I like this idea of getting rid of DPS because it would give each of the 3 roles far more to do. Enchanters don't just hang around casting slow cripple and occasional mezzes. Healers don't just do whackamole - they could play more like Vanguards healers where they kick ass and that triggers heals. And tanks arent just walking punch bags for absorbing damage, they could get to actually do stuff too.
But the only thing that worries me is that you would also lose the feeling of being incredibly powerful which you only got from a dps class. The wizzy in EQ or mage or any similar class in any similar game, the other people all did their job and got control of the mob, but the mob's health was only trickling down. Then it was your job to land the gigantic nukes and see the huge numbers and watch mobs fall at your feet as you twiddle your fingers Gandalf style. If you compiled the dps in to the other classes, you probably wouldnt get that anymore because each class would be balanced to do reasonable damage each, so mobs would just lose health steadily until dead, rather than the one or two dps in the group doing the major smackdown. So the combining classes thing sounds nice but I wonder if maybe just keeping it the EQ way would be the best overall.
And one other thing, I loved how EQ classes had a difficulty level associated with them. And it meant that you could play whichever class you were in the mood for. For example if you play a chanter or bard, you needed to be prepared for some frantic and tense gameplay. Bards constantly twisted, and chanters occasionally had to mez an entire room full of mobs. But playing as a wizard was a far more laid back experience, relaxing through the early parts of fights and just dropping massive ice comets once the tank had aggro and it was time to kill things. Maybe the very varied play styles of classes is a good thing. I knew a guy who loved playing Monk because besides pulling, it was so easy to play. He hit auto attack and wupped ass. He was good enough to play a Cleric too, but he preferred the monk because he liked slacking off. I was the opposite, liked being occupied so I liked the druid because I could heal, nuke, dot, snare, quad kite when solo. Once you found the class to suit you, it was really cool.
