I guess before I mention mechanics I should say that you should play whatever you think you'll enjoy from an RP angle. No matter how strong of a warrior you build, it's ability is limited (or helped) most by experience. Example: Worst possible thing you could be is felar sword/axe. If you had something like fire giant sword/axe with greeting (a classically powerful build) you'll still get eaten alive by a veteran felar sword spec just based on experience.

My point: Don't feel like you need to pick something powerful, pick something that you think your going to enjoy messing around with. Personally, I play a lot of dwarf warriors. Not because dwarf warriors are really all that great, but because I always laugh hysterically when I play dwarves. Nough said.

Now, from the strickly mechanical side of things (since that was the nature of your question) here is what I think you should make:

Arial
1st spec: mace
2nd spec: spear

1st legacy: Dance upon the southern wind (helps you dodge more)
2nd legacy: Soul of the Mountain (adds 200hp)

Reasons:

1) This is a build with a lot of capability, that will be very useful to groups, and doesn't require a tremendous amount of finesse to be successful with.

2) The combination of legacies makes you very durable, thus the character will absorb your mistakes easier.

3) Arials tank fine with maces because they rely more on dodge than parry. Early on maces will do a significant amount of damage while you are doing said tanking.

Cranial can lag anyone but invokers with the right shield up. This is monumentally useful.

Backhand is one of the most underrated skills in the game - but very useful at low levels. Low, low lag on an unmodified attack, great for whittling down prey.

Boneshatter: 2 rounds of lag for serious -dex/-str. A great way to start just about any fight with anyone. Personally my favorite maladiction that warriors have.

Drum: With the edge "balanced percussionist" you can pump out serious damage with drum. More so if you are a Maran dual wielding the silver maran maces that do flaming bite. On a good drum, you lag the guy like you tripped him.

Please don't use dent on me.

4) I think this is one of the most easy to use yet highly versatile spec sets for the beginning warrior. The downside for most characters is that maces don't parry well - not really an issue for arial warrior.

5) Spear/staff as your second spec, because as you draw close to 51 you won't be tanking as well with maces as you did when you were 30. Spear staff will pick up some of that slack.

6) Other spear/staff highlights are:

Defensive spin: why you'll tank great on your final push toward hero.

Misdirect: lags when cranial won't. Part of the reason why the specs work good together.

Impale: -str/-dex and causes bleeding. Extremely powerful when coupled with boneshatter. Even in this day and age where ppl are smart enough to gear for dex and str, it's very hard for anyone to fight on when both boneshattered and impaled.

Crescent: Decent damage when you need to both tank and hit.

BONUS: Arials have really high intelligence, means your skill %s will be high.

7) Dance upon the southern wind will make an already dodgy character even more dodgy. It will make you a good tank at a time when warriors are not usually the best tanks any longer.

8) With maces (being blunt) and staff (also being blunt) you'll do well as a neutral or goody trying to hero on Calyndryl.

9) Soul of the mountain will give you about 900 natural hit points on an arial - which covers one of the downsides to the class and makes you just a touch harder to kill.

Summary: This will be a build that can be any alignment, any cabal. It will make you good in all areas, at the sacrifice of being GREAT in one particular area. This is EXACTLY what the newer player needs.

While I recommend it to the newbie, it's also a character that I would play myself as a vet.

Hope that helps.