What if Paladins got a "Dragon Kick" ability?

[SirTaint]

Snip.

The shield is their special ability. 35% perma blockrate is very nice and is the reason a lot of groups use Swordoath PLDs as MTs in FCoB.

HG is the best Defensive CD and can cheese major boss attacks allowing healers to DPS or regen mana.

The chain stunning was very useful for initial Levi farms, it was also useful for Ifrit and in most dungeons. (nothing coil tier that I can think of)

The silence was useful in T1,T2,T9 along with lessor fights/dungeons.

DRK will need something potent to compete with PLD for progression content. Otherwise I could see it being PLD/DRK or PLD/WAR then once we are over geared WAR/DRK.

[Zaft]

snip

I have to disagree.

First, tank damage intake is not a problem in this game, and I don't see that changing in Alexander. It's why tanks wear STR accessories instead of VIT; the damage output gained is far more important than the increased damage intake. Second, while the things you listed are nice, none of them are unique to PLD. WAR can holmgang in place of HG and just have the healer drop a Bene on him at the end. Multiple classes can stun. Multiple classes can silence.

Second, what makes WAR a permanent fixture in raids is slashing resistance down (which can be replaced by a NIN) and raid damage down by 10% (which CANNOT be replaced, yet). Until another class brings the utility that WAR brings, WAR will not be replaced. On the other hand, PLD can easily be replaced. Their only real raid utility, STR down, effects only auto-attacks and a choice few abilities (since the large majority of attacks are magic based).

So honestly, if DRK gets any sort of raid utility (magic down, int down, etc), I can easily see PLD being placed aside in serious progression groups. What I'm hoping will happen is PLD will obtain better utility in the expansion, and DRK will gain INT down so that MNKs aren't a necessity for cutting edge raiding.