http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#301hRGr0oroMZrsrd0bZo.1 This build is ment to be a replacement for the Carolina Parakeet for it's demise in 1.2. It centers around using Ion Gas Cylinder as a tanking build. You run with a shield and get your DPS from procing on Shield Vents for free heat, Flame Shield for refreshing Rocket Punch and Flame Barrage for free Rocket Punchs. Notable exclusions: Oil Slick - If you like, take it. For me I find it has limited use since it doesn't reduce tech or force attacks which are a large portion of incoming damage. No Escape - Another good talent that doesn't quite fit in my build but is useful none the less. If you feel like giving up your damage reduction or rocket punch damage, grab this. Advanced Tools 2nd point - A tossup again between reducing the cooldown on quell or electrodart. I like to use electrodart most of the time when on CD while saving grapple for when I need to, thus the extra 5 second on electrodart is better. As for quell, 6sec interrupt = awsome. Retractable Blade - I find the damage underwhelming on it, we get a periodic damage ability from Rocket Punch w/ Ion Gas Cylinder to get Rail Shot so I pass on it. Pick it up if you like it.

Very similar to the spec I used, but you really should at least take 1 point out of Burnout for the Prototype Cylinders since you get a whole 3% tech critical from the one point instead of just 1% and the 10% damage increase under 30% for periodics. I am also 2 points in hot Iron instead of Burnout but that is just personal preference really, I see it as about the same.

I could see how Burnout could out DPS Hot Iron in ops considering the length of the fights allowing for a long period of time below 30%, definatly a similar build. For PvP I would say Hot Iron is likely better. I am wondering why you cling to Thermal Detonator so much, really I can't see how DPS numbers would go up that much from having it considering its heat cost and it doesn't proc Railshot. It might allow better short duration burst but in the long run I see using TD as losing out to FB/RP/RS spam.

If you wanted to go a PvP tank build run the Iron Fist and use the Combat Tech set for the 15% increase in Rocket Punch critical. I don't see much use for the Supercommando set overall to be honest.

At lower levels I found Ion Gas Cylinder more useful as a damage mitigation tool for soloing until you end up with talents that make Combustable Gas Cylinder more worthwhile. Once you get some points into the Pyro tree (first Superheated Gas) you should be running Combustable Gas Cylinder to increase DPS and proc your rail shots. If you find you take to much damage there is nothing wrong with switching back though.

Between superheated gas and Firebug I cannot see High Energy Cylinder outdamaging Combustable Gas Cylinder. Heat management is pretty easy in my build which focuses on Flame Burst to open up Rail Shot (Incidiary Missle is optional depending on the situation) and exploit the heat savings on free Rail Shots. Not to mention each Flame Burst refreshs CGS and gives you the first tick instantly acting as if you had +200-800 damage depending on crit.

I run a full DPS build of 8/8/25. http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#301hMhZMsMZfhMbdGhM.1 You will easily get 8-10 medal on all WZs as long as you use your taunts effectively, when you close in on a group of people fighting, throw your AoE taunt first and you will grab the 1k 2k and 5k protection medals without even touching guard. It allows you to say in Combustable Gas Cylinder permenantly and get that 300k damage medal without sweating. As for the build, you lose Thermal Detonator which really isn't a big deal. It does good damage but costs 25 heat, you are better off with a rotation of Incidiary Missile (only if at range and if they are at high HP) > Rail Shot > Rocket Punch > Flame Burst. Its a simple rotation and actually is quite good on heat management with all the Rail Shot procs. If you are close enough, just pop flame burst and ignore the Incidiary Missle to save heat and pop Rail Shot with the CGS proc. Throw in as many taunts as you can and look for opportunity to drop death from above. Make liberal use of your trinkets and cooldown abilities rather then saving them for the exact right moment.

After a good session of PvP and PvE I can say that this spec does actually rock. Managed to post some good results. In a Civil War where my team was getting dismantled I managed to post 240k damage, 3kills. Closest Republic was 180k and closest ally was 80k... Talk about horrible. Then in Huttball I posted 407k where closest was 220k. All in all the build put out alot of sustained DPS by upping the damage on all attacks across the board instead of using Thermal Detonator. For reference I have only 8% expertise atm with 2 Champ pieces so things can only get better if I am mopping the floor now.

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#301hMhZMsMZfhMbdGhM.1 So I just specced into this build and am looking forward to trying it out. I forgo the top of the Pyro Tree to basically grab the 9% aim and 6% flame burst damage. I figure since flame burst is a good filler the extra damage is nice and that the 9% aim is a good addition to our build for overall damage and the increase in critical hit. Any thoughts? My biggest question is where to put the 2 points, in Infrared Censors, Degauss or Gyroscoptic Alignment Jets.