For PvE. It's hands down the best mix of offense/defense for killing mobs.

Dying to players does not take away experience, so I wasn't factoring in PK survivability. However, the trick to all PK survivability if your goal is to hero quickly is to flee immediately. Flee and quaff a return or teleport potion. Bonus for teleporting is you get a chance to find your way home and learn more of the mud.

There is a free teleport/invis potion in the sewers of Galadon.

Polearm is terrible for tanking mobs. Spear is great for tanking, but unless you go felar your damage output suffers too much compared to sword for it to be worth it in terms of mob killing.