just hit 50 on an alt as paladin

[Phileas]

If you are new to a dungeon just take it one pack at a time. You control the flow of the battles. Sure some dps can be dicks about it but most i've experienced dont really care about speed run or not so long as you keep the aggro.

[Ashkendor]

Do the first steps of the relic quest. An i90 weapon can carry you up to HW.

There's no need to. The MSQ gives you an i90 weapon and your job quests give you a set of i90 armor.

[Ragology]

There's no need to. The MSQ gives you an i90 weapon and your job quests give you a set of i90 armor.

I think there's a point in the main story where you can't advance without completing Hard mode Ifrit, Garuda and Titan. When someone in my FC was unable to get the next story mission from the npc, I helped them unlock those three trials and then they were able to continue again. I don't remember the story quests name though.

The relic takes you through those trials I believe, so might as well pick it up.

[Dualblade]

I think there's a point in the main story where you can't advance without completing Hard mode Ifrit, Garuda and Titan. When someone in my FC was unable to get the next story mission from the npc, I helped them unlock those three trials and then they were able to continue again. I don't remember the story quests name though.

The relic takes you through those trials I believe, so might as well pick it up.

While I'm not saying don't, it isn't till the end of the relic quest.

[Haprimac]

Thats correct, but what level will i be when i hit HW 0_0

I was 54 when I entered Ishgard on my elezen alt. I just crafted myself a ilvl115 weapon and had my friend mail it to my alt. But I admit this can be problematic to a tank when there's quite a few primal fights before you get to Ishgard. But then there's another tank you can ask to tank instead. Keeping hate against people with ilvlover9000 can be a pain. :S

[Reynhart]

The MSQ gives you an i90 weapon and your job quests give you a set of i90 armor.

I've done the MSQ before 3.0, so the rewards were different. When does it give you a weapon ?

While I'm not saying don't, it isn't till the end of the relic quest.

You mean "the end of the first step", which is seriously not much.
Since you'd want to do Amdapor Keep, you can as well try Chimaira and Hydra to put them in your duty roulette, and, voila ! You have your relic

[Ashkendor]

I've done the MSQ before 3.0, so the rewards were different. When does it give you a weapon ?

http://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Lord_of_the_Whorl
http://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Through_the_Maelstrom
http://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Wh...the_Fraternity

[Reynhart]

http://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Lord_of_the_Whorl
http://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Through_the_Maelstrom
http://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Wh...the_Fraternity

Ok, so, it's not a big deal if you're slightly underweaponized as a tank until then since the only mandatory content you have to do requires 8 people.
Fair enough.