I too find the heat system frustrating, but it is far from a broken resource system. If you ever played WAR and played a Slayer/Choppa it is basically the same principle. You want to find that sweet spot, which I have found to be in the 40-60% heat range. This more than allows you to use all abilities when off of CD and continue to spam out Tracer missle. I honestly can say I think I easily out dps any of the other members of our raids. I am currently in 2 piece Rakata and 3 pieces of Columi gear, implants and earpiece are Rakata and belt bracers are columi. I have Columi OH and Champion MH weapons, I have Rakata ones but until they are fixed will not use them. (Most of our raid group is equally geared) I also used a hybrid build for a very long time using Supercharged Gas to vent 16 heat, and then for 10 seconds spam free power shots. It works wonders and power shot hits just as hard as tracer missle with all of the debuffs on the target and you continue to vent heat for those 10 seconds of free power shot spam. It just takes practice to learn to manage your heat system. I think the biggest issue/concern I have currently is actually my threat management. I can with out even trying pull aggro off the tank.

To all of the oblivious Powertechs, the Pyrotech tree is a shared tree and thus can be used by the Mercenary as well. So telling a Merc this is your build and then linking a powertech build is 100% ignorance.

I am supposed to be impressed that you are in full champion gear? Isn't everyone? Hell I have both sets of champion gear along with a set for 3 of my companions. You say that like you are supposed to be in the know about the spec, yet you clearly aren't. Maybe come back and P.S. us when you are in all Battlemaster gear.