Which would you prefer?
 

Im rolling an new character and have decided paladin but while making it i kinda get the feeling I should make a warrior instead for the ram melee. What do you all think..

Depends on what you wanna do long term. Warriors are super needed in velious fyi.
For main tank raiding in Velious- Go Warrior
For just grouping content, and maybe small raids main tank(fear/hate/sky)- Pally.

Note Pally hybrid xp goes away in like 3 months.

Will say for Velious pallies are still nice for high end raids. To take Rampage/DT. So you are still useful, plus have LoH/Res, minor buffs, some heals. Your still useful, Just generally won't be a main tank. Pallys/SK are fantastic at gaining agro on mez'd mobs to save an enchanters life fyi.

You'll receive more respect playing a warrior.

You'll be asked for Divine Strength playing a paladin.

Still need knight tanks (Pal and SK) to tank trash mobs on the way to the bosses if you want to kill fast. Warrior aggro is still garbo for quick kills.

Warriors will be tanking the big bads almost always, but the Knights will still be important. They'll be tanking a lot more mobs than people would have you believe in raids. Anyone who says otherwise hasn't actually raided Velious.

Also knight tanks can tank almost every single Kunark boss just fine minus VS and certain mobs in VP. Pallies can probably tank VS in theory with Sanctification disc. once Velious comes out fine too. Kunark bosses are still important even in Velious.

*EDIT*

It's all about how you want to play. Honestly, if you want to raid -- make both.... and a cleric.. and a wizard.. and a rogue. Raiding on P99 is all about multiple characters.

If you want to just chill and group -- play what you want.

Paladin for solo, for groups. Warriors are inferior in both.

Warrior if, and it's a big if, you are main tank in raid.

With that being said, play whatever sounds fun. I've played both and group with both and had fun.

What is your experience with the game and what kind of experience are you looking for?

my $.02

Paladin
- effective and fun in XP groups. Waiting for procs is lame
- limited usefulness on most raids, but not useless
- hybrid penalty (gone soon)
- Pally/knight-only loot often goes cheap
- SoulFires! Bonus points for corpsing multiples :)

Warrior
- the only raid tank. Others can tank in a pinch, but WAR is best by far
- one of the three core classes needed for top tier Velious raiding
- overall an expensive class to raid gear (not monk expensive, but ya)
- can do mad dps, especially with Precision disc
- more interesting loot/gear options (esp certain weapon procs)

Wait, isn'tt hybrid penalty gone on velious launch?

January Velious hybrid penalty gets removed.

Im relatively new to eq highest level is 34 and haven't seen much of the game.. but I'm starting a static group of 6. The goal is 1-60 together.. and ill be the tank of the group.