Terrified...

[Lastelli]

I understand how you feel. I am a main healer too and when I decided to start tanking I was a little worried as well.
Chill out. Tanking isn't any harder than healing, it's just very different and requires some time to get used to, but after a few dungeons you'll be fine. Also, imho there's no optimal tank to start with. More important than choosing the "right" job (but you should think of DRK as an advanced tank, it's the most difficult one to use properly so learn how to tank with PLD or WAR before trying DRK), you should always remember a few principles: a) always remember to update your gear; b) examine the other party members (the healer in particular) at the start of a duty so you can adjust your pace accordingly c) look at the enemy list once every 3 seconds to be sure your keeping aggro (no need for this when you get good enough) and d) don't trust your dps party members, you would think that if you pull a large pack of mobs all dps will be doing their aoe rotation but no, there's always that one dps that will just keep using the single target rotation even with 10 mobs around him, so always target the same target of the dps members (ofc a good dps will attack your target from the start, but there are a lot of bad ones).

[Syzygian]

more stuff

Just to cite one example of many from your posts, saying drk has mp issues is like saying blm has mp issues. All of your posts are basically trashing the job to the tune of it being a magic focused version of pld when it has nowhere near as many problems, and anyone who plays the job properly can tell you its abilities actually synergize quite well.

[fm_fenrir]

magic focused version of pld

This is pretty much what I tell people when they ask about DRK. DRK is what PLD should be tuned to look like when SE comes around for a balance pass on PLD.

Anyway, the very specific reason I didn't mention Savage content in my post way back on page 1 is because OP has never tanked before. PLD is perfectly fine at everything outside of cutting edge DPS check hell--er, I mean, Alex Savage. It's true that you'll sweat a little in Cutter's Cry because DPS are getting strong abilities in that range, while you're still using Sword Oath, but it's not as bad as people make it seem.

[Syzygian]

OP should play whatever they enjoy. Regardless of content the people that enjoy their job are typically more motivated to play said job correctly and/or to the best of their ability.

It's true that you'll sweat a little in Cutter's Cry because DPS are getting strong abilities in that range, while you're still using Sword Oath, but it's not as bad as people make it seem.

Very true, and its even easier if you rotate targets and use Fast Blade - Riot Blade - Flash - Repeat, which RiisWolf specifically advises against in an earlier post. Before getting Shield Oath this is the best way to hold AoE hate and allow your DPS to go ham and multidot, AoE, etc. instead of forcing say, a SMN, BLM, BRD, or DRG, all of which have some decent AoE at that point, to focus on one target. You won't be doing great DPS but your actual DPS will more than make up for it.

[Esp]

OP should play whatever they enjoy. Regardless of content the people that enjoy their job are typically more motivated to play said job correctly and/or to the best of their ability.

I agree with this 100%. Pick what you like. Regardless of whatever tanking role you choose, you are going to need Provoke at some point, so my own personal advice is why not start out at least with PLD, then once you have that ability, try ALL of the other tanks and see which one you would like best?

Each tanking role is different than the others, so I say once you have reached the final ability you can cross-class, switch out to another tank and try them out. xD

Worry about the Pros and Cons of each tanking class later on once you have gotten the hang of positioning, it's ability toolkits, and holding aggro. Also, ask around your FC, LS or even a few guides here on the forums for any advice you might need. Plus, don't let the DF baddies get to you, just do the best you can to the best of your ability, no one can ask for any more than that xD.

Good luck with whatever you choose, and for the most important part people forget now a days....

HAVE FUN!!

[FoxyAreku]

Warrior is ridiculously easy. All I did when I was leveling warrior to 50 was mash overpower with an occassional foresight whenever it was off cooldown.

[Freyyy]

Warrior is ridiculously easy. All I did when I was leveling warrior to 50 was mash overpower with an occassional foresight whenever it was off cooldown.

Yeah playing like garbage is ridiculously easy. I agree.

[Magistrella]

snip

All i read is: bla bla bla

bad tank is bad, no matter what class he is - and even as pld you wont loose aggro against anyone else then another tank if you use your brain

Stop being a pretentious "OMG WHY PLD" person - WAR/DRK players have to pay way more attention to what they are doing and are more complicated then a pld for a beginner

Jesus

@OP - Pick w/e you like, don't listen to the "Aggro sucks on PLD" (because i did and am just doing fine in every content) - but as i said, easiest to learn tanking is pld because its basically 1 2 3 (throw in some cd if you like) on bosses - and "4 4 4 (read: Flash)" on AoE pulls + mana fillup after - and yes, that was lvl 50 content for paladin for a long time :P

[Hayward]

Rule #1: Ignore the bandwagon crowd who spout bullet points from elitist forums. None of that means anything either at level 1/30, level 50, or level 60.

Rule #2: Research each class/job if you wish to get an idea of how each tank operates.

Rule #3: Try leveling Armorer & Blacksmith if you haven't already to cut down on the expense of armor/weapons.

[FoxyAreku]

Yeah playing like garbage is ridiculously easy. I agree.

Your post is irrelevant, the only point was that Warrior is stupidly easy at low level for someone who is new to tanking, as using overpower more than ensures you out-aggro everything, since it's OP pre level 30.

Instead of making a one-liner comment that makes everyone question your intelligence, why don't you contribute something else helpful to the topic?