being a healer now (even though that can be stressful too), possibly because I'm better at it than I was at tanking.
Well designed healing classes, or healing hybrids, are a lot of fun to play too. Mind you, in some games they were rather tedious to level (yeah, you can outheal anything but it takes you ten minutes to beat a mob down because your attack skills are so weak).
I also love tossing heals around in PvP. I don't know how accurate the poll is but I always had a feeling that DPS classes are ten a penny in most games, whereas a decent healer or tank will always be in demand.
Now THAT's more like an urban myth.
In absolutely any game I've played Offtanks and hybrid healers were generally the best soloists. Now you can argue with that T12 specced mage that burns away hordes of mobs while running about spamming AE, or the early Aion mage that got so many CCs you'd wipe your eyes and keep crying. But generally, stay away from DPS if you wanna be a good soloist.
M
I wouldn't say most people prefer DPS classes, but I do believe most people prefer classes that require less responsibility for them in a group situation. I've met a lot of people over the years that loved playing a certain class but ended up rerolling to something else because they feared/disliked always being asked to heal or tank.
Most play dps classes because they are simple when in a party, your sole focus is just doing damage on what your targeting, unlike a Tank or a Healer, who has alot more things to worry about. In most real mmorpgs (WoW, Rift and its ilk i do not consider real mmorpgs) The real dps's classes cannot solo well because quite frankly their defese sucked. Friar in Daoc is a good example of a hybrid healer, Can heal a party well (though not as well as a pure healer due to skill points being less focused) but they can also solo really well with some fairly powerful 2 hand staff attacks, not to mention they were scary in pvp with the right build. Sadly not many games actually make a hybrid healer correctly, daoc was one of the few.
Ahh what I wouldn't give for a daoc 2. same setting, or hell even a sci-fi-like game that was simmlar, but then again with how themepark and generic most mmo's are that come out now a days, mythic would probally screw it up hardcore cuz they'd just try to clone wow like everyone else does
Even SW:ToR is just a generic wow clone, with voice acting in some quests, combat was the same and unimpressive/intersting, and I bet it'll still be a linear quest grind with quest hubs like wow. Honestly a huge majority of MMOrpg players never read quests, and skip if it has VA, since it always ends up being "Go kill 6 rats" or go fetch said item. In WoW for example, some quests have 2 pages of text then its like "Go kill 6 wolfs". MMO's have fallen on dark times since WoW's release, and its been steadily going downhill slowly.
Being a pessimist is a win-win pattern of thinking. If you're a pessimist (I'll admit that I am!) you're either:
A. Proven right (if something bad happens)
or
B. Pleasantly surprised (if something good happens)
Either way, you can't lose! Try it out sometime!