DK vs Pally Tanking

[crowdx]

Hi all,
so now that my team is half way through lvl 77 I am considering what my best option will be at 80 for a tank. Currently I am running 4 toons, 2 locks, hunter and a DK. My option for the 5th account is to move my current lvl 80 pally or my lvl 80 druid, both can be specced to tank or to heal. If I move the druid it would be druid as a healer and the DK tanking. If I move the pally it would leave me the option of DK, Druid or Pally Tanking.
I am also going to leveling some priests and shamans which are currently sitting at 70 but would like to check out some dungeons with the above combos.
Anyone got some insight? I am think pally would be best for AoE tanking and easy enough to hold aggro with the druid close behind, leaving the DK as the one which is hardest to maintain aggro? Is this correct?

[Ualaa]

A druid will be a much better healer then a paladin.
The pally does not have AoE heals or mobility while healing.
The druid has both of these.

A Paladin is the better tank, when you don't have a whole lot of gear.
As you gear them both up, either will be an effective tank.
The pally remains easier to macro for effective tanking at any gear level.
But with gear the DK will put out a lot more dps.
I'd vote for a pally tank over a deathknight tank regardless.
With the warlock(s) on the team already, you have the 13% spell power buff, either way.

The druid could be a good tank too, but because it is by far your best healer...
I wouldn't really consider it in the tanking position.

[Naysayer]

for the millionth time, paladin tank.

[Kicksome]

I'm running 4x shamans and a DK tank. The DK is great because he get's Death Grip - which is useful for rounding up mobs (less movement). But the best benefit is the 13% increase he gives my DPs with Ebon Plague. I used to roll with a pally tank for kings, and a moonkin for the 13% and mark. I replaced both of those with a DK and some drums. And I really hate being OOM on my pally tank - maybe they fixed it with the more recent patches, but my pally tank was always OOM.

[Coltimar]

If you go OOM on your pally tank you are either specced/buffed wrong or you way overgear the instance you are in. Paladin is simpler

[Crel]

for the millionth time, paladin tank.

when In rome.....

[yaki]

If you go OOM on your pally tank you are either specced/buffed wrong or you way overgear the instance you are in. Paladin is simpler

Easy to go OOM before you get Divine Plea.

[Ualaa]

Even with Divine Plea, and the 2-point talent which refreshes it on a melee hit, you can oom in heroics by chain pulling.

I've untalented the ability which slows opponents melee attack speed, and unglyphed Divine Plea because I do not wish the mob to deal 3% less damage to me. Moved this glyph to Spiritual Attunement, for the extra mana received on heals. And the slight increase in damage taken, is no big deal to heal through, but it is marginally more healing received, for more mana from being healed.

[Coltimar]

I have found the opposite to be true. When I pull larger groups in heroics I have more mana at the end of the fight. If I over pull, intentionally or otherwise, I generally finish the fight with 100% mana. I buff Sanctuary, SA is glyphed, I have talented Mana Spring Totem down and my warlock provides replenishment. The summation of these probably explain my experience with bountiful mana. I generally judge SoR on trash, or maybe Light.

[-silencer-]

I'm running 4x shamans and a DK tank. The DK is great because he get's Death Grip - which is useful for rounding up mobs (less movement). But the best benefit is the 13% increase he gives my DPs with Ebon Plague. I used to roll with a pally tank for kings, and a moonkin for the 13% and mark. I replaced both of those with a DK and some drums. And I really hate being OOM on my pally tank - maybe they fixed it with the more recent patches, but my pally tank was always OOM.

I used to have this problem, but it was hugely fixed by Divine Plea + prot talent to refresh it. Glyphed it even gives a 3% damage reduction too. Combined with the change to Blessing of Sanctuary, I have to really try to run OOM on my pally tank.

There are plenty of ways for a pally to maintain a mana pool and still have massive AoE threat. If you're going OOM in 3.2/3.3, you're doing something wrong:
Divine Plea
Blessing of Sanctuary
Spiritual Attunement
Seal of Wisdom
Judgement of Wisdom

First, BoS should always be on. Easy +2% total mana on block/parry/dodge. This is a HUGE change over the old "thorns" BoS.
Second, Divine Plea should always be on with Guarded by the Light talent. That'll give you 100% of a mana bar per minute.. or 10% total mana per 6 seconds. Again, HUGE, and the higher your INT (mana pool), the more beneficial this skill is.
Third, use Judgement of Wisdom over Judgement of Light. Judgement is a part of 96969 rotation, so get extra mana here. The holy damage of the judgement is the same, and the less healing received by Judgement of Light means more mana from player heals from Spiritual Attunement.

I don't have Spiritual Attunement glyphed and only talented 1/2. With BoS, DP, and JoW.. I still don't need more than 5% mana on heals from Spiritual Attunement to keep a full mana bar.