first character tank - should I even bother?

[skipdog]

Make the race/class combination you want to, and don't worry about not having gear or the xp penalty.

You don't need to be able to solo. Find groups. There are plenty of people around and nobody will reject you for not being twinked. Just spend your money on the most important gear of the moment(bronze/banded armor and a weapon) and go from there.

Don't convince yourself that you must be twinked to get into groups. Tanks are very in-demand and 90% of the time, is the class a newly formed group needs to get started.

And no, warriors aren't horribly gimped like you seem to imply. It is only when idiots forget that a warrior is tanking that aggro problems occur. Also, they don't "grind slower than molasses" .... you are going to be grouped anyways. Don't plan on being able to solo.