Well said op.

Mrd/war has always been the beat things to pulp type of tank. Its pretty simplistic straight forward and an Axe to the face is always the best contingency plan.

Gld/pld has always idealistically been the damage mitigation tank. The hitch in the giddyup as you so perceptively stated is that the game current does not allow for that. When you are fighting mobs where having a tank is a necessity the level difference math mumbojumbo strips away any edge that there "higher defense" is supposed to give them.

I can categorically say there is currently no situation where I would say, hey we might want to have a pld in the party. They take the same amount of damage as a war. Have less emnity generation at there disposal and are not as self sufficient. And further more in a game where 1 dmg = 1 point of hate they will always be playing catchup. Even more so now that the other close range dd classes are getting powered up.

Pld/gld does not need another band aid at this point, it needs a total retrofit.