Xeno believes paladin should NEVER be main tank

[Reynhart]

This is no longer the case with the sweeping 3.2 changes to tanks. That video was during STR era where Tanks had a much lower HP total and a much stronger attack power.

It still gives you enough HP to survive without Benediction, considering you can do this every 3 minutes.

Thrill of Battle doesn't 'heal' like you think it would since it actually doesn't change the %HP state you are in, just your total HP amount. It's no different than popping Rampart, but for one hit unless healed.

Except you don't care about the %HP you're at. If you have 2500/25000 and might take 3000 on the next hit, Thrill of Battle heals you for 5000 HP. You could stay at 7500/25000, it doesn't matter.
It's also why WAR doesn't need Defiance as much as PLD or DRK need their tank stance. As long as you're under your usual HP max, Defiance does nothing for the damage you take.

[FallenWings]

Except we don't care about the %HP you're at. If you have 2500/25000 and might take 3000 on the next hit, Thrill of Battle heals you for 5000 HP. You could stay at 7500/25000, it doesn't matter.
It's also why WAR doesn't need Defiance as much as PLD or DRK need their tank stance. As long as you're under your usual HP max, Defiance does nothing for the damage you take.

Actually you're right that it is a heal if you don't heal the extra HP total it provides in the context of having lower hp. I suppose the logic if it not being a heal is only applicable in preparation for tankbusters at full HP.
However, I don't necessarily see the point of blowing Thrill of Battle when as you've said, you could have used Second Wind or Equilibrium without removing one of your mitigation options for the future tankbusters.

It still gives you enough HP to survive without Benediction, considering you can do this every 3 minutes.

A (somewhat)fair trade off for requiring up to 5 other skills to achieve a similar effect in terms of survival no?

Latest response-

Because this forum is clunky or I'm just bad at properly replying:

You can achieve 9 GCDs in a Berserk which is often: FC, FC, SS/Maim, BB/SE, HS, Maim, SE, Fracture, FC. During the rotation you can gain 4 Abandon stacks through combos so you only need 1 extra stack from CD's to fit that 3rd FC. You Berzerk after HS to fit in Fracture as your 8/9th GCD.

Although it seemed to not be clear, the reason for the (?) on some of the listed cooldowns is as you mentioned their requirement for a specific type of damage. Although they're not always usable, they do give you an edge over X tank if you can use them. Dark Dance itself isn't the real CD but it enables access to Reprisal which can be considered a CD although a weak one. War doesn't have a second tank cross class because it IS the second class cross class lol. Convalescence, Foresight, Awareness, and Bloodbath weren't mentioned since they're universal across all 3 tanks minus traits. Stoneskin costs PLD a GCD and doesn't stack with a healer Stoneskin so I guess you could consider that. Second Wind is a heal and won't prevent you from getting one shotted at 100% HP.

[Reynhart]

A (somewhat)fair trade off for requiring up to 5 other skills to achieve a similar effect in terms of survival no?

It could be, if WAR didn't keep all other mitigation tools ready for action, generally with shorter cooldown than PLD and DRK.
Especially when one of the above is designed to be "The mitigation tank". (Three guesses which one it is, the first two don't count )

War doesn't have a second tank cross class because it IS the second class cross class lol. Convalescence, Foresight, Awareness, and Bloodbath weren't mentioned since they're universal across all 3 tanks minus traits.

Second wind can still save you or give the healer the few seconds it could need to bring you back on foot. And it costs nothing. As a DRK, I'd rather have LNC than MRD as a cross-class, to refill my TP or improve my parry rate.
(And deal more damage as an OT with BfB, but shhhhh )

[FallenWings]

It could be, if WAR didn't keep all other mitigation tools ready for action, generally with shorter cooldown than PLD and DRK.
Especially when one of the above is designed to be "The mitigation tank". (Three guesses which one it is, the first two don't count )

I don't know man, Vengeance and Thrill of Battle seem to be my only real options because I want Raw Intuition for Berserk and I don't know what Defiance and Inner Beast are anymore. Holmgang still has other flaws such as requiring a target, being rooted, a shorter duration, and only invincibility at 1 HP. But those flaws rarely surface in most encounters so I guess it's still pretty broke.

I guess it can't be helped that Warriors are so perfect. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Sheltron and Dark Mind are still pretty sick since they don't require ShO/Grit so you can say PLD/DRK can tank better in their offensive stance. Maybe.

[Reynhart]

I guess it can't be helped that Warriors are so perfect. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Sheltron and Dark Mind are still pretty sick since they don't require ShO/Grit so you can say PLD/DRK can tank better in their offensive stance. Maybe.

Imagine if, as a PLD, I could Cover you with my mitigation tools for more Tankbusters, while staying in SwO since I'm not really taking damage apart from that, and allowing you to stay in Deliverance, since you won't take those big hits anymore.
Seriously, everybody wins there !