No, what I am describing is how EVERYONE plays at higher levels, because this is a shooter. That is why Reinhardt is so essential in most if not all compositions, he provides artificial cover.

Good Tracers still use cover. They don't stay out in the open, they hit and run. Reinhardt doesn't stay out in the open, he provides his own cover then gets into the fray until his shield regens (or he dies) or also goes into cover depending on the situation. You are wrong in thinking either 'stays' in the open.

Pharah's job is NOT to stay in the open skies. It is to reach high grounds and attack from less defended more advantageous angles. You have interpreted Pharah wrong.

And your entire paragraph about her splash damage merely supports what I said about the splash damage buff. Her splash damage is BUFFED in the PTR.

More reliable damage makes her better at offence. Having the high ground makes her more offence oriented. The buffs that make her able to reach those high grounds plays into that.