OK, I've played Berserker, Paladin, and Shadow Knight up to around lvl 30 each.

Shadow Knights are nice. Good DPS from the DOT's but a relatively low power pool(that or high cost spells). I have an ogre SK and I'm wondering exactly how much INT effects the power pool.

Paladins are relatively weak in comparison damage wise. Their heals are weak and practically useless. I have a Barbarian and the power pool is also kinda weak. Their saving grace is the ward line which doesn't necessarily compensate for their other deficiencies because a SK doesn't need a ward and neither does a berserker. I don't know how many times my SK has been victorious simply because of the lifetap procs. Pallies definitely seem more defensive, but...

Berserkers actually have good DPS and last longer than a SK or a PALLY. I can take out large numbers of mobs and still have plenty of power left. And this is hitting combat arts as soon as they pop up throughout the whole fight. I wouldn't even dream of taking on anything two lvls higher than me with a pally or SK, but I can do it without fear of death with a berserker.

What is it that crusaders do? I understand a guardian can hold aggro better because they are taunt machines(or so I hear). I simply don't see the point in either a SK or pally when you can be a Zerker... other than being a more viable melee option for the physically weaker races.

Post lvl 30 what do they bring to the table that balances them out with a zerker? What am I missing between lvl 1-30 that balances them out with a zerker?

Crusaders actually start with the highest initial pool of the fighters. Int and Str both contribute to your power pool..and a 25% bonus is applied for beeing a double Stat class.

SK's aggro control is pretty much top dog for multi mob encounters...and especially for multi-mob non-linked ones (though Zerkers are decent there as well with insolent gibe etc.). Their survivability in day to day adventuring is also higher than the other plate classes...Evac, FD, AA immunities/heal boosts, AOE knockdown/debuffs, DPS boosts/Effect immunities, proc heals, decent DPS etc..etc..etc.. make them pretty much third in line after the 2 brawler classes in this regard (kinda hard to top the brawlers FD abilities for survivability). With their 10 second immunity(AA choice), Despoil mitigation sypher, AA mitigation sypher, Augmented heals/lifetaps, AOE knockdown, 360 degree dammage shield/heal procs/hate increases etc...will see SKs walking out alive where the other 3 plate classes would not.

SKs also currently have the strongest snap aggro of the fighter classes. Some very nice debuffs and buffs (with nice AA buff/debuff choices/augmentations as well). They also have a very versatile nature....you can either spec/gear them for tanking, DPSing, or anywhere in the spectrum in-between. The thing a lot of SKs note is that the class really comes into it's own a bit late. A few of the spells/AAs/abilities that really make em shine come at longer intervals, and higher levels (such as the AOE lifetap/dammage as an example at lvl 55).

With my SK though, I never felt underpowered on the way up. With the right spell upgrades and gear, there is no reason you shouldn't be at least taking out mobs 2 to 3 levels above you 1up arrow...and even up to some heroic 3up arrows even con to 2 levels above (if all primo abilities are up), once you reach the higher echelons gear/AA/spell quality wise.

I've never died from a fight as zerker, unless I was fighting some yellow plus^^^ named for kicks. Fell off a cliff in Greater Faydark, though :) I have no problem beating things 2 lvls higher with app1. Armor is top of the line, but I've never needed any ability above app1. Maybe in higher lvls I'll get better taunts if need be, but haven't needed them at this point. Maybe SK's and pallies needs all adept skills to be useful. But I doubt that because I could hold aggro just fine with my SK and his app1 abilities.

If SK's have more HP I can't tell. My SK dies alot faster than my zerk.

On another note, it kinda pissed me off how my SK got jipped out of 30 lvls of AA points since I had no expansion when I was playing him. That really gets under my skin :)