Terrified...

[Shining_Tiger_Excalibur]

Honestly since you're on Behemoth it would be a great idea to send MTQCapture (Mizzteq Aran on the server) a message or whisper for some solid advice on tanking. At low level you're going to have an absolute miserable time on Paladin (Gladiator) unless you empty your MP bar on Flashing with each pull. I slightly exaggerated the amount of flashing you need to do, but at least three per pull is a good idea. Low level isn't nice to the tanks in general but it's going to be the worst on Paladin since you don't get your real tank stance until 40. A mixture of strength and vitality accessories is best but you can play around with those depending on how much you trust the healer. Learn the general sense of the tank you choose from doing FATEs and learn it like the back of your hand doing dungeons. If your heart is set on tanking don't give up, don't let people rush you when you aren't comfortable, and don't let anyone's attitude hurt you. Other than healing, tanking is probably the hardest job in this game (despite what people say) and it takes a long time to get over tunnel vision.

The most important part is finding a person that will walk you through things and teach you the right way to tank. If it comes right down to it, make a pre-formed party of two tanks, a dps, and a healer and have that person literally show you what to do. This will honestly take months of doing all forms of content since the pacing differs greatly from level to level and dungeon to dungeon. If MTQCapture isn't available to help just ask her to refer you to a tank she trusts and you can go from there. There's a lot of misinformation when it concerns the tanks so keep that in mind.

[McVade]

My experience is that if I'm playing my White Mage effectively in leveling dungeons, DPsing and healing when necessary, and there's a Paladin in the group... yeah, I'm just gonna go ahead and be the tank as well. Paladins just don't have the tools to keep aggro and leveling instances (pre 36 or so) don't seem particularly punishing, so I can heal-tank just fine.

I'm still working my way through this game and have no end game experience... but from a leveling dungeon PoV, Paladins do need a bit of love, I think. Even the best played Paladins are lame compared to Warriors/Dark Knights in almost anything pre-50.

[fm_fenrir]

Paladins just don't have the tools to keep aggro

In early dungeons, Fight or Flight is your best friend. +30% damage gives you a pretty significant DPS advantage over your real DPS, and if you just Fast-Riot-Flash you'll never lose aggro.

Also, keep in mind that PLD in OT role uses Sword Oath, which still leaves them with Halone as their highest potency combo (before level 60) and it's their enmity combo. A SwO PLD who pops FOF on pull and goes to town is going to rip right off a Defiance or Grit tank unless the real MT is prepared to counter with Berserk or DAPS. I've done it by accident in trial roulette, and I haven't tanked MSQ roulette in ShO in weeks.