That's tremendously helpful. There isn't much info on here yet for shield builds (or many other builds) but your entire post would be a great start for a Vanguard Shield guide! I'm definitely saving the first build - endurance + augs & tactical tools - energy blast + gut.

I'm just starting on a shield spec for a vanguard as well. Is the 3% endurance worth it? I've seen other classes skip +endurance%, even for tank builds, on the basis that mitigation > more hp.

The reason for this has probably got more to do with creative freedom than with actual consistency of design or fiction. The setting first came up with KOTOR (ten years ago?). It still had to be 'star wars-y' and Lucas still had to sign off on everything, which means including a lot of the token stuff people expect from Star Wars -- but Bioware had the freedom to write their own history and lore rather than rubbing up against any of the movie characters or timelines, which would have meant a lot more restriction on how 'important' anything the main character might do could be. Star Wars is in pretty desperate need of a reboot, but that won't happen for a while if ever. Until then, Bio probably got away with more than any other company could have. It is a little silly that so much is exactly like it will be in 3000 years, but I can't think of how else they'd have kept even the freedom they do have. This is a Lucas thing, though, not a Bioware thing. I'd bet on it.