Is it this difficult for all classes/everyone?

[russmanOR]

So I've been 50 for a few days and trying to do Ilum content and I'm just getting stomped. Average pulls i end at 20% or so and have to rest, I die if i accidentally pull anything extra. Still can't kill Lord Loyat. Tried full defense tank spec, full vigilance dps, and the hybrid defense/vigilance tank build stickied on the forums here. Tried Kira and tried Doc, both in decent gear.

 

My question is, is this the way it is going to be? Or is guardian really, truly the useless paperweight forum QQ makes it out to be?

[Aodhan]

I really don't think it is. After struggling with my DPS Guardian on Tatooine and then on Alderaan, I respecced from Vigil to Focus, and it really made no difference. I still would either barely survive each encounter, or I would not survive encounters. And with repair bills well over a thousand credits, sometimes more than 2,000, I became disheartened and rerolled a Smuggler Gunslinger, and oh the joy.

 

Gunslingers aren't faceroll, but their effectiveness is a breath of fresh air. Targets drop much faster, I mean much much faster. And in the worst case scenario, I end up at 50% health. Mostly I end up around 80% if I play smart. It's not easy, but it is so much less frustrating.

 

The whole thing bums me out because I love the playstyle of the Guardian. Force leap, Force push, the priority-based rotation... I love it all. It's just that it isn't effective enough in terms of DPS. So, I think I will shelf my Guardian for a bit and concentrate on the Smuggler. For now. Things will change for the Guardian sooner or later. Every dog eventually has his day.

[Lord_Paladin]

No, it's really not.

[russmanOR]

Trying to stick it out and hope they patch some changes...I don't mind difficulty, but it isn't fun to feel weak. I swear my companions are stronger than I am sometimes lol

[skinthinner]

I started leveling a Sage (in 20s) and even a bounty hunter (around 15) while I let my guardian (almost 50) get rested XP between sessions. I was AMAZED at how quickly I killed mobs on the other characters (even a heal spec'd sage) compared to the Guardian. Now, I can't soak damage like the guardian, and that is the point, but I was really amazed.

 

We are the real tanks of the game. Sit there and get pounded on while others do the dirty work, and occasionally unload a barrage of our own that softens up the target.

 

Once you accept that we are large shielded targets with a bullseye on our chests, the better you will feel about playing one.

[Vulcan]

I use T7 to tank as a Vigilance DPS Guardian and I do pretty well around level 32. I kill weakest targets first and he AoE's everything for aggro. He dies against almost every elite, and Guided by the Light saw me murdered several times over, but I don't think they're as gimped as people really think.

 

They have lots of minute cooldowns that I use at every chance that are CC and stuff, they're a really neat class, I like having lots of cool buttons!

[Bgiffo]

Other classes tend to have it easier, but the difficulty isn't so bad that I don't enjoy playing.

[Atallcost]

I started leveling a Sage (in 20s) and even a bounty hunter (around 15) while I let my guardian (almost 50) get rested XP between sessions. I was AMAZED at how quickly I killed mobs on the other characters (even a heal spec'd sage) compared to the Guardian. Now, I can't soak damage like the guardian, and that is the point, but I was really amazed.

 

We are the real tanks of the game. Sit there and get pounded on while others do the dirty work, and occasionally unload a barrage of our own that softens up the target.

 

Once you accept that we are large shielded targets with a bullseye on our chests, the better you will feel about playing one.

 

Have you forgotten that the Jedi Knight destroyed NPC face with extreme prejudice all the way to level 30? For that matter, I'm still wrecking on Alderaan, but it should be noted that every class can mop the proverbial floor with enemies at least until 30, where some skill and understanding of the class is absolutely required to be efficient.

 

By the way, I do not mean to sound rude just wanted to shine some light your experience, and remind you of your own earlier experience with the Guardian.

[Skraylok]

I am level 27 and cannot kill this flipping sand demon for my life.

 

On a related note. The Guardian Defense line is pointless. I feel like the bonuses are not nearly great enough to make any impact on class play. I die just as fast in defensive spec and gear as I do in full might mods and offensive stance.

 

I am really pissed that I played to 27 thinking that some of the new skills would help. The only skills I have that do any substantial damage to offset my "Heavy Armor" failure are on 1-3 minute cooldowns

[thespareaccount]

I am level 27 and cannot kill this flipping sand demon for my life.

 

On a related note. The Guardian Defense line is pointless. I feel like the bonuses are not nearly great enough to make any impact on class play. I die just as fast in defensive spec and gear as I do in full might mods and offensive stance.

 

I am really pissed that I played to 27 thinking that some of the new skills would help. The only skills I have that do any substantial damage to offset my "Heavy Armor" failure are on 1-3 minute cooldowns

 

Guardians are the worst class in the game. Not saying we can't "get by" but compared to others we suck.

 

It's like this; sure a 1994 Toyota Tercel will get you to work, but everyone else is driving a Mustang or Lexus or Escalade.

 

The major issue is that our defense/survivability does NOT make up for our lack of DPS.

[FtenEQ]

I am level 27 and cannot kill this flipping sand demon for my life.

 

On a related note. The Guardian Defense line is pointless. I feel like the bonuses are not nearly great enough to make any impact on class play. I die just as fast in defensive spec and gear as I do in full might mods and offensive stance.

 

I am really pissed that I played to 27 thinking that some of the new skills would help. The only skills I have that do any substantial damage to offset my "Heavy Armor" failure are on 1-3 minute cooldowns

 

I am a Defense specced Guardian and I tooled on the Sand Demon this afternoon.

Questions:

 

• What kind of gear is your Kira wearing?
  
• You are using Kira right?
  
• Are you using Stimpaks?
  
• Are you using Medpaks?
  
• Are you using your cooldowns cycled through the fight?
  

[Vulcan]

I am level 27 and cannot kill this flipping sand demon for my life.

 

On a related note. The Guardian Defense line is pointless. I feel like the bonuses are not nearly great enough to make any impact on class play. I die just as fast in defensive spec and gear as I do in full might mods and offensive stance.

 

I am really pissed that I played to 27 thinking that some of the new skills would help. The only skills I have that do any substantial damage to offset my "Heavy Armor" failure are on 1-3 minute cooldowns

 

Are you using a shield generator? It makes a huge difference. I also see Hybrid Builds for tanking there they take the first 3 or 4 tiers in the Defense tree and then go down Vigilance, I've only done DPS though.

[bobadiiq]

..... Edited December 31, 2011 by bobadiiq

[Darkshadz]

lvl 45, only a few mobs so far gave me trouble. I played vigi spec until lvl 43 or so and then I respecced focus for testing purposes. I prefer the vigilance build imo. The most challenging mob were those freaking sith harrowers on tatooine.

[Lord_Paladin]

Guardians are the worst class in the game. Not saying we can't "get by" but compared to others we suck.

 

It's like this; sure a 1994 Toyota Tercel will get you to work, but everyone else is driving a Mustang or Lexus or Escalade.

 

The major issue is that our defense/survivability does NOT make up for our lack of DPS.

 

Look at the build on the sticky at the top. The best defense/tank builds do not just go straight down defense.

[ehrgeiz]

I rolled a vanguard to see what another "tank" was like and its crazy how much more damage it does then my guardian. I'm really hoping we get some love soon.

[Elaithe]

I am level 27 and cannot kill this flipping sand demon for my life.

 

On a related note. The Guardian Defense line is pointless. I feel like the bonuses are not nearly great enough to make any impact on class play. I die just as fast in defensive spec and gear as I do in full might mods and offensive stance.

 

I am really pissed that I played to 27 thinking that some of the new skills would help. The only skills I have that do any substantial damage to offset my "Heavy Armor" failure are on 1-3 minute cooldowns

 

I honestly don't believe you, and if this is true than it's just sad. I killed the sand demon with 0 issues, it was extremely easy as a defense specced Guardian.

[NeonLights]

Currently the Guardian has a number of shortcomings. Is the class viable? Yes. A skilled player can overcome the drawbacks and have a lot of fun with this class.

[russmanOR]

I had no trouble with the Sand Demon, or anything else for that matter until much later on where the incoming damage just ramped up more than my outgoing. I havn't completely given up on it, and the Belsavis level 50 content is a lot easier. Ilum is still a chore, and I am still stuck on Lord Loyat.

Been using Rusk a lot lately and I honestly think he may be better than kira, even with most of his gear being the stuff he starts with he still hits 1800-2k with aimed blast and he has more aoe than Kira. Also he stands back so random aoe doesnt wear him down. Overdrive Beam seems useless however, i just turn it off.

I really like the Shadow playstyle, but I hate the consular armor, and the companions are boring, to me. I'm really afraid that leveling another toon to 50 again so soon will turn me off of this game entirely.

As for Trooper, the only AC im interested in is the Commando and they arent tanks so thats out.

Thanks for the input by the way, It's a relief to know that its not all just me sucking lol

[draconobalen]

I'm Defense specced and wearing tank gear, Ilum wasn't difficult at all with Doc behind me healing. It certainly doesn't go as quickly as I'd like, but I only die if I pull 3 packs or 2 when I'm already kind of low on health.

 

3 tips:

 

1) Kill weaks, then normals, then strongs, and finally elites. It makes a huge difference over how much damage you take during the course of the pull.

 

2) Try to kill the same thing your companion is attacking. He'll start with the mob you start with unless he gets hit by someone else, then he switched to that target. So make sure you start the pull on a normal mob, and pay close attention to who your companion is attacking.

 

3) This is an ancient Chinese secret, but keep hitting buttons. Don't wait that 1 second for a CD to be up, hit strike another time and then hit that Blade Storm. Even if you feel like you're hitting buttons like a madman, it's upping your DPS significantly that if you're waiting to see the button light up.

 

Guardian do not pull out great DPS, but we are very good tanks. Lots of people talk down Cyclone Slash, but when there are 3+ mobs it's a great button to hit when Force Sweep is on CD.

[Hulkster]

I am a Defense specced Guardian and I tooled on the Sand Demon this afternoon.

Questions:

 

• What kind of gear is your Kira wearing?
  
• You are using Kira right?
  
• Are you using Stimpaks?
  
• Are you using Medpaks?
  
• Are you using your cooldowns cycled through the fight?
  

 

Do other classes have to use medpacs and stimpacks to kill anything difficult?

[Noxside]

I never had much problem with my defence specced Guardian i ran through the class story smoothly, untill the last bit at level 50. But thats since i used Doc every single time.

 

However.. At Ilum things get a bit different. I realise yeah i kill things slowly since i'm defence specced but hey i thought my DPS companions could help me with that but no. I'm forced to use Doc to even survive a fight with 4 normal mobs and 1 strong.

 

Why should a class be forced to use a healer companion and blow all his cooldowns just to even survive a little fight ? Didn't Bioware say all the time they wanted us to feel like heroes ? i don't feel like a hero but a usless padawan in training still in PvE.

 

In PvP however i manage just fine even in 1v1 fights in warzone which doesn't happen that often. but some fights are tough. Mind you most of those 1v1 fight i've had were level 45 and up. Wish i had force pull tho.

 

It is wierd that my most powerfull attacks are...hitting my opponents with my saber hilt.. where is the sense in that ? Pommel Strike is useless in PvP and as well as Opportunity strike and doesn't work on Elites either.

 

People crying about this class in PvP is mostly L2P issue but doesn't change the fact no matter how much skillz you got you still are forced to use Doc in PvE soloing, If you use a DPS companion yeah you will survive some fights but you still need to stop at each fight to regain health all the time.

 

My Guardian is decently geared now at level 50. Still suffer these problems in PvE.

[Alohen]

To be fair, the Enemies at 50 do hit like Trucks, and If a Silver Crits you it can easily be 2-3k which is a decent chunk for a fight like that. I also noticed Post-Hoth, Patrol Silvers tend to move to Other Silvers with Normals with them, The Patrols tend to often walk into me when Fighting, sometimes I'm unaware till its too late.

[JefferyClark]

Guardians are the worst class in the game. Not saying we can't "get by" but compared to others we suck.

 

It's like this; sure a 1994 Toyota Tercel will get you to work, but everyone else is driving a Mustang or Lexus or Escalade.

 

The major issue is that our defense/survivability does NOT make up for our lack of DPS.

 

Exactly right. A good player can make it work and get the upper hand given the right set of conditions (misstep on the part of the opponent or an uneven fight in your favor), but we're pretty outclassed in all the areas that really matter.

 

My buddy (same level, different class) and I did some stuff and we took out 2 exact same groups (no companions, to make it fair -- he had his healer, I did not). He did so with over 50% health remaining. I ended up with under 20% health left. He also did it in half the time I did. I had burned a stimpack before the fight (he didn't), and had to use a medpack during the fight (he didn't). All my cooldowns were used (Saber Ward, etc); only 1 of his was, and it's a quick one.

 

Do other classes have to use medpacs and stimpacks to kill anything difficult?

 

Not nearly as often as we do.

[ChrisJSY]

 

However.. At Ilum things get a bit different. I realise yeah i kill things slowly since i'm defence specced but hey i thought my DPS companions could help me with that but no. I'm forced to use Doc to even survive a fight with 4 normal mobs and 1 strong.

 

 

 

I've not had issues so far with anything, just hit 50 last night but I'm definately not as strong as other tank classes, I use everything to it's fullest, I even guardian leap to my companion and back to mobs to get that extra focus and stun, silly little things like that most people never think of and hope they kill stuff by hitting Sunder/slash over and over.

 

However, I agree with you in that it's rediculous how easy some classes get it, to the point my friends trooper dps can take out packs of normals by pressing 1 skill. If there's a strong in that mix well, the rest are dead.

 

Now, you'll get the argument "well of course he's going to kill faster, he's dps, he can't take as much damage. What damage? He downs elites so much quicker that him being a non tank doesn't matter, his companion does enough heals, to top that off he can CC larger packs.

 

I played BH in beta, I can't even number how many more times easier it is than a immortal/defense tank.

 

I'm not complaining because I can't play and I'm having issues, I can and don't have issues, I just get on with it, but.. I'm complaing how the lack of skill or attention needed for other classes is a little depressing.