I'm currently leveling my alt, a Gunslinger, and I recently was annoyed to notice that the higher level I get (and thus, slightly harder content with higher level mobs) the squishier Bowdaar becomes. I'm a 34 level and whenever I fight a Strong mob he (Bowdaar) will always drop to low health over the course of the fight; when I'm fighting Elites he always dies and I have to kite them to win. So why is he so ineffective?

I've leveled up a Sith Juggernaut and I'm used to withstand damage while my companion (usually Vette) blasted the mobs away. Now, while I'm playing the otherwise awesome Gunslinger, I find my meat shield to be very lacking. Would it be better if I use a DPS companion like Risha instead? That way we could probably burn the mobs down faster and she can't be squishier than the Wookiee.

I'm currently leveling my alt, a Gunslinger, and I recently was annoyed to notice that the higher level I get (and thus, slightly harder content with higher level mobs) the squishier Bowdaar becomes. I'm a 34 level and whenever I fight a Strong mob he (Bowdaar) will always drop to low health over the course of the fight; when I'm fighting Elites he always dies and I have to kite them to win. So why is he so ineffective?

 

I've leveled up a Sith Juggernaut and I'm used to withstand damage while my companion (usually Vette) blasted the mobs away. Now, while I'm playing the otherwise awesome Gunslinger, I find my meat shield to be very lacking. Would it be better if I use a DPS companion like Risha instead? That way we could probably burn the mobs down faster and she can't be squishier than the Wookiee.

The problem you're having is that Tank companions were nerfed because everyone would always use them. Now everyone just uses the healer. And when healers are nerfed, everyone will use the ranged dps. Bioware is having lots of trouble properly balancing out their companion system, so expect several inconveniences like this until they manage to sort **** out.

are still pretty squishy until you fully gear them out at level 50.

Eeehhh...... Sorry, but even fully geared with epic equipment, companion tanks are still like a step above wet tissue-paper. Really, my Corso just becomes a temporary meatshield that will, without fail, get creamed if you take on more than a really basic group of enemies (couple Strongs and he's toast).

Conversely, I've found myself getting careless with Guss around. Like, start a fight, grab a beer, come back and finish the fight, kind of careless. I find I tend to aggro a bunch of groups at once with Guss, not because I accidentally agroe'd them, but because I want to get the most bang for my buck out of that 60 sec XS Flyby cooldown. He also fills in nicely for 4-man Heroics, and once during an HM (which is sweet, because he doesn't roll on loot).

Unless you're a healer, and absolutely need someone to take the aggro away from you and survive just a liiiiitle bit better than you do while you both whittle away at a Champion, "Tank" companions are pretty useless.