Paladin's - how good tanks are they in progression?

Never having played past velious, I wonder if the AA's and increased gear, if they will ever make them close to as an efficient tank as warriors for smallman's - I'm not thinking about raid targets here, but what a full group will be able to do.

Thanks for your feedback <3

Knights are better group tanks than warriors, due to better snap aggro. Warriors will always be the raid tank, due to better mitigation. All three can fill any of those roles just fine, but that's the min/max assignment.

A Paladin is the best group tank. Its just that they dont do much damage and they cant tank raid bosses.

Wrong, you just need gear, like warriors. Sure Sk will do more dmg if they burn much mana, but the gap is not huge.

I find it harder to collect agro on multiple targets on a Pally. No problem single target tanking though.

Maybe it's Agnarr's paladins, but I have absolutely never seen a paladin on any parse at any time. In fact, on most raid Luclin+ bosses (where they ramp) they are invulnerable anyways, aren't they?

Meanwhile, SK burst can be very competitive on select fights.

As far as grouping goes, paladins are excellent tanks and because they have rez they are often a preferred tank especially if you play off hours where there is no guarantee you'll get a steady diet of clerics. They hold excellent aggro and the utility heals are not trivial.

I actually prefer a Paladin tank to a SK tank in groups.

The ability to split pulls with calm and rez, to me, are way more beneficial than the slightly increased damage (due to spells) that an SK can bring to the table. They have great snap aggro and also, by casting healing spells, can do some pretty good ghetto AoE aggro.

As far as raids are concerned, Paladins aren't likely to make any parses, but given the right weapon, they can get pretty close from time to time. As a bonus, you will get just about any Pally-only loot that you want because no one ever mains them, whereas SKs are incredibly popular.

I remember the days of being on the top as far as dps goes with slay undead. Monks would be so pissed off crying about how our aa's are broken.

I have found playing a paladin more fun than a sk over my years as a knight. Sk's have some cool tools but nothing i wished a paladin could do. Only thing i wished we had is a large race choice, i think that is a huge advantage for sk's early on.

Against undead paladins are definitely great.

But now we're basically talking about what, SSRA mines and Undead trial of phase 1 Plane of Time? I'm not going to advise someone that pally's are good dps based on something like that.

But all day long I would take a pally in SSRA mines...

For me undead aa's was never a reason for playing the class. It was just a nice bonus to make us wanted on raids for something other than one of two class's that can wield the DA hammer.

Paladins and shadowknights evolve a lot during eras. Things like 2.0 and new spell lines make that classes power completely different on one expansion to the other.
Paladins will eventually be best raidgroup healers, on late eras (post-SoF).
Shadowknights get their first AoE taunt by OoW, and will get one every level increase expansion that doesn't share timer with the previous one, so gradually become AoE aggro kings.
Paladins have lots of single target stuns to use on different timers for considerable single target aggro, Shadowknights will get the Terror line that is single target aggro and instant cast, making them more viable for kitting.
Paladins got Divine Aura and Hammer Divine aura, so good for ramp tank early raid scene.
Shadowknights got Divine Aura but they don't get the hammer till SoD or SoF.
Paladins...
Shadowknights...
bla
bla
blalblalblalblal
blal bla
Conclusion: bla bla bla.

TLDR: Best group knight across all eras is Shadowknight. If you want to spend all your raids kitting roll a Shadowknight, you'll be asked to. If you want to heal roll a Paladin, you'll be asked to.

Just curious: Why do you think large races give the tank an advantage?

Instant cast means you can cast it on the run (duh). Not a huge deal but you don't even have to think about stopping for a half second to cast when you're pulling on an SK. Also, CoS and, later, the invis AA are also instant cast. You can do a lot with that.

I will have to disagree with this, having played all three in group tanking environments.

Shadowknights are the best group tank.

Flat agro spells, taps, and 2 lifetap procs basically make them require zero healing against slowed group level mobs. They also have a dps edge on pallies ... A decently geared SK makes group content trivial with a slower.Shadowknight utility is also more usefull. ill take snare over stun 99% of the time. Although I think Lay on Hands is better than harm touch.

Dont get me wrong I love paladins, the group heals and patches are nice, however in groups they arent as needed. They do just fine as group tanks, but calling them the best is false imo.

I've read your post 5 times and I still don't get why you quote me and what you are trying to say!
Yes, it's instant, I said that, and that's the reason why Shadowknight shine at kitting...
Oh, maybe your post was just a QFE.

Better situational awareness because they can see the field of battle better.

i.e. Flutie vs Brady

Str, stamina, slam, and with ogre's stun immunity. I made the statement coming from a fresh launch. Later in the game as you gear you will not see a advantage except for the frontal stun immunity ogres have.

Yes.

Ah, I see. I immediately shrink my ogre when I log in. /shrug

just to note in classic groups: pallys have real mana issues if they are casting stuns.