Actually Full Support Priests can do colo, I knew/know of some that would go into colo and get to the last rounds without much problem (basically killing mobs can get you to later rounds, no need to actually kill players). Even going as far as winning colo.
Full Support basically just heals with one attack (Holy Light) that points usually weren't added too.
As for Hybrids, yes they are a mix of both but not great at either, healing or DPS, but can still dish it out. Besides, usually there is also another supportive class along the party/raid (pre-AoV) such as a SM, Sorc or another Priest.
In my cause of Hybird, I have a few more points still on healing though.
As for DPS Priests, this I usually never supported. And made me WTF even.
I did have only once one in my party and it frustrated me to no end since not even Renovatio did she have, a skill useful for any class and to make any levelling/grinding any easier even. In fact she even got me killed since during that dungeon I'm tending to people's health, notice hers dropping, try to heal her, which in turn made me face away from the rest of the party, to see her running with mob chasing as well. Two priests die there (one Hybird another DPS). Fun.. *cough* moving on...
As for the no longer being "decorative" with the extra skill points, until then takes quite a while. So for a good while we're still what we started as.
And at times not easy working in parties at the moment (skill lags, d/cs and other bugs...for now anyhow).
However being only useful or playable with only a party is kinda a pain. Yes we may be a supportive class but we shouldn't be completely restricted as such, of course not saying we must be as powerful as the rest. Given there can be moments that person's friends or guild mates may not be on, sure you can join others but at times the time isn't much time, or the person could not easily make friends as other, as so, a priest would still like to continue to play regardless without having to go on an alternate character to do so because it being to hard to play just a bit on own (slower pace but still somewhat doable). I believe for a while this is (and may still be) an issue for Soul Maker as well, given their supportive roles as well.
DoTs actually do take quite a while to get to stick on another player within colo, given hit rate so on.
I haven't tried duelling in a while so I can not say as of the moment, but usually depending on the class against it can take a few tries to actually land the DoT for it to begin to do damage, of course in a duel players can use healing pets as well so I suppose somewhat may even the odds there.
Nor can I confirm this for WoE or the training ground (Jeehon).
Although again, DoTs should only be touched once the hit rate, dodge and other balancing is fixed amongst ALL classes.
Edit: Typos..oops.
Edited by DarkKurayami, 29 March 2014 - 06:29 AM.