Yeh after reading through what people here say I think it just comes down to personal preference. I wouldnt want to be without earth shield as it just heals for insane amounts without any interaction at all. I also believe that having 3 dps that are dps'ing all the time is better than 4 dps that have to stop and heal occasionally. Obviously 4 dps will become better as the tank gets more gear and requires less healing though.