[A Barter with the Lady of Pain]

If you can't defeat him by kiting or with Mako healing - your gear is either unbelievably bad for your level, or you're unbelievably bad at this game.

 

I am leveling as Powertech, and I also solo'ed this guy with Mako doing DPS only. Find some friends and have then join your story area.

[Shield chance?]

There are three stats related to defense, and you can review all this yourself by mousing over each one on your character screen:

 

1) Defense: This stat increases your chance to dodge melee and ranged attacks.

2) Shield: This stat increases your chance to shield (block) attacks.

3) Absorption: This stat increases your shield (block) amount.

 

Hope this answers your question.

[GTC (Auction House) appears to be badly broken.]

There are helms on the GTC, but at this point in the launch helms are rare and I would assume most people are keeping them, or giving them to companions/friends/guildmates.

 

Also, not all helms have the word helm. Many are faceguards/plates/masks/etc.

[Did they stealth nerf slicing?]

This is definitely a case of "she deep breaths more".

 

Bountiful, Rich, and Wealthy (learned missions) missions are still giving several thousand credits profit on investment. There is absolutely no reason to nerf slicing. It may make a fair amount of money right now, but in 6 months or a year when the economy has inflated and slicing still gives the same amount of money... it will fall out of favor.

 

Calm down the collective crazy. Slicing is fine.

[Hk-51]

Setting up a search function is a lot more backend than I'm guessing the SWTOR web team could muster in the time allowed. I'm looking forward to seeing it in a future forum release.

 

That said, I've neard nothing about HK-51.