Terrified...

[AriaEnia]

Probably PLD hate post.

[Magistrella]

wtg to derail this to another "what tank has the weakest dps and doesnt help in 2% of the content" thread - jeez

@OP: If you want to learn tanking go with PLD - you only have 2 combos, one for enimity one for refilling MP and the cds you get are all defensive except one. You can't really go wrong there, managing aggro isnt hard either just remember to keep your gear up to date, especially your weapon. It will make your life easier

Jump in and try it out - just read the skills you get beforehand and youll be fine - healing is way more complicated then tanking as pld >.>;

[Nutz]

You'll need GLD leveled at least a bit no matter which tank you decide on, so perhaps start there. I personally found WAR to be more fun and easier to hold aggro, at least at lower levels when they're very nearly the same class except MRD has overpower (which is great, especially when learning before 30 when you can also have invigorate). I haven't played DRK, though I imagine it's a bit closer to WAR play style than PLD.

[BunnyChain]

PLD is a lot simpler to learn but harder to maintain enmity on.
WAR requires a bit more maintaining buff / debuffs but rewards you with easier time holding enmity, imo.
Have yet to try DRK.

Don't be terrified to jump into dungeons, you don't have to play leader or any of that non-sense, you're just a part of a team. You run in overpower/flash, use buffs and keep the enemy hitting you, dodge stuff, you don't lead, you don't need to watch over people and tell them what the best course of action is. The job requires a bit more initiative though.
Assuming you'll take care of familiarizing yourself with your abilities if you're already asking questions on the forum here, you'll do fine.

[Firepower]

Level gladiator and marauder to 30, pick whichever one you feel most comfortable with at that point. At low level stages they are almost identical. Out of the 3 I would say DRK is a little more complex especially for a first timer.

It really is just as simple as:

PLD - shield lob to pull > flash for aoe enmity generation > standard combo for single target (Fast blade > Savage blade > Rage of Halone (Lv26))
WAR - tomahawk to pull > overpower for aoe enmity generation > standard combo for single target (Heavy swing > Skull sunder > Butchers block (Lv30))

The only differences is flash is a small AoE from your character and overpower is frontal cone. your secondary combo for PLD is Riot blade for MP to use flash again if you run out of MP. WAR has Maim for a straight buff to damage dealt.

From 1-15 you are generally solo anyway and can get used to ALL those above abilities before even setting foot in a dungeon so once you familiarise yourself it is easy.

From 30 onwards it really is personal preference but WAR does get the additional cushion of Defiance at 30 which gives you a much easier time holding enmity and a larger HP pool. At 40 However PLD gets Shield oath which slightly balances it.

[Claire_Pendragon]

Honestly, the easiest to play at the start, is DRK.
Throw up Grit, ignore Dark Side, and you'll tank as effectively as a PLD. (and better)

Once you're comfortable, throw up Dark Side, and Dark Arts, and you'll start to see a bit more difficulty than PLD in perfecting your class (though threat is still the easiest of the 3)

If you dont have access to DRK, WAR is slightly harder than DRK to start, and harder to master, but in most cases, better than PLD. (Only time I like PLD more, is when PLD has its 3rd combo skill at 26, and WAR has to wait till Lv30, but after that, WAR is back to being easier)
I STRONGLY suggest you get flash for your WAR, in case you run out of TP (which happens easily, if ur weapon isnt up to date.)

[RiisWolf]

@OP: If you want to learn tanking go with PLD - you only have 2 combos, one for enimity one for refilling MP and the cds you get are all defensive except one. You can't really go wrong there. . .

A lot can go wrong actually.
1) the tank gets silly ideas and use riot blade combo only. For DPS.
2) The tank is not confident in MP management to the point that they are quick to use riot blade to stay above 85% when they never get below 90% long before the fight is even over (or at the start of the fight)
3) The tank gets silly ideas and instead of using flash multiple times, loses agro on the main target and more because he kept switching targets to strike them individually.
4) Follows the "flash twice" trend like a robot; fails to understand more has to be done, especially when a (competent) summoner is there and/or when nobody is marking.
5) Fails to understand that switching targets constantly confuses DPS.
6) Fails to understand provoke is not safe to pull with because it does nothing more than facepull. Shield lob to get a better hold on things.
7) I've seen one newbie go through the manor at level 29 not knowing she had Rage of Halone, and nobody(cept me) bothered to try to get her to do it right.
8) Summoners always AoE
9) Fast forward to 50, and look at that they don't know to use flash AND circle of scorn together.
10) Then watch as their only claim to fame never be used, ever.
11) Fails to understand power is needed. Not for DPS, but for threat. Otherwise, someone else is going to be the tank.
12) Fails to understand just how much of the staying alive part is the healer. Especially when a black mage (or someone else) is the tank.
13) Takes things for granted only to be killed by the Ascian right at triple. Fails to learn from his mistake and gets creamed again for the same reason. Everytime I've been there, the paladin dies because of this.
14) Takes things for granted.
15) Rather than Shield lobbing, they will instead run in to finish a combo. Resulting in a messy pull.
16) Takes things for granted, never really understanding the DPS's part in this. Good DPS, unfortunately make your threat an issue. Incompetent DPS, makes your long and easy. If you are underpowered, then both ways end with a slower run, because the Bad DPS are slow and the Good DPS gets mauled.
17) Fails to understand how Provoke works. You don't just use it and think it's the end of that.
18) Remember when some silly fools con'd some poor PLDs into thinking riot blade is a DPS combo and use for more damage? Fast forward to 60, and look at that, they're using RA instead of halone and they wonder why the DRG is tanking the tank's target.
19) Cross Class mayhem
20) You have the lowest threat multipliers of all tanks. Not because you deal weak damage. Get that silly thought out your head. All other tanks have better threat multipliers than you.
21) NOW think about how much stronger they are to you.
22) Inept at AoE damage before 50. After 50, you move up to practically inept at AoE damage.
23) Sword Oath. Look at everyone else.

That's not all. But I'm done writing this list. Also Sword Oath.
It's not to say a lot of warriors and dark knight don't do a lot of the same things.

[RiisWolf]

You'll need GLD leveled at least a bit no matter which tank you decide on, so perhaps start there. I personally found WAR to be more fun and easier to hold aggro, at least at lower levels when they're very nearly the same class except MRD has overpower (which is great, especially when learning before 30 when you can also have invigorate). I haven't played DRK, though I imagine it's a bit closer to WAR play style than PLD.

DRK is basically the opposite to PLD. Uses MP to damage. Can use both stances at the same time. Grit is exactly like Shield Oath. Unleash is just like Flash, only that it hurts and can crit. PLD&DRK has more oGCD attacks than WAR's 1 oGCD. Can blind foes. Relies on CDs too much. Defensive CDs are similar and some are just like paladins. They also have a combo attack that's just like Riot Blade. Has a Halone style debuff that debuffs INT by 10% and nothing else, it is absolutely useless if a monk is there. Has no buffer. Is a sustaining damage dealer like paladin. Relies on RNG for a damage debuffer to proc. Is anti-magic instead of physical like paladins.

To a warrior. DRK's lifesteal combo is 100% but does not reduce damage. A certain skill is restricted because of tank stance. Cannot AoE tank like Warriors because all of their AoEs are magic. Has a disjointed set of defensive CDs that can sabotage yourself if used in the wrong combination. Has a oGCD stun. Threat combo only does threat and is your strongest combo, normally. Has no berserk. Has no special resource like Warrior's Wrath. Regens TP by using GCD MP spells cause they cost no TP, just like warrior's wrath skills like steel cyclone. Has no active mitigation. Has absolutely no HP buffer. Is sustaining type damage dealer, where as warrior is a burst type damage dealer. Cannot support others in any other way than killing things faster. Darkside is required for your best skills, but the stance cuts off MP regen from outside sources.

Is more mobile than both. Relies on getting hit thanks to on vital CD that regens MP every time you take damage. Can attack the fastest. Has serious MP issues. Without MP you are shut down.
Do NOT play them like a warrior.

[PogueX]

playing a tank can be nerve wrecking, the first time i did really bad in a dungeon i didn't pick up tank till 3 months after. But really if you get down to brass tax it's simple cause all you are expected to do is absorb damage and take the main baddie whether that be dungeons or trials, especially in trials your job is easy cause you just focus on the primal and maybe switch with the other tank from time to time, i always thought DPS was harder to play cause more is expected to them such as in Ravana when they have to burn down the butterflies. I would say PLD is the easiest to learn, basically pull a mob, flash, flash again and then go through your combos, DRK is also easy Unleash, unleash, combos but you need to be able to manage MP. WAR...a little more complex

[Alisi]

8) Summoners always AoE

LIES! ALL LIES! What is this AOE you speak of? I know not what you talk about. /cough