>1) These changes wouldn't make me any less likely to play a
>healer, which I've done a few times in the past. But for what
>it's worth, I tend to prefer exploration and big group battles
>where these changes don't come into play as significantly.
>Likewise, my play times aren't typically such that I need(ed)
>to heal NPCs to be at all effective.


The random redirection of mob abilities has not only made it harder to explore, but for the more fun areas (ST, Inferno, or Shadow Plane) it has made it pretty much impossible. I can assure you that mobs like Mephistopheles+Herald or Belial are pretty much impossible now (instant death and all your gear destroyed on anyone in your group not wearing a shield? really?), not to mention how some ST archmages were insane before these changes. I'm not saying that the change wasn't necessary (an entire group hiding behind one mob seemed a bit silly), but some abilities shouldn't be able to be redirected... or you get scenarios where you've made things impossible.

I know the chances of them being fixed/changed is all up to the area writer, which happens once in a blue moon considering their interest levels, but just wanted to note what has happened. A lot of interest for me in the game was taking on the incredibly hard exploration fights and with dwindling numbers and this change, it's a nail in the coffin.