This thread isn't really mainly about flashpoints, operations, heroic mission, or anything like that. Although, you should know why after you've read this thread.

When I was doing a flashpoint in Athiss, I had two roles (tank and damage).

The group members left because of me since they were all so tired of losing. One of them said something like "dude, you really need to have a shield" or something like that.

Please, keep in mind that I returned playing SWTOR about 2-3 days ago. Thank you.

OK when you queue in the group finder, at the top of the window there are checkboxes for the roles your character CAN fill. So if you are playing a:

Jedi Knight Guardian

Jedi Counsular Shadow

Trooper Vanguard

Sith Warrior Juggernaut

Sith Inquisitor Assassin

Bounty Hunter Powertech

your character CAN tank or dps. HOWEVER, because a character CAN fill two roles does not mean they AUTOMATICALLY fill two roles. The discipline tree you choose and some of the gear you wear and the "stance" you are in determines what role your character DOES fill.

For example: in order to properly fill the tank role, your character needs a "shield" off hand piece rather than a "focus" or "generator." Without an off-hand gear item that specifies "shield" you cannot shield attacks and therefore as a tank you take FAR more damage than you should.

Furthermore, the tank discipline trees of the classes above improve your damage mitigation. Therefore if your character is not using a tank discipline you are taking far more damage than you should

Lastly the tank "stance" your character has further improves mitigation AND increases the threat you generate (so that targets are more likely to hit you than someone else).

In short, if you are no specced, geared, and stanced for tanking you should not queue in the group finder as a tank.

When you select your role(s), you're actually signing up to be either a DPS or a tank. When the group finder pops, the game assigns you one (little blue shield icon for tank vs little red sword icon for DPS).

DPS (Damage Per Second)'s role is to bring the pain onto bad guys. They should be using gear with power, critical, accuracy, and alacrity. Their off hand should be either a Focus (if a Force user) or a Generator (if a Tech user). Depending on your class, there will be some sort of DPS "stance" ability that toggles on additional damage dealing potential.

Tank's role is to be the meat shield for the group. They jump into the battle first and ensure that all the bad guys are attacking them instead of the less defensive group members. Tanks wear gear with defense, shield, and absorb. Their off hand should always be a Shield. Depending on your class, there will be some sort of tank "Stance" ability that toggles on additional aggro generation and defensive potential.

Generally DPS is considered an easier role for beginners, but tanks are rarer and thus more in demand.

Most of the advice we as a community could give regarding how to improve would be dependent on your specific class, but such questions are best directed to the class-specific forum section (always worth a read, even if you have no specific questions). Just pick your class from the list, and start reading

However, if you are unsure of how to play your class, I would suggest two initial steps.

1. Decide on a role and stick with it. Initially, DPS is easier because in most content the group are less reliant on the DPS being very good than they are the tank and healer - groups that wipe on bosses who enrage need more DPS, but groups that wipe on other occasions generally need either better co-ordination or the tank or healer need to up their game. However, there are so many DPS around, that a Sith could swing the entrails of a disemboweled Jedi around them and hit 15-20 DPSers. So finding a group for group content as DPS is harder, but it is better to play as a DPS than to try tanking without a clear idea of what you are doing.

2. Join a good guild that does group leveling content and that does not mind that you still have a lot to learn. Guilds are generally a more supportive learning environment for picking up new skills and roles (such as tanking) than the average Group-Finder group, and in most guilds there are plenty of tanks, healers or DPSers around in your class that they can give good advice and help you find your way. If you end up in a guild that cannot/does not offer that supportive environment, leaving the guild and finding another one is my recommended course of action.

Hmm, I guess I should tack this on as a point (3)... HAVE FUN

1. Decide on a role and stick with it. Initially, DPS is easier because in most content the group are less reliant on the DPS being very good than they are the tank and healer - groups that wipe on bosses who enrage need more DPS, but groups that wipe on other occasions generally need either better co-ordination or the tank or healer need to up their game. However, there are so many DPS around, that a Sith could swing the entrails of a disemboweled Jedi around them and hit 15-20 DPSers. So finding a group for group content as DPS is harder, but it is better to play as a DPS than to try tanking without a clear idea of what you are doing.

But learning how to tank or heal is not nearly as daunting as some make it out to be. Before SWTOR I had NEVER played a tank class (fact is most MMOs I played a healer), but my first character in this game was a Jedi Guardian Defense spec. What I did to learn how to tank is quite simple: I used my companion(s) as a training tool.

I learned to taunt by watching whether my companion was being hit or not

I learned to not break CC by using my companion's CC and making sure to not use AOE damage abilities near that target and/or moving non-CCed mobs away from the CCed ones.

I learned to face opponents away from my companion (learned the hard way that most bosses (story or group) have frontal attacks that can be avoided by proper facing)

Point is, learning to tank is not that difficult. If you group and you are the tank though you either have to know what the mechanics of a given fight are, or ask the question and then abide what the respondent states. I have grouped with plenty of new tanks and when they listen to what I state and recommend everything goes well. 90% of the time when you state to a group, "Hey I'm new any advice you can give would be appreciated." you will get good advice. The other 10% (rage quitters, and abusive players, etc) can be ignored.

ya, as others have said above, you were wearing the wrong gear for the role you chose, and they were tired of wiping. the problem is that you stepped into something that some players do, which is queing as a tank because it is faster to pop, but not actually being a tank (stance and gear). your group probably decided to give it a shot and see what happened, but unsurprisingly, it did not work.

others have told you how to correct that, so instead i will tell you to try tank. it is the easiest of the roles to learn and to do well, and has benefits such as fast que pops and a lot of control over whether the group wipes or wins. there are multiple guides out there for specific types of tanks, and you should read them if you go that route, but essentially they all boil down the the same thing. stand in the correct place and make sure as many enemies as possible are attacking you. and don't die. that part is important too.

Like people said, its a gearing and specing issue. If you que for both DPS and Tank, you have to make sure you have dps and tank gear in your inventory. Also you should have the "field respec" perk purchased so that you can respec anytime.

Well too bad that you were also with beginners in the flashpoint. THe game is so easy that if you had good players with you they would have carried you regardless.

I was doing flashpoint on Athiss, if any of you wanted to know.

Thank you so much for all of your replies. I did not expect to see this and I'm glad I did. Thank you for the advice.

Sorry for taking a while to reply, I read this thread but I didn't want to reply, yet, because I'm currently kind of in a tight schedule and I wanted to save time.

Thanks again.