Class changes and balance in Game Update 1.3

Is that what's actually happening in testing, then? PvE has been "ruined"?

Looks like my class will finally be nerfed... Hope the nerf for the shadow isn't too much (I am a little concerned).

1) What is the Target level aimed at for the Change?
As the change in Dark Charge is a change in a 'multiple' effect its effects Multiply far beyond the target nerf group.
Tionese Wearers will find that there low armour from the 35% reduction is going to be huge, making tanking in Flashpoints frustrating with a huge decrease in survivability. Where as Higher level tanks such as in Blackhole/campaign will barely notice the difference other than multiple mob tanking where again this 35% reduction is multiplied by each of the trash mobs being tanked. 2) The Armour nerf is multiplied for each and every additional Mob being tankedNot Only is this armour nerf a multiple of the Tanks base armour, every mob attacking the tank benefits from this reduction in mitigation. a 35% Difference is an increase in damage by 35% for every mob. 3 Mobs will mean the tank is taking the extra damage 3 times over.
OK someone failed basic math. If I tank one mob or 3 mobs my proportional increase in damage is the same. If it was 35% it would be 35% more damage. Each mob will do the same % increase. So 3 mobs hitting me at for 1000 = 3000 damage. If I took 35% more damage each mob would hit me for 1350 for a total of 4150. 4150 is 35% more than 3000, what do you know, the damage increase is the same %.
Now lets delve deeper into your misconception. The armor rating reduction is not 35% and the armor damage reduction modifier is most certainly not 35%, its .9% more damage taken. Yes 0.9% more damage.
Base Armor + Combat Tech + Stasis (20% talent)
Now 100+150+20=270
1.3 100+115=20=235
(270-235)/250=13% armor rating nerf
THIS IS NOT A 35% NERF!!!!
For my marginally geared (columi mainly) alt shadow tank
Current armor = 6746 AR = 38.45% DR
Current - 13% = 5869 AR ~= 5982 (an armor level i can reach) = 37.65% DR
Assume a bit more call it, what 37.55% DR to over value another 120 AR loss
So 38.45-37.55=0.9% mitigation loss... Oh no... less than 1% less mitigation... on a COLUMI geared tank, aka I am not far into diminishing returns.
Once again for the people who missed it the first time having Combat Stance move from +150% armor (aka 250% total armor) to 115% armor will cost me .9% mitigation.


3) Assassin Tanks rely on Armor Mitigation alot MORE than the other tanks
Base Armor on Each of the different types of tanks is respective of their Tanking itemisation where Juggernauts/Powertech and their Republic counterparts Have a higher Defence (avoidance) and their Armour is applied HALF as often as a Armor dependant tank such as the Shadow or Assassin that relies on the Mitigation of the armour. That in itself means more than the Tue Value of whether Assassins are wearing Heavy Armour or not

If a Juggernaut/Powertech is only hit 60% or 70% of the time due to high Defence rating. Heavy Armour only benefits when the tank is actually HIT.
An Assassin has much lower Defence and is hit 80% of the time meaning that the affects of armour on a Shadow/Assassin Tank is applied more often and that a reduction in current armour means that they will take more damage than the other two tanks because of this lack of avoidance almost Twice as often.
Um What?
Shadow - Def 27.27% Armor 6746 DR 42.45 S/A 62.66/50.85 Columi
Guardian Def 26.11% Armor 7494 DR 46.96 S/A 47.20/29.51 Columi/Rakata
Trooper- Def 19.41% Armor 8649 DR 52.95 S/A 50.31/38.21 Rakata/BH
All #s assume self buffs (20% SR for shadow and 8% SA for trooper) were up at max
I have literally NO idea where you pulled your ideas from.



4) Multiple Mobs, multiply the damage reduction exponentially
Assassins Dark Ward has but 10 Charges and without it makes their mitigation from shielding Worse than other 'Heavy Armor' tanks that have a base shield mechanic and do not have to rely on charges or a resource that can diminish quickly in a multi mob situation. An additional 10% shielding over the other tanks for only 10 attacks every 12 seconds or have 10% less shielding diminishes its effectiveness on multi mob tanking. This Multiplies the amount of damage an Assassin TANK will take over the other tanks in amulti mob tanking situation.
True and annoying that there are limited charges. However again if we take 10% more damage when shield is down it is 10% more damage no matter how many idiots are hitting us
Conclusion
ALL of this will inevitably render the tank as the WEAKEST and Last choice for Flashpoint and Operations groups.
I have no idea its effects in PVP I play only to RAID. But a Change to fix PVP that destroys the optimal viability of a class Spec is a BAD change. PVP will need to be adjusted some other way.