The problem with the "melee healer" model isn't that being in melee range can sometimes be problematic (oh, it really can be for casters from time to time), but more that a fairly high chance to proc mana return on melee swing as the primary mana restore method is kind of... hrm. I guess it's the kind of thing which I don't mind when it's only a small part of your overall mana restoration method. However, when it's almost all you get, it seems pretty annoying. Small mana restores in those spare moments when you can attack, rather than either a constant and more predictable mana restore method like Illumination, or a big-bang mana restore, like Divine Plea.

Now, I don't mind much that DP was nerfed a little. It was 25% mana per minute, if you could stand the healing penalty. Compare to Mana Tide Totem, which is 24% mana every five minutes. Sure, it helps others too, but the selfish-side of mana restoration for the paladin is pretty damn high compared to any other class's. Bringing them closer in line, probably most fairly accomplished by a DP nerf, isn't out of order. However, something like a 2-minute cooldown and having the penalty reduced to 25% rather than 50% less healing would probably have been fair. Maybe 20% mana on 2 minute cooldown or something.

10% on 2 minute, with apparently still the 50% penalty is just nutty.

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