While I don't have a full spread sheet for the idea, I've tossed the thought of Blue Mage as a tank to a couple of friends and it's started to grow on me. While there's plenty of people pushing for DRK or SAM to be the next tank, I don't feel they could truly add anymore than what Warrior does. Both would be two handed tanks relying off HP and parry for mitigation, just different flavor of attack.

Blue Mage however has a history of needed to get its tail kicked before getting powerful. This could add for a more dynamic, and even forgiving way of tanking while changing up the formula of heavily armored badass.

While they could easily get monster abilities through quest, they could recieve one that allows them to absorb the next named attack, and redirect it within x amout potency. Instead of armor, they wear leathers and build up a pool of damage resist ala Guardian Druid or Blood DK.

Not to mention, a tank that uses Detonate as an AOE would just have a level of fun beyond cleaving. A shield that reduces damage received, while building a pool that once capped unleashes a wave of attack like the cannon boss in SV HM, or a oh **** button that makes an area beneath you that rapidly increases healing while damaging foes like the Brayflox dragon.

I dunno, I'm sure there's plenty of reasons why this type of tank wouldn't work well, I've only got a few years of MMO exp under my belt, I just wanted to get that out and see what others thought of it.

That and I'd love to see DRK as a dps using both HP and TP as a resource =].