Because all the other tanks retain huge amounts of CC and utility when offensively specced, why should the SM have nothing? IB for example has all the useful buffs (crit, parry), armour debuff, knockdown, ST punt and aoe snare all in a 2hander offensive spec, that is only marginally less damage than an ED SM. The SM has to sacrifice both survivability and utility to spec offensively, the other tanks only have to sacrifice survivability.What makes you think going full investment for ether dance should reward you with utility? You dont have to go for ether dance you know. Theres plenty of utility available to 2h or s&b, why should you get it all?
We have (should have) at 13 - Ether dance - good ability, Crashing wave - good ability, whispering winds - good ability
Just because an ability is good doesn't mean it has to occupy the 13th spot (cull the weak, pounce, shatter limbs etc etc etc) The ability effect itself self isn't what makes it a good ability, its how the ability effect interacts and synergizes with the spec, resulting rotations, class mechanics and group setup
Are you saying 4 seconds of KD/silence immunity justifies an ability to be at the 13 spot and thus should be prevented from being used in any spec with ED or WW in it? If so, then it would be preferable to remove the 4 seconds of unstoppable, and keep it at 9and what makes you think BO should have a KD, WITH utility at 13 while SM have a KD WITH utility at 9? No other tank KD at 9 has utility built into it, its only the 13 pointers.
I appreciate this is your game, and you're free to do what you like with it. My concern is that unless there are changes the SM will be dead after a few more gear sets are released, just like live - due to the poor scaling of tactics and blurring shock, increases in resistances/wounds.
(Edited the quotes as I guess my formatting wasnt inline with forum ettiquette)