That would be really good! And you traitor! Sorcerer! Blegh! (JK )

Hey! I prefer my Vanguard over my Powertech. More fun in my opinion. Enjoy the animations more. Prefer the story. Enjoy more WZ's and Ilum with the stacked odd's. It just is more exciting for me then the BH-Pyro

HEY URURU, GLAD YOUR ALIVE MAN. And yeah, what he said is actually all useful. Especially the below 30% HP part, we get a lot of extra DoT damage on targets like that. The laugh is a impending HiB. Yerp yerp. Agreed with him. (P.S., Ururu, I posted the findings of Steely Resolve and Burnout on that one page. Its marginal in change, but it probably is a lot more in S.R.'s favor the higher level and +aim gear you get.)

You know. The more I read about this whole Focus vs Vigilance debate it reminds me of something I learned in Kendo and Iaido. A warrior who takes raw strength over knowledge may fell many opponents, but will fall before one who let's that strength become his weakness. I've been researching more and more. And it seem's that Focus is so very centralized around the usage of one skill. Making that one skill shine very heavily above everything else. This can be a boon and a bane. You have a hard hitting raw damage ability that will definitely kill if it hits. Or severely wound a target. But you must set this ability up. But the fear of a hard hit has a psychological effect on the person. Even if its a game, it causes a nervous reaction when you know it will hurt. (Even if its rather minute) While the Vigilance tree is not mete'ing out as heavy one-shot strikes. It is dotted over a period of time. Never letting up on a target once it begins. It won't burst down a target extremely fast, but it will make the fight very intense. This apply's constant mental pressure on someone. Relatively I have more faith in a Vigilance build. As I think it builds momentum much more easily then the Staccato of the Focus branch. Overall, I may be wrong. I just feel this way about it. Try not to get so angry guys, its just everyone has their own opinion about what's best.

Thats because Vanguards get more Armor (Supposedly) in comparison to Guardians. Meanwhile...Guardians get a LOT of bubble-like damage reduction. They have an ability in their defense tree that reduces ALL Damage by 40% for 10 seconds. Which is just hilariously high for me. Their just two very different types of creatures, Vanguards and Guardians. I've started my own Guardian and noticed that early on things are MUCH harder for me to level with in PvE and PvP. But I have noticed as I level up it gets better and better. Okay, yeah, getting off topic. Back on topic for me! Just keep trying with your Vanguard, especially since your in the 50's bracket without a pre-made now. You had geared for a team, but that team has thusly fizzled out. Best you just try and make a build centered around more damage at the moment for PvP. And can't say much for PvE, as the fp's/op's call for a almost full Shield spec only. Lol. That is if your in a PUG and not a pre-made. I would just say, keep trying. And goodluck!

I have been enjoying my Vanguard from day 1. And I completely gave up my BH at this point because of the love I share for the Vanguard AC. Your playing also a AC that is MUCH unlike a Sorcerer mind you. With the Sorcerer you get MUCH MORE UTILITY and choices, plus survivability and damage. (Which is why its one of the most used and abused PvP character choices. This also apply's to Sages.) I do well with my Vanguard, hitting about 300K+ damage and 90-120K protection every game now with just 4 Centurian pieces (Eliminator for 15% HiB crit) and several Champ pieces (Implants/Misc). And still using my level 46 PvP rifle (Yeah, I know, gotta update). This is relatively the build I use: http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#801hRMZ0MZbIbrdhGMs.1 I sit in Ion Cell and throw Guard on healer's and other important players. And taunt a LOT. Overall you shouldn't be so discouraged at this point. You can put out some decent damage and still be very survivable.

Relatively I think you came across a very heavy Assault Spec that got a High Impact Bolt crit on you. Since those can deal upwards of 3.5K with Champ gear on. Some even higher.

Most of the damage in PvP for the moment render's Shields/Absorb relatively lackluster. It doesn't do as much as it should to some of the hardest hitting abilities. Also armor only mitigates 50% of skills coming at you. And in a heavily cast-based enemy team comp, your going to see that percentage drop like a atom bomb from the sky. Also Defense is a trap-door till they have it fixed for us. As it will "time out" your skills when you tap them and make you have to tap them repeatedly or again for it to function. (This only occurs when dodging) Relatively SuperCommando gear is sub-par for PvP because the designers made it relatively useless with its stats from their messup's. I feel for you man. Critical/Power/Surge/Accuracy are still the de-facto's of PvP right now for damage. And there is nothing really that "Stand-out-Awesome-Sauce" for tankier types in PvP. Edit1: Yes, the DPS is very solid with the Vanguard if you have the build down and know what your doing. Most of our abilities focus around floating in the 10 meter range no matter WHAT you do. And its where we shine mainly. Our best classes are mixed breed builds. Common one's are the Carolina Parakeet, Taugrims IronFist. And Bulldog. Assault breaks down into being a more ranged class then the others, and does a lot of burst damage with it's crit's. Tactics is more sustained DPS and has a lot of utility. And Shield has great utility as well, and mix's with the other trees quite nicely if spec'd right.

I think its mostly because the speed percentages don't stack, even if your running HECell and pop HTL in combat, your going to only move at 30% speed instead of 45% speed. But I have noticed a large difference in combat I must say in comparison to non-combat running.

Hey Guys, I'm new to the magnificent being which is the Jedi Knight Guardian. As of so far I have read each and every page and tried to read through each comment which has been added, and I must say, you guys are very divided in your opinion here. Some of you are for Focus and some of you are fighting the flow by saying Vigilance. I can't test any of these theory's or abilities out myself yet and have to take y'alls word on it. The basis of this whole argument between the two classes boils down to which is overall better. When that can't be answered, since like it has been said before, PvP is not a static environment/situation, it is constantly changing. Its really just two very different mindset's. Focus is more simplistic and for lack of a better term, focused. And Vigilance is around having utility from its talent's/abilities, and using every attack in its repertoire to disrupt/damage an enemy. Stance don't even really apply right now when looking at the two arguments side by side. Both systems and trains of thought have their purpose. Doesn't mean one is better then the other, they both have their place. Personally I would enjoy the style of Vigilance, since it revolves around sustained damage, guard utility (without need to stance-dance) and funny high Dispatch numbers. But as you notice, this is all a preference. If you feel Focus is more your thing, then go ahead and play focus! I'm not going to stop you! Make that build rock and smile to yourself about it. Meanwhile I am going to try and do my best with the build I use! Now, to the O.P., greatjob on your posts and thread. I really enjoyed the read.

I just want my orange armor...

Or Cybetech, for the re-useable Grenades.

HECell's speed increase and Hold the Line seem to only apply WHILE in combat, not outside of it. As I have noticed no speed increase while out of combat. But inside of combat I seem to be moving soooo much faster.

At one time I had that "men-in-tights" look going as well. I found it hilarious to say the least. Made me feel kinda like making a song "Dancing in the Rain of Blaster Bolts!" All jest aside, it gets WAY better the more levels you get. You may have the rainbow-soldier look at some point, but you won't have that forever, especially in higher levels. You can get set's that are just pure awesome. Like stated above, the Centurion PvP armor looks great.

You see the problem here is, if they made it Elemental, it would be far too powerful for a Vanguard Assault Spec. Since we would be able to keep a steady flow of unmitigatable HIB's on a target to the point people would cry foul and scream bloody murder. If they made a talent to change it for a Gunnery Spec Commando, that could work. As right now, if it was across the board for both Trooper AC's, it would make Vanguard just a bit too much for anybody. Also they would have to rework several talents as, HIB would no longer apply to armor, they would have to change things like our Focused Impact talent. Since it would be useless at that point. Overall, I can understand your frustration. Even I get those Deflect's and Shield proc's from people while in PvP, and its hella frustrating especially when their almost dead and that was meant to finish them off. >_> "Damn your lucky! GET BACK INTO MY ZAPPY RANGE!" *Chases Enemy Healer Everywhere trying to Get that Last tick of health* Will the Dev's do anything about this? I have no idea. They might, they might not. But right now there are more pressing issues for the Dev team.

The reason why people prefer Assault is the fact you can put out a heavier HIB. Lets say your doing 3000 damage on your High Impact Bolt as a Tactics build. Assault will do 3900 damage instead. Now imagine if you hit for a 4000 crit as a Tactics. On a assault it would be 5200 damage. This is because of the one talent known as Assault Trooper in that line. The conflict between the two classes is that Tactics is more for a Steady stream of damage, meanwhile Assault is meant to have a high-risk high-reward type of playstyle. Yeah, you have guarantee's as a Tactics player. You get Elemental damage as your main type, functional crits on your mainline attack (ion pulse) and can proc some ability's to deal damage. But Assault can put out a huge amount of damage VERY fast, depending on if you get crit's or not. It's more luck-of-the-draw type, that can either bite you in bum at times, or wreck havoc for the enemy team and make them hate you. The question everyone has to answer when choosing between Tactics and Assault is, Do you want Chance or Guarantee?

Mainly because of RP reasons I chose Vanguard. And it turned out being one of my favorite classes out of every single one I have played. And I especially love having a rifle over a pistol/portable cannon.

So far I am able to get the 2.5K medal quite easily with a almost full Assault Build. But on a hybrid its a little harder. Usually with a target burning and having my Surge gear on (After nerf) I can still get 2.6-2.7K on a good hit. And especially if I can get the Redbuff for extra Oomph. But I have no where near hit the 5K portion yet.

I might actually want to try this one out. Hmmmm...Must test it, when I have the time.

If you don't like the bonuses in the PvP gear you can just buy another piece from a different vendor and switch out the Mod's. Which is what I did, took some from each vendor. Especially the Surge + Critical one's. But that is if you only have the extra commendations to do it.

How about taking away the snare and making it a Talent, and it also reduces the cooldown and/or lowers the minimum distance? Have Harpoon as the 21 point skill, and fix its talent's to go into so you aren't just arbitrarily taking points into something useless till you can get Harpoon? But its going to be sad though if they ever do anything like that...means I can't shout "GET OVER HERE!" with my hybrid build anymore as I drag people into flame traps on Huttball.

The build you have will work in PvP. And it probably would have slightly higher survivability then most builds because of the extra shield chance. Something I suggest is checking out Taugrims guide HERE: http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=244885 And maybe asking him some questions. He has some really good info. In my opinion, I would prefer the Iron Fist talent setup for both PvE and PvP. So even the flat 20% shield chance is good if you have tanking gear on with Shield Rating and Absorbtion. And then for PvP you just switch to PvP styled gear to deal more damage/utility.

Relatively it's not that hard. I would suggest using trash mob's and such to setup your UI/Hotkey bar a bit and get used to ideas/what feels good to you. As you will be moving/running around a lot and having the buttons in the right place/accessible to you is a huge key factor. Tab-targeting will be a common and useful thing. Trust me. Hmmmm. Other then that, before making the PvP plunge, take a look at some of the top Vanguard players around and see what they have for info. One of the most frequent to post ones on here is Taugrim. He always has really great info and can answer a lot of questions on his thread's. Just look up "taugrimtaugrim" if you want to find him in this forum subsection. Wait. I got better. Heres a link: http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=244885

Okay, this is with my level 44 Vanguard (As I couldn't afford the respec on my BH). WITH BURNOUT WITH STEELY RESOLVE So far it seems that your getting a 2.85% increase to your damage across the board. Not entirely sure. As I am no math wiz. And I am no master number crusher. Not entirely sure my equations were exact. And it seems you only barely gain 1% more in flat Critcal chance with Steely Resolve(12.93%). Meanwhile you retain the higher amount with Tech attacks, having Burnout(14.98%). Meanwhile you can gain a 30% increase to you DoT damage once an enemy is below 30% HP. The calculations come down to two choices, Either have more Aim and have a steady increase that is not based RNG or situation as heavily. Or Burnout that affects certain situations heavily, especially when stacking DoT's on low health Targets. The gap disparity probably raises with levels and Aim obviously. As you collect more Aim, Steely Resolve has a greater impact. So maybe it has a greater effect on higher level characters with full set's/equipment. Right now at this level, the difference isn't all that much. And it really is preference. I will have to try these numbers all over again on my Pyrotech once I get some more credits in order to reset my tree once again. p.s., if my calculations are wrong, please let me know so I can fix the above text. All the percentage removals from Talents were done with my calculator in reverse fashion and some theory thrown in. The flat amounts and critical increases/changes were all from tooltips within the game.

It's considered Kinetic damage. But its a Tech skill. Kinetic damage is affected by armor reduction. So if your wondering if Burnout affects the chance it critical hits, it does. And so does Blaster Augs when running Plasma cell.