Because advanced classes are well rounded, at least ours is, I've found viability to tank operations without going shield. This obviously works best when your have bio for the extra survival button. Any build that takes hydraulic override is great. I think the best config uses prototype flame thrower and some points in shield, as well as the heat dissipation points for HEGC. This way you gain some efficiency and can pop between dps and tank whenever you need to, sometimes useful in different phases of the same encounter Edited July 16, 2012 by mrObtuse

I play a full shield tech PT, with full columi, and I have done all HM FPs, except Battle for Ilum, and LI. Also I have done both KP and EV story in a PUG. You might be able to tank FP's like that but trust me unless your way overgearedyou'll be a hindrance in story and failure for sure in HM+.

 

YOU WILL BE ABLE TO OFF TANK WITH A HYBRID SHIELD-AP BUILD

 

In bold so you can't miss it.

You won't be able to tank HM EC, or Nightmare when it is released so what is the point? I can log on my Warlock and solo all the old school lvl 60 dungeons too, does that mean I am a tank? No, it means that I completely outgear the instances.

 

True tanking role is in Shield tree.

Jet Charge + 2 free Flame Sweeps are just too good to pass up!

 

I can understand a build becoming borning after a while though, currently the tanking builds in SWTOR are not very forgiving as far as some of the harder content in the game. I think they are trying to intentionally make tanks do less and less actual damage, but boost their threat up. This was a problem in WoW during the WotLK expansion when tanks started to do insane amounts of damage. So learning from that mistake I think they are on the right path.