I'm a Dragoon and I'm addicted to metal armor

I need help. For nearly 30 levels, I was a "good damage dealer". I put on Leather and even cloth gear that increased STR, Dex, Determ, Crit, and speed. Then little things began to spiral out of control.

My leatherworking lagged behind my level as tanning got more complex. With my new job, I lost Protect during my solo questing and was getting hurt more. Cure was useless and Second wind wasn't better than a potion with a longer cooldown. Dungeons were a little sparse in DoW gear and my focus on main story quests made my gear 5+ levels behind.

Then it happened, a piece of metal scale armor dropped in a dungeon. The tank didn't want it, he had plate. The monk couldn't use it if he wanted to. I could wear it, it had some Str, Accuracy, and material slots. Yeah it had some vitality and parry, but I was only loosing 1 atk power and crit rate; and the armor value, the sweet armor value. The +defense difference between my old and new piece was equal to the total defense of my chestpiece at the time. Even the Magic defense was higher (a far cry from level 12 quest rewards where I needed mage gear to combat caster enemies).

Eventually, I ran some side quests and main quests offered armor again. They gave me choices, DoW cloth, or Tank/Dragoon metal scale armor. That illicit rush ran through me again as I snatched the heavy pieces. I soon realized I had a matching color metal chest and pants. Forest green, I hate green, but I had some yellow dye. Sweet, I'm now in a sleek set of golden armor. I look like a regal warrior instead of a bloated clown with a spear.

Let's run Brayflox now. Last boss, tank dies, I'm next on hate; activate parry; Second wind, I've been alive for a while, though I'm at half life. The WHM managed to rez the tank while my life sank; just a bit of spear throw kiting and YES! The tank provoked and the WHM got me back to full. Only about 5% left now; tank dead again! Dragon on me, Keep fighting, keep fighting..... we won?

I now dread the thought of ever wearing gear with less than 30 defense a piece. The tiny dex/speed sacrifices have added up to levels I have not counted. I still hit pretty hard I think; I'm still #2 on the hate meter. Is there a support group for folks like me? Am I not as wrong as I think I am?

Here's hoping LNC gets a tank job in the near future.

Im level 43~44, no problem what so ever in any kind of content so far.
Been runing with the same armor i got in Tam Tara, level 23.

Today a change it for a level 32 piece of armor, DoW one, level 32. Better, not big diference.

Mega-potions and second wind do wonders for solo, the parry buff is also great for mitagation, Bloodbath is epic, always save Life Surge for pinch situations.
We are paper, we are glasscannons, by my point of by, trying to fix that up is not worth it, i preffer crit and determination over armor, cause i thrust my team has a good tank and a good healer, its their work to keep me alive, of course its also my work to not being stupid and do not move from AoEs and not avoid unnecesary exposure, but as far as that, all i have in mind is damage. Heavy Armor is not good for that.

Bloodbath, Second Wind and Potions are for emergency only, more than anything, solo leveling, probably i will abandon Bloodbath for Foresight when i hit end game.

armorer is what you want with dragoon, not LTW. with the full HQ sets ive been making for myself and the GC weapons i've been kicking untold amounts of ass.