It's not just the WAR that needs tweaking

[LunarRei]

To start off, no, I am not 50, obviously. This is an examination of PLD abilities and an argument for completely changing 3/5 of them and I don't think you need to be 50 to look at them logically. The PLD has some of the most lackluster job abilities in the game and it should change.

So think of this as a rallying cry for PLD's. I wouldn't want just the WAR's getting all the attention.

Sword Oath: Damn near if not the worst abilitiy in the game (second to Awareness, because we stack fail), it is given to us as our introduction to life as a PLD. I'm not sure why this ability even exists, let alone as our job defining ability. Basically an extra auto-attack for about 75% normal aa damage.

The BLM gets a bit of a shaft for their intro ability, but at least it is useful for their entire job lifespan.

Verdict: Replace with Shield Oath. As the class defining ability, this should come up first. Is it odd that it does a flat damage reduction though? I mean, shields don't even add to your defense. Maybe it should up parry/block rating by 300% or something. If there is a block cap, this should help get us there. But then it becomes unreliable. Oh my. Maybe add Block/Parry rating to defense as well? Just throwing stuff at the wall.

Perhaps waiting a few more levels before equipping the soul is a good idea so we don't lose good things like Second Wind. But the wait will be longer than expected because up next is...

Cover: As a true PLD ability, there are none that surpass it. It was the first thing Cecil learned while confronting himself.

As a game ability, I'm not even sure when this should be used. Every scenario that I can think of this being useful is the result of some sort of failure and even then I'd be reluctant to waste a GCD using this rather than trying piece a broken situation back together. This is not the first step toward that goal.

If there were ever a time when game mechanics require that I take the hit for someone standing next to me, or that I have to run to get to, then the WAR's will have even more to cry about. This is the chief micromanagement abilities for PuG members incapable of getting the hell out of the way.

Verdict: Remove it. As lore defining as the ability is, there are no situations where this should be the go to. At some point, somebody messed up or got an add or whatever, but there are better things to do with my GCD. Maybe auto-Cover that lasts for a minute or something instead? I dunno.

So hold onto that soul a little longer, ok?

Shield Oath: The job defining ability that should have been obtained at level 30. This is the reason GLA's have a job. To protect and serve.

This alone is what make WHM swoon and WAR's rage. Congratulation, you have a job.

Verdict: Moved to level 30. Maybe a spell that can damage and draw in all enemies? Holy is taken, but it should have something to do with our [pretend] holiness. There are times when stuff is going wild with adds and people are all over the place and this would allow the PLD to calm the situation down a little by pulling everything to himself. This also goes along with protecting his allies and whatnot.

Spirits Within: Ok, I can see a time and place for this, but does it really belong to a PLD? So, yes, it has it's place in a battle and is a boon to our [parties] MDef, but what about it says PLD?

The lack of enmity generation and large CD mean that it is standby when a magic user is immune to stun, I guess. Besides, don't we have enough CD's? Just because this one does damage, does that really make it any better?

Verdict: Remove. How about a passive that raises our MDef the more times we block. This would flow with the modified Shield Oath and that is always fun. Or throw that effect on a CD. Whatevs.

Speaking of CD's...

Hallowed Ground: Another "oh Shiitake!" button to join our entire bar of "oh Shiitake!" buttons. The ambiguity around the description has me nervous, but should make me immune long enough to pull a party through a rough spot. Isn't it boring though?

And I think that is what I'm getting at. The job is boring. There is no flow to it, though the abilities seem like they belong lore wise (CNJ's redundant and useless cross skills aside).

Verdict: Alter. Modified version: Judgement. You take cover behind your shield for 5 seconds becoming immune to all damage, but are immobile and cannot use other skills. After the 5 seconds has passed you lash out and deal Holy damage to all targets in the amount you absorbed.

What to do? I have no idea! [Edit: inserted some poor ones] The wisdom is in the masses, not in me. Some have talked about bringing Holy Succor (is that what it was called?) back. Meh.

I think I'm just jelly when I look at other jobs and there is excitement and flare. If not for the perceived holes, the WAR looks like a really fun job to use. There is purpose and a flow to each ability and it works perfectly with its core class. (Maybe I should stop now... the GLA isn't exactly the lifestyle I would expect PLD to recruit from, nor would I have ever suspected they would be protecting anyone but themselves. I think they need more leather straps and nets.)

Maybe the class was modified to this 2.0 version as a benchmark for balance. It is a very dumbed down class with little flow that does just what it is supposed to do and nothing more.

But I want something more.

I want to look forward to equipping this soul right away, not getting bummed that I have to wait 10 more levels for my job to be good while all my buddies are out Jumping and Singing and Tinkerbelling and whatnot.

Let's tell SE that we are not the benchmarks for content creation but rather the foundation that our friends and allies stand on. They want more tanks? Make the WAR's viable (popular opinion, not mine) and make the PLD's fun!

Edit: Looks ugly, needs formatting, too tired to care right now. Sorry!
Edit 2: Added some suggestions and "verdicts" so you can tell where I stand on each. Doing this caused inconsistencies on the whole so needs be modified. Still ugly to look at.

[Ruminate]

Do you see that thread with the WAR DPSing Garuda? A smart PLD can do even more damage than that WAR due to a combination of Sword Oath, Circle of Scorn, and Spirits Within(a 250/300 potency attack on a 25/30s cooldown, off the GCD. Even just one of them is better than the BRD's vaunted Bloodletter[150 potency, 15s cooldown] due to swords having higher base damage than bows).

And if the main tank is about to die, they can Cover the tank and pop their mitigation cooldowns to save the raid.

[LunarRei]

Do you see that thread with the WAR DPSing Garuda? A smart PLD can do even more damage than that WAR due to a combination of Sword Oath, Circle of Scorn, and Spirits Within(a 250/300 potency attack on a 25/30s cooldown, off the GCD. Even just one of them is better than the BRD's vaunted Bloodletter[150 potency, 15s cooldown] due to swords having higher base damage than bows).

So the ability exists so I can secondary tank? The very first thing I get as a PLD is better secondary tanking ability. And you support that?

Also, I don't see how Sword Oath fits into your equation since it does not have any effect on the abilities you described. It only increases auto attack damage by about 75% which is not something I think any class should waste 1 of 5 job abilities on. And how again does an aoe w/ dot, higher auto attack damage and a 30 second 300 potency attack make one a decent dps machine? That isn't good burst and can't be considered sustained since your core ability there is on a 30 second CD.

I don't get the point.

And if the main tank is about to die, they can Cover the tank and pop their mitigation cooldowns to save the raid.

So, now we have 2 job abilities for off-tank/secondary tanking? Though that situation seems plausible, it also takes a crystal ball to read. Communication in raid environments is necessary, sure, but that is pretty extreme.

"Hey guys, in about 2 seconds, I won't be able to keep him alive, can the dedicated off tank job cover for him while I do something else? I hope your aren't stuck in GCD or long animation. Oh, and your time is up, I talk slow. Can a summoner go ahead and battle raise him please. Thanks."

[Yunnie]

I currently like all of the abilities that paladin gets, and in the order that we get them. The only thing I would like changed is the ability to pop our Shield Stun outside of global cooldown like "Spirits Within" but with a penalty that stops usage of global cooldowns for X amount of seconds (similar to the penalty "Berserk" generates for marauders).

[LunarRei]

I currently like all of the abilities that paladin gets, and in the order that we get them. The only thing I would like changed is the ability to pop our Shield Stun outside of global cooldown like "Spirits Within" but with a penalty that stops usage of global cooldowns for X amount of seconds (similar to the penalty "Berserk" generates for marauders).

I can get on board with that. There are a few GLA adjustments that would make life better. Having Shield Swipe off GCD as well is one of them.

[TheWitcher]

Sword oath is crap and should increase our ability damage by 50 potency not our auto attack

And paladins should get shield oath first because they are tank not a subpar DPS

replace cover with a heal, paladins are suppose to heal they are not Prot Warriors from WoW

[Ruminate]

The devs balanced raids by having 2 tanks. If you don't have the tools to be a secondary tank, then you might as well replace them with a DPS. The tools I listed prevent that.

A PLD's core ability is not on a 30s cooldown, or any cooldown for that matter. A PLD's core abilities are Fast Blade, Savage Blade, and Rage of Halone. If you can't fathom how this makes PLDs a decent DPS machine, then you clearly haven't compared the potency on these skills with the skills the DPS have to work with. Sword Oath, Circle of Scorn, and Spirits Within are akin to the buffs and abilities off GCD that DPS have available.

And what do you mean "it takes a crystal ball to read"? Cover is another "oh shit" button. Are you seriously suggesting that "oh shit" buttons are too hard to use?

[LunarRei]

A PLD's core ability is not on a 30s cooldown, or any cooldown for that matter. A PLD's core abilities are Fast Blade, Savage Blade, and Rage of Halone. If you can't fathom how this makes PLDs a decent DPS machine, then you clearly haven't compared the potency on these skills with the skills the DPS have to work with. Sword Oath, Circle of Scorn, and Spirits Within are akin to the buffs and abilities off GCD that DPS have available.

I will assume that you did not fail at reading comprehension and simply forgot what you had said. Let me help you out:

A smart PLD can do even more damage than that WAR due to a combination of Sword Oath, Circle of Scorn, and Spirits Within(a 250/300 potency attack on a 25/30s cooldown, off the GCD. Even just one of them is better than the BRD's vaunted Bloodletter[150 potency, 15s cooldown] due to swords having higher base damage than bows).

Now try reading what I said again. You list three abilities and I point out that the core ability in that group was Spirits Within. Also, you compare these to a ranged classes level 12 ability as if it were supposed to be on par? I think you are making my point for me.

Yes, you correctly listed the PLD's core enmity generating abilities. They are good, but not great damage. Potency is not the end all and if you think that activating Sword Oath suddenly makes us a viable DPS class then our discussion ends now. No point in going any further with you.

And what do you mean "it takes a crystal ball to read"? Cover is another "oh shit" button. Are you seriously suggesting that "oh shit" buttons are too hard to use?

Using a CD on yourself is easy enough to do, you know you have high incoming damage or you want to spare the healer some MP or give them time, whatever. That is a part of life as a tank. What makes Cover so worthless, in my opinion, is how narrow the use cases are. You listed one and it can happen. But why are you the only thinking "Oh shit"? Does not the other tank have an option, or the healer? Suddenly, you swoop in like a savior and completely waste somebody else's CD and shift the healers focus to you.

So, no, it isn't a normal "Oh shit" button. It is a button that needs communication and if it needs communication, then it isn't reactive. Beyond that very narrow chance to use it, when else would you rather use that than something else, like Provoke or Flash? You could Cover a healer who just took group agro, I guess. But then Cover is the bad tank button. It just feels annoying.

I'm sorry you disagree. I don't think 2 or 3 of our 5 job abilities should be for secondary tanking. In practice, we only have 4 since 2 of them are stances. The WAR has no option for DPS or secondary tanking, so I'm not sure why you think it is ok for PLD's. There might even be an argument that the GLA is a better secondary tank than a PLD since they would have many more options for the whole of the fight. That would take some looking into, though.

[Syncness]

Your opinion of these skills will change at 50, even more with gear.

[MBTL90]

Sword Oath: While it is odd that we get it before shield oath, I had no problems tanking from 30-40. It is our "dps" stance, nothing more, and if you crunch the numbers, paladins actually do similar dps to wars with it up. I don't understand the hate for this - if you are tanking, don't use it.

Cover: Whats wrong with having a narrow cooldown? We already have plenty of mitigation cd's, cover is just icing on the cake. If you can't find times to use cover, then you aren't trying hard enough.