Return of Reckoning

Hello, fellow Warhammer players!
First of all, I would like to thank the developers for bringing this legend back to life. Words cannot describe how sad I was when the game was over so long ago. Nor can any languages known to me describe my joy when I learned that there is still a chance, a spark of life hidden somewhere in the interwebs, that can bring the joy of pummeling the greenskins (well, sorry) back into my heart.

Allow me to get closer to the topic. Throughout all my mmo-gaming experience (which, to my shame, amounts 10+ years) I have always been playing a tank. Rarely, a tanky support. Warhammer Online was no exception. I enjoyed being a group / raid leader both in PVE and PVP as a KotBS. I even had this old macros that would switch the shouts for me every now and then (oh, how great it is to recall such things of the past!). Also, during my mood swings, I would log for my Runepriest and heal during sieges in RvR. At some point, I also had a Warrior Priest and a Witch Hunter (heh, who didn't? I bet my battered shield, most people tried them at least once). My last two characters would be Ironbreaker and Swordmaster (is this how the elven tank was called?).

I loved tanking in this game. Both in PVE and PVP. With Ironbreaker being somewhat tougher (imo), Swordmaster doing (imo) a bit more damage, and KotBS having more group utility (imo), it was really hard for me to choose which one I liked more, but I would eventually stop at my old KotBS and level cap him RVR. After that I had to leave gaming due to personal life issues, and when I returned, Warhammer online was gone...

So as I see, in Reckoning Reborn, these classes still exist and tanking (afaik) is still a thing. Can anyone, please, recommend me the class for tanking for now? I know that Warhammer has changed, and so have the mechanics (not to mention that Reckoning Reborn may have added a few more features I am unaware of), so, being comfortable with all the tanking classes, I would ask for the opinions of forum members concerning the utility and usefulness of each of the classes. I am talking only about shield tanking and group utility (dps doesn't concern me much).

I would also be willing to join any guild that requires an experienced and devoted tank. Mind it, I am still leveling, so the process will take some time.

Thank you all in advance, and once again, I would like to express my happiness and joy from seeing this game raise its head once again!

every Arch Type tank class can tank effectively, the core mechanics around tanking havent changed really from live to RoR

just spec and build the class properly

Thanks for the answer!

That still leaves me with a choice with all the variants being farly equal. Is there any noticeable shortage of tanks? Or, perhaps, one tank class slightly less populated, yet required?

Main change for tanking classes you will notice. KotBs and Chosen no longer have to twist their auras. Now you can just have three of them active at any one time.

On order, we would love for you to be any kind of tank you find most enjoyable. We lack melee combatants at the higher levels.

KotBS is still a 6 man squad leader/supporter tank with a plethora of all-purpose CC.

Ironbreaker is great for supporting that one melee buddy you love with all your oaths. Can build for good damage as well. Has super punt.

Swordmaster is the more selfish tank (in terms of not a lot of group buffs, no negative connotation). They have more offensively oriented tactics, can do physical or spiritual damage, have AoE KB

Their is a shortage of GOOD tanks, tanks whom can switch guard on the fly, apply CC and debuffs to the correct targets etc.

Now to answer your second question....im not certain on this as i dont have acess to server stats but, while destro has a fairly even distribution of the 3 tank classes in feel that order has a much higher representation of KOTBS and IB's than swordmasters, this i feel is mainly due to the fact that kotbs and IB's are easily in the top 3 for tanks in the game and as such SM is not as "strong" or effective as them nor does the class provide boosts fro the apex mdps on order (the slayer) like kotbs and IB do

KoTBs stands next to his dps and has like 4-5 buttons to sometime press and is irreplaceable group utility. S&B only.

As others have said, IB has good buffs. With proper spec they can tank while 2H spec.

SM can effectively tank and do good damage in 2H spec by stacking parry. They're the least common Order tank, easily. Whispering Winds is an amazing group buff if you are playing with people that can make use of it, not recommended for pugging though.

KotBS it is then, thanks, people!
I'll try to alt and IB, but the memories of "OMG, REPEL THIS ZEALOT NAAAAAAAOOOO!!!" are just too strong to forget =)
Thank you all again! If you still have any advice or anything to add, please, feel free!

KoTBS is pretty much the king tank. Lots of block/parry, the absurd auras, the 20% crit chance tactics for your whole group, the triple enchant shatter

Always see 3-4 of them every scenario. gets pretty old

tank on order side are usually good in 1x so roll what you want, kobs in party is mandatory the second depend from the set up of the party.

Awesome! Thanks! You da best, people!