I find that a great thing about this game is that when you level one class to end game, it really gives you some incentive to level another after. Usually it’s because of cross class skills. In this case, as a Paladin, you have cross class skills from Marauder and Conjurer. A very important skill from Conjurer is Stoneskin, which you have to level the Conjurer to 34 to get. You’re now already more than half was done with your White Mage, so why not finish it and have a healer… you can see where I am going with this. As you level classes, there are skills you don’t really HAVE to have, but later in the game, you really actually do HAVE to have them. Healers really HAVE to have Swiftcast from Thaumaturge. Most DPS really need to have their cross class damage buffs.

As a new tank, be ready to lose agro against players who are level syncing or have an item level far above your own. Be mindful of your healer at all times and the strain that AOEs and heave hitscause them. After your healer, be mindful of your ranged DPS and where they are positioned as to not cause them to get hit with a cleave or that you don’t bring mobs too close to your ranged DPS, making them have to move, and thus lowering their DPS. Be careful of boss positioning for this same reason. Be aware that your Melee DPS have instant cast skills and can move out of things as well as move into position for proper skill useage, so do not make your positioning decisions based solely on what your melee DPS request. Study fights ahead of time so you know if certain mobs have linear or cone AOEs that extend for a great distance, and take caution to turn these mobs away from your healer(s). Be mindful of boss or mob mechanics, especially heavy hitting ones, and use your defensive cooldowns accordingly. Study fights ahead of time to be aware of boss skills that you can silence/stun/pacify. Take criticism for what it’s worth, a chance to learn alternative tactics to fights, and decide what is easier for everyone in the group, not just you.

Learn your skills, their limits, and how to bend them or alter them. For instance, Bloodbath, a cross class skill for Gladiators only heals for 25% of your damage done for 15 seconds. Hardly significant on a class that doesn’t put out a lot of DPS. However, pair it up with your Fight or Flight skill, and you boost damage and thus healing.

As for cross class skills, I prefer Stoneskin (CNJ 34), Bloodbath (MRD 8), Foresight (MRD 2), Fracture (MRD 6), and Mercy Stroke (MRD 26).