Are guardians THIS bad or am I just playing it wrong?

[CommanderFrog]

The droid is non-combat, dont use him, even fully geared in blues he heals for less then any other companion in the game

[Sandover]

As far as gear goes for levelling a guardian, after level 14 I never wore any greens. Since this was my first toon, I did not get any help from other people making me items. Everything you need to get gear is available to you and often times you can get artifact gear (purple) for cheap. Gearing is very easy and very cheap and will keep you ahead of the mob levels in that zone per your level.

 

Gearing processes:

 

• Never choose gear for rewards unless it is a protype (orange). Choose instead Commendation medals. Even if it is an immediate upgrade, it will not be significant enough to warrant wasting passing on commendation medals.
  
• Sell all of your green gear as your Orange and blues will last you until you get enough commendations for the next level from the next Zone.
  
• All commendation gear will go in line with your current level and will almost always be better than any green items. I.E. Alderaan's gear from commendation will equal the current level for the questions in that zone.
  
• Occasionally do World bosses to get Artifact loot. They reset every day.
  
• Credits are easy to come by so spend them at the GTM to buy blues and purples.
  

Edited January 26, 2012 by Sandover

[stilari]

I have had the opposite experience (Vigilance spec'd)

 

I used to feel like I was lack luster, until I did quite a bit of research and improved my game. Basically...

 

• Be sure you & your companion has up to date gear. This is imperative, Guardians are very gear dependant. All classes are certainly, but you definitely notice if your gear is lagging behind. You mentioned you get gear from quests? Be sure to get the heroic rewards as well. They are usually great upgrades for you or your companion.
  
• Prioritize skills: get a rotation or priority list going for skills you cast, keybind everything!
  
• Again with the gear: Check the GTN for upgrades. A lot of crafters post stuff for dirt cheap (rares etc) and they can be a good alternative to quests if you're missing pieces. Also try to run flashpoints gear too!
  
• Stay buffed: I run Biochem which is incredible. I can keep up Might Buffs, HP Buffs, and pop adrenals.
  
• Rainy Day Cooldowns...I see a lot of people. And I mean a lot of people, save their big cooldowns for that "rainy day scenario". If you have a bunch of CDs up on your Saber Ward or Enure or what have you: you're doing it wrong. Blow those big cds, they'll alow you keep going from group to group without rest. Pop potions, Call on the Force or whatever it may be.
  

[malrats]

thanks again for all the advice. I did some massive equipment upgrades last night at 31 and have yet to go out and field test it yet, so I'll find out today just how much of a difference it made.

[VoidJustice]

Playing as guardian is very "challenging".

 

Here are some tips.

 

1) Forget keeping up with Mods, go Synthweaving, it's autonomous and the stats are better. Plus with synthweaving you can make things for Kira also so it doubles the awesome. This leaves you only having to buy consumables, artifacts and your saber.

2) Don't forget to gear your companions up.

3) Don't feel bad about being several levels (1-5) over the content, its just the way it works out.

4) Boss Fights:

Bind all your skills to keys; use shift + keys and mouse buttons; Knights can't click.

If you haven't learned all your keybindings to the point of not thinking about it...

Use any artifacts and max level consumables you have before the fight.

Use the "Call on the Force Skill" when your companion is at half health.

Allow Kira to start the fight and pull aggro off her right after you use "CALL ON THE

FORCE" (let her tank to half health, then pull agg off her and keep it off her)

Do not miss, core skills when they come off cooldown, riposte, masterstrike etc...

Start the fight with force leap.

DO NOT MISS ANY SUNDERS

Use all your cast break skills when mobs cast, if necessar use LOS to break mob casts

Watch the screen not your skills, break CASTS MOVE OUT OF AOE. Yes you must learn

to glance at skills and back at screen and try to learn to time cooldowns in your head.

Kill any low level mobs in the area of a boss without agging the boss first.

Once you have a ton of agg from the boss and your at low hp... run... in circles around

columns corners etc... let Kira wack away while you stay out of range.

Dont forget enure + top level heal pack = full heal from almost dead.

May the force be with you.

 

O and to answer your question. Yes being a Jedi is THIS HARD, not sure I want that changed too much... just enough to make us a tiny bit more competitive in Pvp... outside of focus spec, which may get us nerfed....

Edited January 27, 2012 by VoidJustice

[sehart]

If you're getting creamed by equal-level bad guys (that aren't champions/bosses), something is wrong. You and your companion should be able to beat an equal-level elite or a strong with several normal/weak guys handily.

 

If you are built as a tank, make sure you are using Soresu form, only wear Heavy armor, and have equipped a shield generator in your offhand. You take WAY less damage. If you are trying to use T7 as a tank, make sure he is in his tanking stance and not his DPS one. Kira is not an effective tank.

 

Timely use of interrupts (Kick) and stuns (Stasis/Push/Pommel Strike) makes fighting tough enemies WAY easier. Interrupt whenever they wind up to do something nasty. If you don't have an interrupt, stun instead. Use Hilt Strike, Opportune Strike, and Riposte whenever you can. Do not be afraid to blow cooldowns against tough enemies.

 

One good approach for a tough mob like a boss: leap in, stun repeatedly, then use both defensive cooldowns one after the other when you can't stun anymore. When they are done, your stuns should be mostly cooled down again, and the mob should be at least half-dead while you've taken almost no damage. Against very tough enemies (like class quest bosses), use Call on The Force at the start of the fight; the regen will keep you alive a lot longer. Also, a good trick to use sometimes is to send your companion in first (CTRL+1 by default while targeting something), then leap in and start beating on things. If your companion gets too close to dying, use Taunt or Challenging Call to pull mobs back to you.

 

As for gear: whenever a quest reward is an upgrade for a slot where you don't have an orange item, or they offer you an upgrade for a companion, take it. Otherwise, take commendations. Use commendations (or cash when possible; try the 'specialty goods vendor' on most worlds) to buy blue and orange gear, or upgrades for your orange gear. Appropriate-level Flashpoints also drop great stuff. As a JK you want 'Guardian' or 'Might'/'Rage' mods. (Guardian gives more endurance/survivability, Might/Rage gives more Strength/damage.) +Defense is also good.

 

One thing they do NOT make terribly clear for companions: they only really use one 'primary' attribute. For T7 this is Aim (whether you use him as a tank or DPS), and for Kira this is Willpower. They do NOT need any other attributes; the primary attribute will increase the potency of all their abilities. Do not give Kira +Strength items. (All the quest gear that drops specifically for them will have the 'right' attribute.) I recommend getting a nice orange weapon for your companion and keeping it up to date, as this will DRAMATICALLY increase their damage output.

 

If you're doing a fair number of side/bonus quests, you should have every slot for both you and your companion with something fairly close to your level, and moddable items should have mods close to your level as well. Note that for orange items, the 'Armoring' slot determines the overall level of the item and how much armor it gives you (similarly, the 'Hilt' determines DPS for a saber/sword, and the 'Barrel' determines DPS for a ranged weapon.) So make sure you upgrade those; they're much more important than the other mod slots! That's also why they cost 7 commendations instead of 2.

 

Can we just get this stickied? If you do the above, you're going to be ok. Admittedly, the margin for error with this class is much lower than others, and if you get lazy or slip up, then you won't be nearly as effective.

 

I have a 35 Defense spec (rolling with Kira) and I haven't really had too much trouble at all. Some bosses are a little tough (Valis took a few tries, and that Sand Demon thing on Tatooine is pretty tough too), but overall it's been fun. There are a lot of little things that add up to make a big difference, like the protection buffs from Riposte and Blade Storm, as well as the Armor debuff from Sunder. The times that I've had trouble is when I'm not hitting these things consistently, or if my Soresu is off for whatever reason. If you use every Riposte, Blade Storm and Sunder, along with interrupts/stuns/defensive cooldowns, you're going to be pretty effective.

 

I've started playing a Commando (level 18 now, not that far, I admit) while I wait for a friend to catch up to me in level. The margin for error is much higher, and you can wipe out normal groups way faster, but I find the Commando to be squishier, and not as strong against strongs/elites/bosses as the Guardian is.

 

Then again, maybe it's because I just haven't learned to play the Commando yet

[Klyx]

I've recently started up a Guardian (lvl 26) after taking a Sent to lvl 27 and on Alderaan. A few things I learned along the way:

 

Get an Orange Moddable Chest Pieace and use commendations to keep it up to date.

Get any other Moddable armor pieces along the way.

Upgrade your Lightsaber with the "Best" mods for your spec.

 

 

The Jedi Knight has ALOT of powers available (and ALOT of those are offensive). Narrow down to what you need and dump the rest.

I only used 4-5 basic attacks for my Guardian. Force Leap, Force Sweep, Sunder, Stirke, Reposte and Slash as needed. I didn't have trouble with most things. I use Kick and Stasis as needed, if I take on too much, I'll use stasis to by myself a moment to click Saber Ward to buy a few more minutes to attack.

 

I just added Blade Storm and that has significantly increased my attacking ability.

I go Leap > Sweap > Sunder > Strike > Blade Storm > Slash/ Reposte (when available) and haven't had an issue.

 

I use Kira exclusively, gave her a moddable chest piece and keep her saber up to date on mods as well.

 

I played mostly in the Soresu form while leveling to this point and have started to use Shien and have been DPS'ing even better.

 

I strongly suggest looking to purchase at the least a moddable chest piece to start your gear updating. You should be able to pick one up on the Galactic trade market for 5k-10k credits.

 

Also when replacing non-moddable gear do you have the right stats? While it's important to have your armor rating go up, don't sacrifice str & end, these are two very important stats for a Guard. If you can increase armor, but the gear has +Aim and/or +cunning but shows a -str or -end its not worth the increase in armor, as you need to keep yourself balanced.

[bamsmacked]

Vigilance Guardians have a crappy top tier ability that costs too much and has a prerequisite before it can be used. The tree itself needs some work and rebalancing, otherwise the only way a Vigilance guardian is good in PvP is in premade groups, and if geared right they do pretty well in PvE considering you use your healing companion, tanking companion, or are always in a group.

 

Defense Guardians obviously are good in PvE , and in PvP they also do quite well. With lots of health and their talents constantly boosting their defense, plus in PvP gear their damage gets even better. I'm super jealous that the tanking PvP gear allows them to use Stasis and Choke longer, and as long as they're guardian someone they maintain a 5% bonus to damage.

 

If you want to be a 2 button pony good in both PvE and PvP then you go into the shared tree, focus. You pretty much build up singularity, leap on someone and you're granted a 100% chance to crit and 100% dmg increase on your next sweep. So you'll have Force Sweeps landing about 5-6k damage at least every 45 seconds or so.

 

Personally I do not like the focus tree at all, because it outshines Vigilance and all the Sentinel and Marauder trees in PvP and if the issue isn't balanced and no I'm not calling for a Nerf - then the class will be like the Rogue in PvP where pretty much every Rogue that's not subtlety sucks *** in PvP.

 

Watchman, Combat, and Vigilance are all damage trees and almost all the talents in the Vigilance tree apply in PvP situations yet it doesn't hold its own at all. The bad DoT effects and the bugs in general that cause OS and PB to cancel out because of it's funky animations.

 

And I don't even know why they put the damage reduction talent and the endurance + Guardian Leap effect in the Vigil tree for. Those seem like tanking talents to me, and the dots seem like they would be a Watchman specialty.

 

Personally the Vigilance tree needs bonuses to attacks when the targets armor is debuffed x amount of times.

 

The Vigilance tried to get the best of dmg, dot and a little tanking which why it sucks IMO.

 

But I'm not abandoning the Vigil tree just yet. No way I'm gonna be a 2 button pony in Focus or Defense because I really don't want to tank.

[EEFER]

I haven't played a guardian, but I have my Shadow specced up the tanking tree and don't have anywhere near the problems you are describing. On Tantooine I was able to solo many of the 2+ Heroics with little problem. Of course stealth helps, but I just make sure to keep my healing companion out the entire time and grab aggro. He keeps me healed through most multiple mob fights, including those with an elite, or sometimes 2 elites depending on the mob, even if 1 or 2 levels higher.

 

I have found that when I try using a DPS companion we are both almost dead when taking on tough mobs, so I just run everything with my healer out and the rest of the companions are relegated to crew skills.

Edited January 29, 2012 by EEFER

[TheImpTyrion]

I've had 0 problems and I'm level 39 now. Granted I've died a few times but I always knew why and blamed myself not the class. The class is fine (for leveling up, can't talk about end game I'm not there!), you just need to learn how to do a few extra things to REALLY be good.

 

First, use your interrupts! The amount of damage you take from channels and casts is immense, usually because it's elemental damage, those hurt you because they don't take reduced damage from armor! Force Kick, Force Stasis, Hilt Strike, Force Throw all work. The tricky part is figuring out which abilities to let through and which ones to interrupt, as you can't interrupt them all. Also do this for heals, makes fights a lot shorter.

 

Second, use your cooldowns! It's 2 minutes tops cooldown for most, there's no reason to not use them, but don't use them ALL at the same time. Also, figuring out when to use which one is important. Saber Ward and Warding call should be used when you're taking a lot of damage but still have a lot of health left, while Enure should be used when you're about to die and need a few seconds to finish off that Elite.

 

Third, carry medpacks. Seriously, I have a whole bunch of them that I found, haven't bought any yet, they're great for when you have an "uh oh" and aggro more than you wanted to.

 

Fourth, use stims. Really, they last an hour and you can buy them almost anywhere. I don't use them often, but if you're struggling it could give you a bit of a boost where you need it.

 

Fifth, maximize your damage. There is no set rotation, but there are ways to maximize your damage output, usually by timing your Riposte uses. Remember, riposte is not on the GCD, so instead of using it while everything else is ready, use it in between two other abilities, and always always start by throwing sunders on the target. You can be very tanky and still dish out significant damage.

 

All that talk about gear is true too, always make sure you have the best gear you can get with the best things you can get in the slots where possible, and make sure your companion has at least greens for their level.

 

With all that said, I do feel I have to work pretty hard to do things that other classes seemingly do with ease, and the Skill trees definitely need some work, but I'm not frustrated nor do I feel relatively weak. Of course that could change when I hit 50.

[Elyx]

Loving this thread so far. Keep it up guys!

 

My Guardian just hit 22...running in Nar Shadda and just started to feel the EZ mode DPS slow down. the tips here are going to help out a ton. Already trying to maximized my gear, on both myself and companion. running Vigiliance spec. A few questions (please note that i do NOT play PvP):

 

1) I know that this may open up a can of worms, but what are your personal experiences with Kira vs. t7? It seems like Kira has pretty amazing DPS (watched her solo a group of 4 mobs just last night), but running DPS would it be better to run the droid? or should I just keep both geared up (man that will slow things down a bit), and switch pending situation?

 

2) Tier 3 ability Burning blade...is that worth the DPS? not that there's a huge amount of DPS increasing options at that point, but is that wee lil DoT going to get bigger then what it is right now at my level? (think is around 80 total damage over 6 seconds?) I guess on a skill with a 9 sec (traited) CD it's an increase of 80 pts or so...but I just want to make sure I'm maximizing my build at this point.

[CriticalMasses]

Use Kira, and make sure that beyond her primary stats, you are gearing her with boosts to POWER.

 

Power is an amazing stat for all your companions. It boosts healing and damage both.

 

Tatooine is not where I had my problems. You are leveled way higher than what you need. You must be extremely under geared or are simply playing the class wrong. You should only have issues with the Sand Demon and the 3 Sith Harrowers (and I didn't have problems with either, although the Sith Harrows were annoying, you just have to interrupt).

 

If you still can't get a grip on your JKG, you may want to start a different class and see if that playstyle is more for you.

 

Guardian's do have some problems and they are one of the hardest classes to play effectively, but even so you are several levels above your content. I averaged about 2 levels above my content and I did have trouble at times, but you are 3-4 levels above. You should be doing just fine. (though you should be noting that ranged classes are doing the same content sometimes 1-2 levels UNDER the content).

 

This class really isn't for everyone, just like Consular Shadow is also not for everyone. Take some time and try out some of the other classes and then evaluate which one fits your playstyle the closest.

 

It is not an insult to admit that this class does not fit your play style. Bioware made all the force using melee classes much more difficult to play. There have been times when this class just has not been fun to play for me, and Bioware has definitely failed the "Do you feel heroic?" question with this class, as I don't think very many of us truly felt heroic when leveling our JKG's, but it is doable, and it CAN be fun.

 

However, this is NOT a class you can play if you aren't really paying attention at all times and to all of your abilities. If you are tired, bored, etc and you aren't watching what you are doing, you will bite it, and bite it repeatedly. This class takes a lot of dedication and devotion and NOTHING will change that, not even the best gear on the server can help you if you aren't into what you are doing and dedicated to it.

 

the only time I feel heroic is if I am paired with a healer that knows what they are doing and can keep me up and running as long as I am doing my part and keeping aggro off of them. If I have a good healer, then I feel Heroic. Otherwise, I have to work twice as hard as most other classes.

 

Literally you have to use EVERY ability you have at times. You have to know WHEN to use those abilities, and you have to be spot on about 90% of the time. As others have said, there is very little margin for error. This class is very unforgiving if you make too many mistakes..

Edited January 30, 2012 by CriticalMasses

[rexryan]

Guardians don't get a lot of the goodies till later. If they gave kids an out of combat heal it would be perfect.

 

I am leveling as a tank in dps gear (i pvp alot). I hardly ever die but I vr to regen like crazy. Kira popping a heal after the fight is over would be amazing.

 

Use your good cds. On the strong mobs. Stasis is great to open on an elite or strong. If its a caster interrupt with kick, push, stasis etc.

 

Use your cds often....

[Geldran]

However, this is NOT a class you can play if you aren't really paying attention at all times and to all of your abilities. If you are tired, bored, etc and you aren't watching what you are doing, you will bite it, and bite it repeatedly.

 

I would like to really stress that part. I know for a fact that some fights I go in only half paying attention and I lose almost half my health easy. Then I start paying attention and from then on I barely lose any at all.

[Atamosk]

neither my companions or my own gear are good and up-to-date per se, but I really don't know how to get anything better. like I said, I take quest rewards and buy stuff with commendations, what more is there?

 

and no, there are no disabled abilities and she's definitely set to a stance (the DOT, I believe).

 

ok well there are a few things to look at.

 

if you were tank and you switched to dps depending on how you gear would effect your ability to play dps very much so

 

i assume you went for more defensive stats, more end, and less str. so if you switch to dmg you just wont be putting out the numbers of someone who stacks the dmg oriented stats.

 

also you can just get custom gear and buy blue mods and armoring and such. if your gear is not your lvl then being that lvl doesnt mean a whole lot aside from some updated abilities. if your gear is 5 lvls below you then you are pirtty much 5 lvls below your actual lvl.

[JasonFJ]

If I could solve most Guardian's problems I'd advise 3 things:

 

1) Interrupt.

2) Interrupt.

3) Interrupt.

 

But seriously, did I mention Interrupt? The way to handle most fights against strong/elites is to use your interrupt carefully. Cancelling Force Storm against you is more important than Force Lightning. Learn which attacks are the high damage ones. One more time: Interrupt.

 

Other then that, yeah a well geared companion is critical. I'd advise at least getting a moddable chest/greaves/weapon (preferably for your companion as well) and keep those 3 items well-modded and using GTN-blues or self-crafted gear for other bits.

 

I levelled 1 to 50 in full defense spec with Kira. I almost never died. Once I got Doc I become a god (2 elites? No prob, just rotate your stuns and ward to mitigate until one is down).

 

Oh... even though this is probably obvious you should take out the weaks first and strong/elite second. For example, on larger groups I'll put Kira on a weak, I'll leap on the strong (stun), sweep to collect aggro, stasis the strong then switch to remaining weaks. Then Kira and I burn down the strong.

[weezman]

You need to learn all your abilities, and learn them well. Keep companions up to par. That should be all you need OP.

 

Vigilance gets better in the mid 30s. Focus is nice but Vigilance is better.

 

Really, Guardian DPS mode just needs to have nice abilities that aren't tied to a incapacitate or slow. Once you learn the magic of Opportune Strike and Pommel Strike, life gets better.

[matthiaskotor]

I haven't played a guardian, but I have my Shadow specced up the tanking tree and don't have anywhere near the problems you are describing. On Tantooine I was able to solo many of the 2+ Heroics with little problem. Of course stealth helps, but I just make sure to keep my healing companion out the entire time and grab aggro. He keeps me healed through most multiple mob fights, including those with an elite, or sometimes 2 elites depending on the mob, even if 1 or 2 levels higher.

 

I have found that when I try using a DPS companion we are both almost dead when taking on tough mobs, so I just run everything with my healer out and the rest of the companions are relegated to crew skills.

 

At least some of the pain is because JKs don't get a healing companion until Balmorra (32-36). Running tank+healer has a much bigger margin for error than tank+DPS against elites. 2xDPS is a recipe for frustration unless you are well geared and know what you are doing.

 

I'm working on a generic guide for a lot of this stuff (not specific to JK). Might get a first draft posted tonight.

[Elyx]

At least some of the pain is because JKs don't get a healing companion until Balmorra (32-36). Running tank+healer has a much bigger margin for error than tank+DPS against elites. 2xDPS is a recipe for frustration unless you are well geared and know what you are doing.

 

I'm working on a generic guide for a lot of this stuff (not specific to JK). Might get a first draft posted tonight.

 

Let us know when you do Matt, very interested in reading it

Edited January 30, 2012 by Elyx

[malrats]

Once you learn the magic of Opportune Strike and Pommel Strike, life gets better.

 

curious, what's the magic of these abilities? I almost never seem to get to use them since they have the requirements. every once in awhile I'll get to use the one with the yellow icon (I forget which it is) after I've used Sweep, other than that I almost never get to use them.

 

also, great advice everyone else.

 

I've just been sticking with Vigilance and using T7 as a tank and trying to keep my gear upgraded (sadly almost entirely through buying stuff on the GTN) and things have been a little better I suppose. but I'm still quite a bit higher than everything I'm fighting (I'm about to hit 37 and my story enemies are like 32). I haven't even started Balmora yet, to be honest.

[sehart]

If you are are in the Defense tree, you can get Force Clap which causes Force Leap to stun the target for 2 seconds. I can jump in, pommel strike immediately (for no focus) and depending on how much health is left and the situation, Slash, Sunder or Riposte (if it's up). So if it's a group of a strong and two normals, I'll have Kira attack one normal, I'll do the above to the other normal (that 3 move rotation usually finishes it off) then both of us will be able to just burn the last one down.

 

I haven't messed with the vigilance tree much, but I can see where it would not be as useful. And I don't think it works in pvp.

 

It can be tough to get in a fight, but it's still a pretty good amount of immediate damage for no focus cost.

[WaywardOne]

No matter what your main tree, use Soresu stance and a shield unless you're in a group or unless T7 is functioning as a tank (I stopped using him @12 so don't know how good he is).

 

Most of the bosses that are considered tough have whammy-abilities that will end you if you let them go off too many times. But you can see them charging them up on their cast bar which pops up above their health bar on the bottom of your screen. Don't look at the boss, look at the health bar. You want to fire your interrupt (force kick) when you see a cast bar. If your main interrupt is on CD, use force stasis. Other things that can interrupt include the charges/leaps and force push. Let your companion get agro (and die) first.

[Ceasaigh]

Leveling a guardian is rough until you get your healer. Once you get your healer things get a bit more easy.

 

 

IMO guardian is all about the gear and your companions gear. Keep your self geared to your level and you'll do fine. If your under geared even a couple of levels things get hard.

Edited January 31, 2012 by Ceasaigh

[Malifaxis]

Posted this on another thread but think it applies here also.

 

Once you hit 40 focus is the way to go. Charge in set up force sweep and loot if they are all normal mobs.

 

I breeze through elites pretty easily as well, usually don't even need to stop to rest after one. Force Leap>Exhaustion>sweep, Choke>Zealous leap>sweep, Push>Force Leap>sweep...combine that with pretty much anything else thrown in for a filler or 2 and you have a dead elite in around 30s.

 

If stuff has a lot of hp after 3 fully loaded sweeps buy a hilt with comms, and go to the ah and buy a focus cuz your gear has gotta be bad.

 

Here's a quick video of me lvling at 44 on Belsavis.

 

http://www.twitch.tv/envioz/b/307139336

 

In 1:30 I take out an elite, a group of normal mobs with a strong mob add, and another group of normals before resting. Usually I don't even take that much dmg. Since I was pushing pulling fast a lot of stuff was on cooldowns where I wouldn't normally have to wait and usually pulling more casually gives doc a little more time on heals.

 

I know the quality is crappy, I'm not really sure how to set up all that stuff, but I think it shows the power of focus lvling pretty well. I have level'd a Jugg to 50 and this is a 44 guard. I have tried all the specs and prefer Vigilance for the 30% smash at low levels, Tank or Vigilance round the mid levels (they both seems about the same though probably like vig more just for pvp aspect). But once you hit 40 man is focus faster than anything else!

 

True you need doc to be most effective, though I have had some success with Scourge. But you still need to rest more often. I just always end up back with doc, it's too nice to just go through some quests and not even look at your hp bar.

[Heraclea]

If I could solve most Guardian's problems I'd advise 3 things:

 

1) Interrupt.

2) Interrupt.

3) Interrupt.

 

But seriously, did I mention Interrupt? The way to handle most fights against strong/elites is to use your interrupt carefully. Cancelling Force Storm against you is more important than Force Lightning. Learn which attacks are the high damage ones.

 

You'll have a better idea which ones after the first faceplant.

 

Oh... even though this is probably obvious you should take out the weaks first and strong/elite second. For example, on larger groups I'll put Kira on a weak, I'll leap on the strong (stun), sweep to collect aggro, stasis the strong then switch to remaining weaks. Then Kira and I burn down the strong.

 

This isn't exactly how this works. You take out the adds first so that hopefully they won't respawn and you'll at least be done with them when you come back; or after ten minutes when you can rez there.