If Paladin is "specialized in defense" shouldn't its defense be better always?

[Anger]

According to Live Letter XXIII, when asked about Paladin and Dark Knight DPS the response was:

As an off tank, dark knights can also utilize the benefits from this debuff’s effect and that will also allow them to output similar amounts of damage. Paladins are specialized in defense so their damage output is a little bit lower.

--

If Paladin has lower damage than the two tanks in an extremely high-DPS check environment shouldn't it -always- be the strongest defender? Whether it be Magic or Physical? I mean, if it's the king of defense and all I believe it should fulfill that role better and not be edged out under any circumstances in that department.

Here's an A1S video with the Paladin at 442 and the Warrior at 633. Both tanks mitigate the same damage one deals 35% more damage doing it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6DwKeAkKX0

between V1 = 442 and V2 = 633

( | V1 - V2 | / ((V1 + V2)/2) ) * 100

= ( | 442 - 633 | / ((442 + 633)/2) ) * 100
= ( | -191 | / (1075/2) ) * 100
= ( 191 / 537.5 ) * 100
= 0.355349 * 100

= 35.5349% difference

[Ralvenom]

Um...SHIELD.

[Launched]

PLD has Hallowed, and 99% of enemies have physical attacks that you have a chance to block. There's no huge difference in mitigating tankbusters.

[Marveth]

I'm not saying PLD is in a good spot. In fact, because I dont have a PLD I tend to stay out of those discussions. But DRK doesn't have nearly the same dps as WAR does even with debuffs applied. If anything War should be the one with inferior defense while pld focus on physical and drk on magical defense.

[Anger]

I'm not saying PLD is in a good spot. In fact, because I dont have a PLD I tend to stay out of those discussions. But DRK doesn't have nearly the same dps as WAR does even with debuffs applied. If anything War should be the one with inferior defense while pld focus on physical and drk on magical defense.

The DRK can keep its damage buff running while tanking though.

There's a reason the world first A3S group had DRK and WAR.

[Azorius]

If not always better, at least never the worst. I'm looking at you, magic damage <_<

[Nektulos-Tuor]

The DRK can keep its damage buff running while tanking though.

There's a reason the world first A3S group had DRK and WAR.

So can Warrior/Paladin.

Maim
FoF

Paladin and Warrior are fine.

[Adrasteia]

PLD has Hallowed, and 99% of enemies have physical attacks that you have a chance to block. There's no huge difference in mitigating tankbusters.

There's a huge difference, considering the prevalence of Magic-based tankbusters. The difference between healing a DRK MT in A4 and a PLD MT in A4 is pretty well night-and-day, speaking from personal experience. I'd gladly toss Hallowed Ground in the garbage if it meant I could get 30% Magic DR every minute.

[Anger]

So can Warrior/Paladin.

Maim
FoF

Paladin and Warrior are fine.

Fight or Flight is a 30s duration on a 90s cooldown. The DRK can keep DarkSide running the entire time.

[Anger]

There's a huge difference, considering the prevalence of Magic-based tankbusters. The difference between healing a DRK MT in A4 and a PLD MT in A4 is pretty well night-and-day, speaking from personal experience. I'd gladly toss Hallowed Ground in the garbage if it meant I could get 30% Magic DR every minute.

That's exactly what I'm getting at. If all we're bringing is "superior defense" and have less damage than the other tanks, at no point, should they be able to "out defend" us.

It's amusing that 100% of the time, if played correctly, they can "out damage" us, though.