A-G when was the last time you played a Healer ?
Healers don't spam 'Cure critical', they spam Heal. 100 HP at 35 mana cost 1 round lag. That is why they are called HEALers.... 
"They've got killer AC, they've got awesome Defenses."
They have the AC their equipment gives them. Like all mages, they only get the Armor,Shield,Stoneskin spells. That is -80 AC which anyone can get with consumables.
They also do not have awesome defences. They have the regular defences that Clerics and Shamans have. The only classes worse than them are Mages that only have Parry.
But i do agree with you that seing a Healer in Justice, capturing and executing people. It makes my eyes roll around...
I stopped playing my Healer two weeks ago.... anyways.
I guess I have to learn that when I want to get on my high horse I have to find out who I might piss off as I climb to their level so that I can use the correct lingo...
"Defenses" can be used to mean "parry, shield, dodge, etc." yeah... but it can also be used to describe, "Parry, shield, dodge, Devine Retrobution, Barrier, some D.I's, Spirit Shield, and Gate" I've seen it used in both forms on this forum. So, for later when I'm gonna upset people who love tea parties, I'll just remember to use the term, "defenses and defensive spells"
But, Healers, yeah. -80 AC. Just like everyone else that wants to have consumables. But... now they don't have to carry all those herbs and potions, they don't have to worry about not being able to use them if blind. Anyways, not an issue I'm bitching about. The fact is they get it as a bonus in my eyes because they don't have collect them, they have them already.
As for heal, yeah. Heh, got me there. But, the point is the same... and I thought that my healer got bashed with a 2 round lag on Heal spells. My memory sucks, and you beat me up because of it. Mya, how do you feel? Beating up on the kid who has memory problems? 
And for Vamps in trib and healers being similiar, yeah. Just like apples and oranges both grow on trees and can be used as sex toys... Vamps in Trib don't get protection from other Undeads. Healers in Trib don't lose anything, they gain it. But, you are right. RP is AWESOME, when done right. Anything is possible with RP, and if I see someone play a character because they want to play it for RP reasons, not because "I won't die with this combo." I get really happy. Don't think I'm bitching about everyone having bad RP... I really don't think that. It's just a lot of people pick their Race Class Cabal because they want to pwn, which is okay... it is a game. Just don't try to convince me that someone picks a Halfling Blademaster Warmaster or Ogre Warrior Nexus because they want to RP it.
(oh, and I am "guilty" of this, too.)
a-g