@Mrbeansman:

I'd say from past history, it is absurd to say that Paladin's identity to S-E is irrelevant. I would guess you are the very type of sabermetrics geek who cares little about the things that make each job different--in other words, only numbers matter in the game. S-E, given past actions, appears to disagree or it would not have made such extensive efforts to return White Mage to the top of the healing order. What many of us are saying is that S-E needs to follow suit in the case of Paladin where tanking is concerned. Evasion tanking has its place, but that's called soloing in most cases. Counter-tanking by Monks can hardly be considered tanking in the sense of reducing one's own damage. If not for an alert White Mage, that Monk would not be long for the world no matter how much HP it has.

I stand by my post and repeat that it is necessary for S-E to return Paladins to the top of the tanking order with the same energy as they have done so with White Mage and healing.