It seems that DPS can choose pretty much whatever powers they want on their loadouts and still fulfill their roles, but the support roles (Controller and healer) are confined to template they have to fill out or else the group will suffer. Controller Template: POT Defense Debuff Power Dump Burst Power Dump Healer template: (Not accurate, just what I've seen recently) Burst Heal Power unique heal Shield Heal supercharge Stackable HOT Stackable HOT There are probably two or three powers that powersets can have varied, but most support loadouts end up looking the same, and that makes the other powers in the power trees somewhat useless. Does anyone want more variety in support laodouts, but still be able to fulfill their role? Are you guys happy with the way it is? What are your thoughts on this?
Actually, I think you got this backwards. DPS needs hi damage and/or hi damage bonus in their loadouts. Boss finisher (maybe), a good AoE attack or two, decent SC (this is probably their only real power where they can be creative). Now look at your troller loadout above: 4 powers and even the defense debuff is arbitrary. But still that gives trollers 2 power slots to do as they please. Sadly, in raids, they will rarely get to USE them. Tanks (Earth tank in particular) requires: Self Shield, 1 or two of those Tank-specific buffs (heals for fire, shields for ice, Aftershocks for Earth, which happens to include its shield), one or two CC cleanse moves (Earth only has one, ice has them in a shield or two, fire has one at least in a heal), and at least one good pull (go flight and use its PULL move, works real well if you aren't ICE tank). Again, like a controller, that leaves about 2 slots to do as you will. A fun SC? HL shield if u want another? Heat Vision? Annoy your team with EXTREMELY LOUD SCREAMMING? Whatever. Usually, Tanks and Trollers I make get to experiment with those odd Iconic powers to see if they are any fun or even worth putting a power point into them. Same goes for travel powers.
Not to sound rude, but I think you're greatly simplifying the DPS role. Talk to a few actual beastly DPS and they will tell you how much thought and dedication they put into their loadouts and gear. Personally, I think DPS has the hardest job of all and they get the least credit except for when other DPS praise them. And there are always ways to spice things up. I only play healing toons and I filter between quite a few loadouts with the exception being sorc. I will say sorc has little wiggle room when it comes to a healing loadout.