Even though I am new at Assassin Tank, Keyboard Ninja has a table for what you want your Shield/Defense/Absorb to be at different levels. I followed that and used augments that made my stats more in line with the recommended distribution. Dulfy (under the assassin tank) has a link to the entire Keyboard Ninja table.. Hope that helps

After all this advice, I went back and tried them again - even went and hunted them down since I was done with my mission. With all the advice, especially which are the more important skills to interrupt, I was able to easily handle them. Maybe I'm getting better at tanking and knowing my rotation, maybe its the interrupts on the *correct* skills to interrupt, but regardless, I am able to beat most of them pretty easily now... There is still at least one that I haven't quite figured out... Someone mentioned the Assassin ones, yeah, they are easily killed by me. Thx again for the suggestions and the discussions

@Guiken - I have the same build except I removed the 2 points in Thrashing Blades, put the final pt in Shroud of Darkness, and 1 pt in Torment (Madness tree). I keep seeing those 2 points in Thrashing Blades, but aren't those points better spent in endurance and reduced costs than more damage for an assassin tank? Are there extra benefits from Thrashing Blades that I am not seeing? I really would only benefit from Thrash, as I hardly use Lacerate, and I don't have Voltaic...

Thx again to everyone for their replies. I currently removed 1 point from the reduced thrash/shock/etc talent and put it in spike. I really don't seem to ever run out of energy, so, at least atm, it doesn't seem to hurt me too much. I also use the pts in the reduced cooldowns of the interrupts instead of in the darkness tree (I think bottom middle talent - forget what it is called, but it seemed to be an offensive ability). I agree that I think my main problem (and I am getting better) with the oricon guys is that I don't know which abilities to interrupt over ones that I don't. That is just me learning their abilities and what to do. I can do everything else solo with ease, so its just something with them that seems to throw me off... Thx again.

First off, thank you toyfanatic. Yes, I did follow dulfy's guide, but just the other day I re-examined the talents and did spend the pt in spike out of stealth. As it is, I always seem to need my interrupts. I also specced in the faster cooldown of the interrupts (it is in a different tree than darkness and shaves 2 seconds off of Jolt [i believe]). I am always looking for ways of improving, and it seems that the more interrupts, etc I do, the much easier the fight is. Thanks for the help.

Ok - I apologize. By endurance heavy, *I* was meaning that I didn't stack endurance in the enhancements, or the augments. some of the mods are higher endurance ones, some are the more defensive stats ones with lower endurance. Thank you for your help though - it is showing me that I have to raid more to get the better stat gear...

Actually, I mistakenly wrote Harness Darkness instead of Energize. I am doing the 3 stacks of Harness Darkness and then doing Lightning to get my other stack. The thing I wasn't doing was hitting Recklessness on an energize proc. As far as stats, I am not endurance heavy at all. I hadn't augmented much before. I am still in the same gear as my original post, however, I am now augmented. My stats, unbuffed, are around 32k hps, 645 Shield, 404 Defense, and 846 Absorb (almost 1900 rating). My augments are blue (atm), but are almost all entirely absorb. And yes, almost all the gear is from commendations (I do have a couple of raid pieces but thats it).

Thx for the info and help. Regarding Defense/Shield/Absorb, I am reading Keyboard Ninja's Tables (under the Average) and I see (just showing the top): {600,{defense->421,shield->77,absorb->102}} {700,{defense->417,shield->117,absorb->166}} {800,{defense->413,shield->158,absorb->229}} {900,{defense->411,shield->199,absorb->291}} {1000,{defense->409,shield->239,absorb->351}} {1100,{defense->408,shield->280,absorb->411}} {1200,{defense->408,shield->321,absorb->471}} {1300,{defense->409,shield->361,absorb->529}} {1400,{defense->411,shield->402,absorb->587}} {1500,{defense->413,shield->443,absorb->644}} {1600,{defense->416,shield->484,absorb->701}} {1700,{defense->419,shield->524,absorb->756}} {1800,{defense->423,shield->565,absorb->812}} {1900,{defense->428,shield->606,absorb->866}}... Since I am around 1700 total in stats, It seems like my defense is pretty close (if not a little low). Is there a newer table I should be looking at that you know of? I realize my absorb/shield is off... Thanks for the other pointers. I will have to make sure I do Recklessness as you say (I don't think I am waiting for 3 Harness for example).

I'm a fairly new 55 Assassin Tank, leveled as deception, am geared in mainly mod 69 or higher tank gear [shield, absorb, defense], and have started to Augment (albeit blue) mod 28 augments [defense and absorb]. I currently have unbuffed approximately 404 defense, 650 shield, and 650 absorption (I know absorption is low and shield is high, I am fixing that with my augments slowly). I also have about 32k hps. My problem is that (for instance), on Oricon, during the Pre-emptive strike [Heroic 2+] dailies, I have a really hard time soloing the elites (the one where you have to kill 2). I have tried with dps (Ashara) and healer (Talos) - both geared in mod level 66 gear (customized to their talents [i.e. Talos - power/alacrity]). I do notice that different elites have different difficulties for me. But, then I sit and watch, lets say a Jugg come in and just own the elites. Barley taking any damage, etc. I saw one the other day with just 26k hps, and he barely broke a sweat... (and could kill them much faster). I'm not great at my rotation, but not horrible either (I follow dulfy's guides and rotations). But they just seem to do too much damage to me. Obviously with my healer companion, it takes them longer to kill me, but they do kill me. I will even go through all my "extra's" - i.e. Heroic moment, etc... Is there something that I am doing wrong? Are these fights just hard for a Assassin tank? Are Juggs (put any other tank class here) just better [maybe because of armor]? Thanks for the help

Can't we all just agree to disagree... I have been sitting here all day, watching the forums, and thinking to myself, this is just some sort of confusion with the English language. Yes, I understand all the thousand/millions that want to play now, and yes, as a developer, I understand what the developers of the game are doing. I think it boils down to a matter of semantics, and definitions. So, I would argue these definitions. A Launch is when a product is officially launched for consumer consumption. This does not include beta tests, or other tests, but it is when general consumption of the product by an amount (albeit arbitrary) takes place without reset. Available product is when stores/outlets/etc carry the product (not pre-order) so you can physically go and pick it up, come home, install it, and play it. As I see it, SWTOR has "Launched" and a certain group of people (growing) is available to play the game and keep their characters and posessions. They are doing what every other MMO has done at "Launch", possibly with a smaller amount of people (of their choosing). On December 20th, this product will become "Available" and everyone will be able to play at their own free will and choosing. It will be available in stores/outlets/everywhere. Before a product becomes "Available", it is up to the developer/producers/etc of the game to decide who/when/how people can play the game. You may not like it, but it is their choice. After it is "Available" it is no longer their choice. While, being a developer, I understand the developer's choice in a staggered launch (to test servers, load, capacity, zone levels, (you name it)), I think that they underestimated the community and (in some aspects) what makes an MMO fun for a group of people (grouping/playing together, guilds, all on same level//server). The staggered launch has it's pro's (server stability wise), but also it's downfalls (grouping, MMO/PVP player wise). Let's just agree on some definitions so we quit endless fighting on whether this was a "LAUNCH" or not... I hope everyone gets in soon