I just did the stronghold this morning on my 2nd Trooper. Mowed everything but the Imperial Officers down with relative ease. I wasn't ready for the damage the Imp Officers did so I died once because I didn't use a Medpack. After that, an Imp Officer and 2 adds were tough but totally doable. Use all of your abilities on cooldown and don't forget consumables. Medpacks and stims can be your friends!

If you have armor that is moddable, you can, theoretically, get the same stats as the PvP gear. The PvP gear is just fairly easy to get, looks good and comes with mods directed at specific roles. I haven't had too much luck finding tanking mods for my armor at 37 so I'm doing the pvp matches necessary for the level 40 set.

Not to mention any rifle you got would be exactly the same as the one you already have so there's really no point in giving you another weapon.

It's also fun in groups when you have a Guardian tanking. Harpoon right as he uses Force Leap. He's left standing there scratching his head.

There are other abilities that are Elemental damage, you know.

You can still use Ion Cell but you lose the buffs that the Shield Spec has for it. The DoT, extra damage, etc. I imagine you could tank normal flashpoints and heroic quests alright but any higher than that would likely require a shield spec (10% shield chance is nothing to sneeze at).

Endurance over Aim for more health Tanks also want Absorbtion and Defense That's how I see it, anyway.

Mine typically doesn't work when I lose line of sight on the target during the animation of the harpoon. Kind of annoying but just takes an adjustment. Also, sometimes you can't harpoon things over obstacles. Minor annoyances for a fun ability.

I play my shield spec as more of a control/defense player in pvp. So...I'm tanking. Stand at a node/door you have and make sure no one caps it. You take longer to kill and you have some nice control/interrupts to work with. Not to mention carrying the ball in Huttball as well as putting Guard if someone else is carrying. Of course I don't top damage but I'm not really trying to. I'm just trying to win the warzone. You're not going to win many damage awards as a shield spec but I bet you get more MVP votes.

Yes and all tanking classes get their tanky stance/form/cell/etc. at 14 and a taunt at 16.

God, the entitlement. You all deserve nothing. This early-access-waves whole thing has been around since preorders started. Your fault for not preordering then. How is someone getting 7 more days (not likely, btw, maybe 3-4) really going to effect your gameplay? If you chose a PvP server, you're going to get ganked on any alts, anyway. How is this different? The whining childishness is beyond belief. Oh, I preordered the last week of November. I'm happy to get in the game when I can, which will be before the official launch date, anyway. But then, I can read and comprehend what words mean so I understood I wouldn't get in right away for early access. And I shall pause for all of the "fanboy" comments because my saying something against your entitled selves must mean that I'm on Bioware's jock. Pathetic.

No. No, it didn't need to be asked.

"A real scum move" to post in the forums whining that you didn't get in right away for the EXTRA FREE days? Yes, I agree.

I think it's pretty safe to say...yes, he was joking. Now, unbunch them panties.

If by "Worst head start idea ever?" you mean "Most whining by kiddies ever?", then yes.