Farm low level heroics, run daily KDY and FP. Barring that just go into a heroic area on a low/mid level planet and just start AOE farming the mobs. I managed to get 5 comms just helping out a guildie with a heroic 4 on nar shadda. another tip. don't spend comms on gear pieces. Buy inexpensive orange gear off the GTN then spend your comms on mods for the gear. Obviously once you reach 60 this no longer applies (though you can still buy the gear for comms and rip out the mods to put in whatever you want).

For leveling spec Arsenal, it has stronger AOE and a much easier rotation/heat management. Make sure to spend a utility point on Boresights. For weak/standard AOE packs: DFA>SB>move onto next pack, if DFA is on CD just spam SB until mobs are dead. Single target (prior to lvl 41): Open with Tracer Missile then HSM>RS>UL>TM filler until the prior abilities come off CD. Single target lvl 41+: Open with precast TM then BB/UL (on proc)>HSM>RS>PS>TM (on proc)>UL/BB (on proc)>hardcast TM filler(until UL/BB proc)

Sounds like all of the trooper companions are LS?

For leveling AOE. DFA>SB>go onto next pull Fusion missile does very little damage as Arsenal, especially given its cast time. For elite + weak/standard adds, DFA>SB spam until adds are dead>finish elite off with single target attacks. For 2+ strongs I usually CC one and single target down the other. For 2 elites + 1-2 Strongs, CC one elite, single target down strongs, single target down elites 2 elites, CC one, single target down the other. Boresights is probably one of the best utilities for an Arsenal merc to pick up (the other being the one that lets you channel UL/BB while moving). While Arsenal mercs have very strong AOE they still do much better single target dps (unlike Sorcs who could probably level using nothing but Force Storm).

Arsenal is by far the easier and more forgiving rotation and a much better choice for leveling. IO is capable of quite a bit more single target dps, but the rotation (actually more like 3-4 different rotations depending on fight phase and heat level) is incredibly difficult and unforgiving with heat management.

I'm partial to Chiss, especially for IAs. Though a gray skinned Chiss makes for a downright scary looking Sorc with the hood up.

That is because PT/VG still rock as PvE tanks.

Can't speak for PvP In PvE Mercs are very easy to level and are absolute death machines by lvl 40. In endgame PvE IO is supposed to be one of the highest parsing dps specs for single targets, and Arsenal does absolutely insane amounts of AoE damage (with single target being kinda mid-pack).

Lvl 26 gets you HSM which helps a ton. Personally I found my Merc to be complete ez-mode for leveling (quite possibly the easiest of all to level), especially compared to an Operative. Don't be afraid to use rocket punch and flamethrower on mobs that get in melee range (both still do more damage than Tracer Missile even at higher levels). If you aren't IO spec I would take fusion missile off your bar. DFA and SB are all the AOE an Arsenal merc needs. Basically open with DFA and drop a SB on them while they are still on the ground, this will finish off most groups of standard mobs. By level 40 Mercs are absolute death machines

So now my VGs gun is barely more than a club haha. At least it's not quite as bad as PTs who now have literally no reason to have a gun.

Arsenal/Gunnery has incredibly good AoE and is still decent at single target dps in PvE, and is pretty easy to play and easy on heat management. It is also super ez-mode for solo play. While I have yet to try it myself supposedly IO/Assault is the best single target PvE dps in the game currently though is a bit trickier to play than Arsenal/Gunnery. Merc/Mando healers are supposed to be pretty good right now too, at least outside of PvP.

Arsenal is nice for leveling, the AoE makes FPs/KYD go fast and is ez-mode soloing.

If you're a merc and not using Unload then you are missing out on a lot of dps, If you are Arsenal spec your entire rotation is built around Unload/Blazing bolts.

I absolutely love the IA storyline, it gives you a ton of options on how to play your character. I personally play my IA as an arrogant, dark leaning, self-serving ***** who is really just out for his own personal gain and could care less about the sith. There are a ton of other ways I could play him. I have no idea about the BH storyline. I need more time with the smuggler story to make a judgement, so far im not really getting that han solo vibe from it. The trooper story isn't bad, even if Aric Jorgun is a naive fool when it comes to politics. SI storyline was a little slow but I only played it to early drumond kas

The same could be said for SWTOR, I am definitely preferring the imperial storylines so far.

Cata was what made me finally quit WoW. A somewhat more interesting leveling experience with the same tired old endgame. SWTORs leveling experience is 1000x better than even Cata, Ill reserve judgement on its endgame until I actually reach lvl 50 and try it out for myself. The PvP is fun in small doses, doing a few warzones every now and then, the almost complete lack of world pvp is sad:( I would liked to have seen a bit less WoW clone and a little more sandbox, the random nature of sandbox style MMOs like EVE starts becoming a lot more interesting when you did WoW raiding for 6 years.

There should be no reason for a nerf, the vanguard is the swtor analog to a prot warrior, more utility and more complexity than the other tanks at the expense of a more difficult playstyle. PvP is usually more about control and timing than raw dps output so there is nothing wrong with a tank having top damage output in a warzone. I suspect the guardian and shadow can tank just as effectively in pve but do so with less utility and a simpler playstyle. With the BH comparison, if its anything like the other classes a BH should be identical to a trooper mechanics and abilities wise, just with different names and slightly different equipment (and without an auto-attack its easy to balance the numbers so that a merc with 2 pistols has the same dps/hps as a commando with a cannon if their stats/spec is the same). A powertech should play exactly the same as a vanguard just with different ability names and a pistol instead of a rifle.