Shattered Kingdoms

The only place where anyone should need another PC to heal them while leveling is MAYBE the higher levels, which are the same levels where the healers will need said person to stand in front of them while they cast damage spells at the enemy.

It's a give/take thing.

That isn't the point. D has always wanted to have people group up at lower levels. This would give a true option for healing classes.

Yeah, the option is "Hey, I'll heal you for a while if you'll tank for me for a while."

In addition, the healers even get the benefit of gaining some XP from healing, akin to how the tank might get a little xp for fighting in mood defensive (hopefully) while he tanks.

Why would a priest ask? it would go the other way. Priests are hurt by asking others to tank while they heal. More benefit for the tank than the priest. If a priest and tank team up, the xp/min should be the same for both of them.

At high-levels a priest needs someone to stand in his way except for a scarce few leveling spots. If that person puts on a weapon they aren't familiar with (to help in mastering it), a shield, and goes defensive, he'll do jack for damage and also take very little damage as well, allowing the priest to armor and sanc the tank while spending the majority of his mana casting spear of faith or harm or whatever it is he wants to damage the enemy.

Trying to do the same with a storebought pet as a priest takes forever because you spent a lot more mana healing the pet and you also run the risk of outright dying if your pet can't take it.

I feel bad for you if you have ever leveled a priest, Muktar, because it probably took forever.