View source for Consolidated Binder Handbook (3.5e Guide)/Low Levels

=====Tank: 3 options:=====
Savnok grants you normal full-plate and DR 1/ piercing, which is pretty darn good.  Go ahead and equip any shield you can afford, if you do this (except tower): shields are like auto-combat expertise, w/o proficiency, as they give +X to AC for –X to hit.  You easily could have 21 AC and DR 1/piercing during your first dungeoneering experience (heavy shield, 12+ dex, savnok’s armor).

Aym grants medium armor prof and some other nice abilities.  I recommend him after you can afford Breastplate, if you still anticipate the tank role being used a lot, as the only other Savnok ability isn’t useful yet.  Sundering items at this level is great, if you fight lots of weak humanoids, and at double damage you are bound to do it, as well.  The touch fire damage is nice, if you want to be ultra tank (equip a masterwork heavy shield, and touch attacks aren’t so bad, even with non-proficiency).  The aura of flame helps out pretty well at this level.  Aym’s fire aura start to lose power after about 3rd level, which is convenient b/c there’s better options then.

Haagenti allows you to use a Tower Shield, and between that and a chain shirt and a mildly decent Dex you’ll have the same AC as a Savnok user.  Confusing Touch isn’t really powerful enough to justify using, until 3rd or so, but then really helps with crowd control.  You equip yourself with a few Throwing Axes and a Battleaxe, and work the crowd while speaking Giant.  IMO, Aym is still better than Haagenti, though, unless you find a +1 Tower Shield or something like that.