I am doing the same thing with my alt. It is a lot more fun then redoing those planet quests. My hatred is reserved for Balmora more than any other planet though.

I am using a naga mouse and have all of my abilities set to the 1 through = key on my keyboard. The mouse keys are set to mimic those keys. I use ops frames and have adjusted the size of the health bar and location of the window. I left click on ops frame to target and use mouse keys to cast. As a 50 BH Merc healer I only need 6 keys to heal. I don't have to stare at the left side of my screen either (or wherever I moved the window) I have health bars under the nameplate showing so I can watch the action and still heal well.

I did Colicoid for the first time in a pug. I'm a healing specced Merc, but I have never had to heal yet since I didn't do any previous FPs or heroics. My group and I all agreed that this was a refreshing change of pace from the normal and we actually have met together every day since to rerun this FP (at least until we out leveled it). I personally would love to see more out of the ordinary FPs like this one.

Coding wise this isn't very easy. What would be an easy method is when you loot the body you have a chance to pick up the item or choose to assign it to someone else. Similar to the method in DDO.

Its probably just the difficulty level of the new planet. Make sure you bubble your pet and send him in first to grab the initial aggro. Then attack the one he is attacking just like a normal group with players.

An instance, in addition to the other explanations already mentioned, can be for planets (or anything really) as well. Look in the top left of your screen and you'll see Dromund Kaas 1 or Dromund Kass 2 for example. When an area gets a certain number of players a second version is created to help lessen the load the servers have to process the game. As for the difference between "Shield", "Armor", and "Defense" in mods and armor it affects the stats of the same name. Only "tank" classes can use shields. Game mechanic wise this was already answered, but to restate they all add together in various ways to make your character harder to kill. For a more detailed and mathematical answer check the various tank class forums (specifically there is a great thread in the Assassin forum). http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=78826

Also keep in mind with any guides you read that are not specific to SW:TOR. Tanking in other games required you to keep the aggro, or attention, of every mob in the fight. SW:TOR is set up a bit differently where you keep the aggro of the one or two biggest mobs in the fight and your dps kills the smaller ones without you. The weak/normal mobs die so fast that it is pointless for a tank to try to tank them. Just let dps kill them first then everyone move to the bigger mobs that you have been tanking. As for your question of being a tank or learning another class. Its all up to you; everyone had to learn sometime. Around level 30 and higher a main tank and main healer (meaning skill points spent on those abilities) are required for group content. Prior to that level an AC with the abilities to tank or heal, but has not spent the skill points in those abilities, should be enough for most group content.

I hate the D5. My BH is the great hunt champion and earns tons of creds for big bounties. I should be able to buy (or steal) a super pimped out ride that fits with my meticulously crafted and maintained armor and guns. Plus in space the bulky taller design makes it harder for me to see ships below me and target them. The fury is thin and sleek and offers a large range of view.

Sorry to say, but your order was not needed for my group. We kill right healer then left then boss. Left robot then right then boss. Medic then shield then boss. All encounters were lootable. The only time we did not get loot was our first run and we died on the final boss fight.

The Krytos Legacy

I love this idea. Here is my credit card Vette. Go do some digging and bring me back the shiny stuff.

Just adding my two credits to the thread. Subbed with a 3 month plan. I'll be here 6 months before I decide to move on or not. So far I'm thinking I'll be here past that.

If you missed the window to pick your Legacy title then press the button to open your skill tree. There will be a tab at the bottom for Legacy if you have indeed gotten to that part in your quest chain.

Ops have room for up to 24 members; however they do not allow companions.

I'm leveling a Marauder right now and just hit 23. I am not having the issues that you describe. I'm using the dot skill tree and I can take any group containing silver mobs or lower without issue. I can easily to a single gold and I can do a gold with a single normal mob if I blow through all my cooldowns. Make sure your gear is up to date and you are at least equal to the mob level. Also check your spec, you mentioned its a pvp spec and this might be your issue.