One reason there is a tank shortage in group finder

So, so, ********n true...

My main is a sorc healer, and I'm yet to run a HM FP, let alone an operation, with anything else. Having leveled up to 50 with him, I've developed a sort of "healer's instinct"; maybe other healers will know what I'm talking about, but it's actually harder for me to not instinctively heal than to heal. If I switch to Madness DPS, I have to physically remove my heals from my hotkeys because it's second nature.

Anyway, the point is, if their healing sucks and they aren't undergeared, lose them. Fast. There's always another healer, who knows what the hell they're meant to be doing, waiting outside.

Man, I feel for you OP. Stories like this and descriptions of tank roles in endgame turned me off doing flashpoints for a very long time, despite loving playing tank characters (I have three). Now I'm trying to break into endgame content with them and terrified of using Group Finder because of getting abuse for my fight-specific ignornace.

Doesn't help that one of the few times I have done endgame tank content, I got chewed out for not doing my job by a DPS who wasn't following my lead and running ahead and initiating fights before I did.

Doing Guild-only doesn't work for me because with one exception, I'm not in any huge guilds.

But, general sentiment of the comments applies: there are good and bad people in every role, going PUG, you're risking getting the stupids along with the good apples. I've had both good and bad experiences using Group Finder.

And when all else fails: /ignore weeds out the bad apples you encounter. :}

I have just started getting my feet wet tanking. I have a Vanguard and a Guardian, focusing more on the Vanguard right now, and I am pretty much terrified of screwing up and getting chewed out for it. I feel like I am a pretty decent tank so far, last FP I did, I was pretty much the only one taking damage from the last boss fight so it made the fight really easy, and we were all at or below level for the FP so I count that as a success. I just hope that the people I group up with in pugs are understanding and not jerks...

This is very true. I think the biggest issue with this community is that it attracted so many Star Wars fans that never set foot in an MMO before. These players reach end game soloing but haven't really learned their class, don't understand what most of us would consider basic MMO concepts, and often stubbornly refuse to "play the game your way.". Many games you have raids and forced grouping before 50 where you learn some of this. Here not so much if you don't want it.

I've run into some really strange people and some stranger issues in this game. On the flip side I have also met some great people.

Here Here.....I have many alts. More Tanks and Healers (in that order) then DPS. I don't mean to belittle anyone, but DPS is the easiest most mindless class. It can be fun to play as you have two rules.

1. Kill adds first, then help kill champ/boss with tank.
2. Keep adds off healer.

Still people mess that up by only staying on the Champ/Boss and let adds attack the healer. So then Tank has to run from Champ/Boss to try and Aggro them to him. Happens all the time. I tank more then I heal, and I have often been told by reputation on both sides. Rep (Guradian and Vanguard) and Imp (Assassin and Juggernaut) that they are relieved I joined there Group Finder Flash point as such and such tank was bad. But I find usually those people are also making it difficult on the tank. No complaints. However I have been DPS and Heals and actually had bad tanks that were not in tank gear, were not speced for tank. Were in the wrong stance. Did not taunt etc....so it goes to say there are bad players.

Everyone has to learn at some point in time.

My main is a Jugg Tank and I have been tanking since release. Tanking in this game especially once you start progression can be mentally tasking. For my money, tanking is the most challenging thing you can do. The reality is though that you will screw up occasionally but so will everyone else. Some fights are so tight that the smallest slip can turn things bad. The two most important things are knowledge and control. Knowledge of the encounter, the mechanics, knowledge of your class, and how threat works will give you an edge. Know your gear and what gear is required for the FP/OP. Don't walk into an LI in Tio gear. Control of the party, use that knowledge and lead the group. As with anything, the more you do it the more comfortable you become and the better you get. If someone is chewing you out over a mistake then they aren't someone you want to be grouping with.

Honestly having played all three roles, I believe the healer has the hardest job. Yes Tanking is a skill, it is challenging and very tough at times. But when the animal byproducts hits the rotary impeller and it is up to the healer to heal everyone back to life before a wipe. Those are the toughest moments.

Some flashpoints, Lost Island for example, are very very .... hard on a healer. They should rename that Healers Hell.

I am horrid at tanking and decent at healing. As a DPS I am most comfortable. I have had great luck with pugs as my playtimes are usually off-peak and my guild is mostly offline.

The few times I have had issues, they were with tanks. Mind you, these are a handful out of many, many FPs, but the egos were amazing on these people.

The worst was a lecture I received on playing my sniper when I had done just fine on the ONE mob we had faced to that point. He continued to stop and lecture me as we progressed to the point that the other members wanted him to shut up. But he was a great tank when he actually played, and everyone knows not to anger the tank into quitting. So I stopped doing it right, followed his lead, we still finished, albeit at a MUCH slower pace.

And last night I had a pug on a HM FP where the healer was in over their head. They apologized profusely and explained everything quite well I thought, but this tank went off the entire time about how lucky the healer was that he was sooooo patient. We ended up basically doing it where the healer focused solely on the tank leaving the two dps's on their own. Worked out in the end but the abuse from this person was uncomfortable to say the least.

It's almost like these few bad apples have it in their head that they are a gift from the heavens and if you do not bend to their will, you should not be allowed in their presence.

The OP is kinda ridiculous. He had one bad experience and this is why there's a shortage on tanks...

1. What shortage on tanks? Tanks and heals will always queue faster than DPS, that doesn't mean there's a shortage.
2. There are bad players in every role (tanks that can't hold agro and don't pay attention, healers that dps too much and forget to do their job, dps who ignore normal dps order and focus the wrong mobs, all classes noobs not knowing their spec or how to manage their resources, etc). Either make the the group work despite the bad players or kick them. After the group ends /ignore them. Making a post about it isn't going to fix anything, bad players will always exist.
3. If there is a shortage of tanks (not saying there is) lack of dual spec would be a much stronger reason than group finder. In fact, it's gotten better since f2p dropped since subs can now respec for free. Now people who used to only DPS in flashpoints are healing and tanking to get quicker queues because there isn't a monetary penalty (though still a time one, but not much of one).

Oh plz i had jedi guardians tanks, with cunning stuff and aim stuff of lvl 20ish on the false emperor hard mode... and from what i could gather i dont think the dude knew the mechanics of combat ( of the game) at all. using chi cho
not even soresu...
I also had tanks that rushed into every mob without waiting for the rest of the team and wonder why they died... i mean there are some crazy folk out there its a given.
For all the beginners i urge you all to read the tutorials, or the codex about game mechanics.