I think it'd be useful if we could share tips on the various classes, like strategies to defeat bosses or a big mob, builds for PvE or PvP, picking the right companion and other useful things.

I recently begun my first alt character, a Jedi Guardian, with the goal of making him a Tank. Already it seems this class is going to be much harder than the Mercenary has been, so I wouldn't mind anything you people can share about the Guardian so I can adjust my strategy and build accordingly.

I posted some ramblings about my early experiences with the mirror class, Juggernaut, in this thread (http://www.lucasforums.com/showthread.php?t=209076). I struggled through to level 47 before finally parking him at the end of Voss, after I was stuck in the class quest there. In the meantime, I started a BH Merc who I have since got to 50 and finished the class quest with no problems.

My personal feelings on the class for PVE are that it is really only worth taking if you are either some sort of power player with a lot of MMO experience, or you plan to play him constantly grouped. Solo it just really isn't a lot of fun, unless you enjoy munching medpacks like candy and dying a lot.

Mechanics-wise, you don't start to get any useful tank abilities until around about the time you finish Chapter 1 of your class story, in the early 30s. By about level 40 you should have the majority of your abilities plus be fairly close to the top of your tree (Defense/Immortal). Even then, your two main problems will be a consistent inability to hold aggro and a distinct lack of survivability. These are obviously the two crucial parts of the tank role, which presents a problem. The latter can be mitigated by getting the best gear, running in a group with a healer, and learning how to properly use your skills. The former is just a broken part of the game at the moment which seems to be widely agreed on by most people playing the class.

If you are planning on playing solo, you probably have an advantage in some respects playing a JK over a SW in that your second companion who you get on Coruscant (!! Does any other class in the game get two companions that fast?) is a melee DPS. The SW doesn't get their mirror companion until into their 30s. As a melee tank with little to no ability to maintain aggro, I found that the a melee DPS companion was the best bet. A ranged companion will constantly be dragging mobs off you from 30m away, which is a serious problem. Melee companions will still drag mobs off you, but at least they'll usually be standing right next to you at the time, saving you from chasing the mob all over the place Benny Hill style and breaking your rotation. That sort of thing will kill you quick. For solo tactics, always have both you and your companion target a Strong mob first to kill it as quick as possible, then mop up any Weak/Normals. I have consistently found that two Strongs together (or worse, and Elite and a Strong) are nigh on impossible to tackle solo, unless you are over-levelled. Conversely, a single Elite is usually little problem once you have all your tools.

Thanks for the ideas! You know, if it really doesn't work out, I can still respec to one of the DPS trees for the Guardian, if he's any good for that. But I just want to know how it is to play a Tank, as I've never really done it (you know, maybe I turn out to be a master tanker or something :p).

Hm. Well, then I guess I'll scratch the idea of being a jedi guardian for the early going on the light side.
The friend of mine who is playing it likes the consular>sage and inquisitor>sorcerer classes and he is always commenting how for a sage a Trooper Vanguard would be the preferrable route to go as a tank as opposed to a Jedi Guardian because part of that is "broken"--especially as a newcomer late-bloomer.

I haven't had a chance to play a Vanguard/Powertech as yet, but from what I have read and my personal experience playing a Juggernaut, yeah I'd also suggest going for a Vanguard over a Guardian if you are interested in playing a tank.

Vanguards definitely have more utility when it comes to tanking. They have superior range and abilities from what I can gather and can easily focus on multiple enemies at once in all directions, near or far.

At least that's been my experience with the Vanguard so far doing hard mode flashpoints with others. I generate threat, interrupt enemies using various moves such as Riot Strike, Storm, Harpoon and Cryo Grenade, use debuffs and generally keep the enemy off balance and focused on me no matter where they are.

The Guardian can do the same of course, but the Vanguard has the advantage of being a ranged class where their abilities are good from up to 30 meters away.

Is Vanguard the one with the machette "Iaido" maneuver?

Yes and no, there's a move called "Gut" which you can get in the Tactics tree but it doesn't look like Iaido. It's more of a horizontal slash with a hidden vibroknife located in the wrist part of the Vanguard's gauntlet which instantly disappears back inside after you use it.

What does "tank" mean? i have read that and heard it but was not sure...does it mean a very strong fighter..ie a human tank? or is there another meaning? i was tentatively going to be Guardian ....but had not picked yet...and planned to keep Kira as my companion..i am a Jedi Knight at level 11....so i have a lot of choices ahead... this is a helpful topic, thanks.

Many MMO's use this gameplay concept which is basically a "holy trinity". You have characters who do a lot of damage, characters who mostly heal, and characters who mostly take damage. The latter is called a tank. A balance of the three are needed to be an effective group (mostly in the later stages of the game). The tank's job in an MMO is mostly to be the center of attention, the character which will take the damage of mobs to keep the other roles (healer and damage dealers) from taking too much damage (needless to say, the tank can take a lot of damage). Every class with the ability to be a tank has skills accessible to be able to be a good tank.

Honestly, though, a Jedi Guardian tank may not be the best choice for a beginning player. I have not idea how patch 1.2 will change the Guardian's experience, but so far, it has been difficult for a Guardian to be an effective tank. I think being a DPS (damage per second = damage dealer role) is a better choice for a new player, and you can do so if you choose a Guardian (a Sentinel may be a better DPS, as far as I know, the Guardian has a better chance of staying alive, even when he's specialized in a DPS tree).

OK thanks, yes i have died a LOT ..i was not even able to defeat the Forge Guardian ....almost but not quite..and i have worried a bit about my role as a "helping Hand" if i die too much....thanks for that explanation. much appreciated.. i will think things over, have not had to decide yet..but soon.

So an update on the Guardian Tank now that I started Chapter 3 with him. Earlier concerns seem unfounded, I think. The Guardian Tank doesn't feel much more difficult than other classes. Obviously, being overleved does help quite a bit, which gives you the opportunity to just use Kira (DPS) along the way, so you go through battles quite quickly. I have not noticed, however, any significant increase in difficulty when fighting mobs around the same level as yourself (which I did when I went through the Alderaan Bonus Series), even with Kira as a companion. The only difference is that when fighting Elites, you better take Doc (Healer) with you.

Fighting one Elite is quite easy, even one at your level. You pretty much never get under 80% of your health, as long as you manage to interrupt some of their hardhitting skills. Fighting Elites with backup is a bit more challenging, but eventually, it's just a matter of taking out the backup quickly (while holding aggro so Doc isn't overwhelmed). When you do, the Elite's pretty much busted.

Some time around Voss is when the mobs are getting closer to your level again, so if it proves to be more of a challenge than I expected, I'll let everyone know.