PLD or MRD?

[Zourin]

It's generally safe to say that PLD's reduce incoming damage significantly better than WAR's (which is why wars have a thick HP pool). Shield Oath, Rampart, Convalescence, Sentinel, and Hallowed Ground skills are all a part of the core paladin skillset, and I don't believe the WAR has nearly as many universally effective options (Foresight isn't effective against magic damage, for example)

Paladins have only one DOT AOE effect at their disposal by comparison, and alongside Flash, constitute a Paladins' entire array of area control abilities. Warriors will almost always excel in multitarget control over a paladin. They are *slightly* weaker when it comes to absolute threat control of single targets in that they have to borrow Provoke from Gladiators, but there's no real difference in effect for either class.


Short end:
Paladins excel in single, heavy-damage target tanking, particularly when magic damage is involved, but can struggle controlling large numbers of targets without being very up-to-date in gear
Marauders excel in multitarget control, hands down, no contest, and can survive just about any single high damage hit, but are generally not as efficient to be taking sustained dps from a single source for long. Being a 'second up'-flavored tank comes with better damage output in general.

In the end, they're close enough that it doesn't matter who's actually tanking. The rule of thumb for MT/OT still stands: the best equipped should step forward, although in an either/or situation, the paladin should probably be the one holding the Big Bad down.

[Bardo]

Back to the OP's question:

The two classes (PLD and WAR) are both in a good place right now.
Either can main tank or off-tank anything in the game.
The differences between them in certain situations in 4man content are extremely slight.

In 8 man content groups almost always prefer to take one of each because they compliment each other REALLY well.
So if you're leveling a tanking class specifically to help your FC raid, then the first thing you should do is find out what other tanks are available to them.

If they have more people playing PLD, then go WAR. Or Vice Versa.
Simple.

[OmegaSinX]

Warrior PROs:
-Better Enimity
-Slighty More DPS
- Stun Off GCD
-More Fun to Play
-20% DR every 25sec (Potentially; but doesnt always work that way due to fight mechanics )


Warrior CONs:
-Weaker Mitigation.
- Less ultility.
- No shield
- Higher Skill Cap

PLD PRO's
- Easy to pick up
- Stonger Mitigation
-More ultility ( AoE Blind, Silences, Can Stun Back to back, Cover, Stoneskin).
- Best Defensive Skill in Game. ( Hallow Ground)

Paladin CONs
-Boring to play for most people.
- AoE Threat/DPS isnt as good as WAR
- Lower DPS than Warrior while tanking.


I find I tend to be more successful at END Game Content with PLD, Less to worry about and somethings PLD have are just better. (Hallow Ground for Double Dreadnaught, Back to back Stuns for DreadKnights, Silences, and ofcourse a Shield ). Both are great, just saying from my experience.

Since your only doing this for your FC, I suggest PLD for thier need. If you want to have more fun while tanking, Roll WAR.