Of all the classes I've tried and gotten into the 30s, the Shadow is my hands-down favorite. But I think I'm playing it differently from most, and if necessary, want to be sure I can adapt to a new build and rotation before I reach 50. I play PvE with a Kinetic Build and with Qyzen. I tend to strategize a lot, using a combination of stealth, cc and having Qyzen tank or offtank. I think it's that versatility that has kept me excited about Shadow. I've briefly tried Infiltration (at 30+) and other companions, but keep coming back. I'm also meticulous about gear: I'm in custom which I update about every 3 levels, and I try to keep Qyzen in Aim-intensive prototypes with shielding when I have a choice of a secondary stat. When in a group, I either off-tank or tank (by accident) depending on the others. I say I'm DPS, but I think I'm more a hybrid.

I'm completely new to this game and now only lvl11 --- my way of apologizing for what might be a noobie question. Most of the advice on Vanguard builds and rotation seem to place emphasis on close range (10m) combat yet so far my encounters have been at the 30m range with most opponents dying rather quickly. Should I be practicing running into groups and using short range abilities?