The Problem with Paladin

[tachi]

Changes needed after much more inspection and testing in AV/CC show that PLD needs more enmity skills, PLD needs a much higher block rate on shield, and PLD needs significantly higher defense. If PLD sits with almost 1k less HP then WAR this is ok with me but then PLD needs way more dmg mitigation then it gets now.

[Kyri]

(Posting as Kaetara Sagitta)

Everyone who thinks that we need to rethink Paladin needs to rethink their argument.

Every single class/job in this game is meant to have a purpose. Having a class or job that cannot perform any task to the level that any other class or job can will make the aforementioned class or job utterly worthless in solo or party play and anyone that aspires to play that class or job will be involved in exactly nothing in endgame or party content. What's the point of bringing a Paladin when a Warrior tanks better, a White Mage heals better, a Bard or White Mage buffs better, and Monk, Dragoon, and Warrior all deal heavier damage? Paladin is sub-par in almost every single aspect of party construction to be had, so why take one?

The concept of "support tank" itself doesn't make much sense. If you are supporting someone else that is holding hate on the enemy, then you are not tanking.. they are. If you are only meant to tank if the other person dies.. then that leaves you in a bit of a precarious position since you would most likely have exhausted all of your resources capable to support on them, and now the enemy is after you and you have nothing left to keep yourself alive. It doesn't suffice to bring someone into the party under the context of, "You are going to be a mediocre support healer, and you can tank for us if this other person dies."

This notion is further compounded by the complete lack of MP recovery resources that a Paladin has access to. So, they can support heal until they run out of MP and then they can't do anything else without their own support element.. but they can off-tank if the main tank dies? Does this make sense to anyone.. that a "support tank" should need their own support in order to be able to support someone else? Why not just bring in another pure support element like White Mage or Bard that can function independently to support the tank?

I don't see why people believe that the current Paladin job doesn't need support. To me it seems blatantly obvious that Paladin needs to be revised.

Granted, Square-Enix has already stated that they are going to be adjusting Paladin so the argument is pretty much moot anyway.. I just want to understand people's reasoning that Paladin is fine the way it is, because I just don't see it.