Shield Specialist Vanguard 5.x Tank Class Guide

Change Discipline:

Gearing & Stats

The tables on this page were generated using optimizer scripts created by Bant aka Goblin_Lackey. The stats were calculated to give the maximum theoretical DPS/HPS/DTPS for each discipline, however you may wish to alter the builds depending on your play style or what content you are facing in SWTOR. Each table assumes you have a full set of the specified gear.

Suggested Best-in-Slot Stats

Name GEMINI MK-5
Tier 4: Legendary
(248)
GEMINI MK-3
Tier 4: Artifact
(246)
Iokath MK-5
Tier 3: Legendary
(242)
Iokath MK-2
Tier 3: Artifact
(240)
Eternal Commander MK-15
Tier 2: Legendary
(236)
Eternal Commander MK-13
Tier 2: Artifact
(234)
Mastery 712768506714671464516315
Power 910910910910910910
Critical 000000
Alacrity 000000
Accuracy 000000
Absorb 1461 (3xE, 8xA)1416 (6xE, 1xA)1390 (2xE, 10xA)1390 (2xE, 10xA)1344 (14xA)1344 (14xA)
Defense 406338753793379336053523
Shield 2325 (7xE, 6xA)2252 (4xE, 13xA)2224 (8xE, 4xA)2224 (8xE, 4xA)2164 (10xE)2110 (10xE)

"E" = Enhancement or Implant or Earpiece
"A" = Advanced _ Augment 45
"C" = Advanced _ _ Color Crystal (+41 ones)

Discipline Statistics

Name GEMINI MK-5
Tier 4: Legendary
(248)
GEMINI MK-3
Tier 4: Artifact
(246)
Iokath MK-5
Tier 3: Legendary
(242)
Iokath MK-2
Tier 3: Artifact
(240)
Eternal Commander MK-15
Tier 2: Legendary
(236)
Eternal Commander MK-13
Tier 2: Artifact
(234)
DTPS 2,5932,6232,6432,6502,6802,707
% Reduction74.07 %73.77 %73.57 %73.5 %73.2 %72.93 %

DPS Rankings

Current
Rank
Previous
Rank
Rank
Change
DPS Standard
Error
vs Average DPS
(9,991)
Imperial Class Republic Class
5 5 - 10,336 +/- 284 +3.46% Annihilation Marauder Watchman Sentinel
8 8 - 10,150 +/- 299 +1.6% Carnage Marauder Combat Sentinel
12 8 4 9,828 +/- 351 -1.63% Fury Marauder Concentration Sentinel
10 10 - 10,027 +/- 372 +0.36% Vengeance Juggernaut Vigilance Guardian
11 15 4 9,857 +/- 488 -1.34% Rage Juggernaut Focus Guardian
7 7 - 10,157 +/- 582 +1.67% Deception Assassin Infiltration Shadow
14 13 1 9,640 +/- 346 -3.51% Hatred Assassin Serenity Shadow
18 18 - 9,327 +/- 304 -6.64% Lightning Sorcerer Telekinetics Sage
16 16 - 9,520 +/- 268 -4.71% Madness Sorcerer Balance Sage
9 9 - 10,054 +/- 516 +0.64% Arsenal Mercenary Gunnery Commando
4 4 - 10,432 +/- 414 +4.42% Innovative Ordnance Mercenary Assault Specialist Commando
13 12 1 9,679 +/- 505 -3.12% Advanced Prototype Powertech Tactics Vanguard
15 14 1 9,556 +/- 383 -4.35% Pyrotech Powertech Plasmatech Vanguard
17 17 - 9,448 +/- 461 -5.43% Marksmanship Sniper Sharpshooter Gunslinger
3 3 - 10,441 +/- 270 +4.51% Engineering Sniper Saboteur Gunslinger
2 2 - 10,467 +/- 161 +4.77% Virulence Sniper Dirty Fighting Gunslinger
6 6 - 10,157 +/- 526 +1.67% Concealment Operative Scrapper Scoundrel
1 1 - 10,754 +/- 322 +7.64% Lethality Operative Ruffian Scoundrel

Note: DPS rankings assume best-in-slot 242-rating gear.


Suggested Best-in-Slot Gear & Items

Type Quantity Name
Augment6 (228)
Augment8 (228)
Enhancement
Earpiece
Implant
3 or or (248)
Enhancement
Earpiece
Implant
7 or or (248)
Color Crystal2 (136)
Mod9 (248)
Relic1 (248)
Relic1 (248)
Armoring8 (248)
Barrel1 (248)
Stim1
MedpacN/A
AdrenalsN/A

Note: Tank B mods are to our knowledge currently unavailable, however if you find one you can swap Warding Mod 52 for Warding Mod 52B with minmal impact on mitigation.


Set Bonuses

Pieces Set Bonus
2Heat Blast or Energy Blast increases damage reduction by 2% for 5 seconds.
4While Ion Gas Cylinder or Ion Cell is active, Rocket Punch or Stockstrike reduce the cooldowns of Neural Dart and Sonic Missile or Neural Jolt and Sonic Round by 2 seconds.
6Increases the duration of Oil Slick or Riot Gas by 3 seconds and the duration of Energy Shield or Reactive Shield by 4 seconds.

Suggested Utility Skills

PvE

Suggested PvE Utility Build

Unknown - please email us one at admin@torcommunity.com!

Suggested PvE Utilities

Unknown - please email us one at admin@torcommunity.com!

PvP

Suggested PvP Utility Build

Unknown - please email us one at admin@torcommunity.com!

Suggested PvP Utilities

Unknown - please email us one at admin@torcommunity.com!

Abilities

Shield Specialist Discipline Abilities

Name Description Type
Sprays waves of ionizing energy in a 10-meter cone, dealing <<1>> elemental damage to up to 8 enemy targets. Affected targets are impaired for 45 seconds, reducing the Force and tech damage they deal by 5%. Replaces Pulse Cannon.Instant
Throws down a canister of Riot Gas over the immediate area for 10 seconds. Enemies that enter and remain within the riot gas are slowed by 70% and suffer a 15% melee and ranged accuracy loss.Instant
Fires a shot that consumes all Power Screens to deal <<1>> elemental damage, regenerate 10 energy cells, and increase shield absorption by 25% for 6 seconds. This ability is only usable with 3 Power Screens, generates 25% additional threat, and does not respect the global cooldown.Instant
Swap places with a group member and bestow a benign presence upon them for up to 6 seconds. Targets with a benign presence are ignored by most enemies, cannot be leapt to or pulled, and are immune to interrupts and ability activation pushback until they use an aggressive or healing ability. This ability is immune to activation pushback and only works on other players.Casted

Vanguard Advanced Class Abilities

Name Description Type
Deploys a shoulder cannon that gradually loads 4 missiles over time. Once loaded, the shoulder cannon can be triggered again to fire against an enemy target within 10 meters, launching 1 missile that deals <<1>> kinetic damage. A missile can be launched up to once per 1.5 seconds. Loading and launching the shoulder cannon does not respect the global cooldown and can be done while controlled. Once all missiles have been loaded, depleting all missiles puts the shoulder cannon on cooldown for 1.5 minutes.Instant
Fires an ion pulse at the target, dealing <<1>> elemental damage.Instant
Fires a harpoon line that pulls the target to your location and generates a high amount of threat. Cannot be used on targets in cover.Instant
Emits an explosive surge, dealing <<1>> elemental damage to up to 8 enemies within 5 meters.Instant
Fires a high impact shell that instantly explodes on contact with the target, spraying the area with searing bits of slag that deal <<1>> kinetic damage to up to 8 enemies within 8 meters of the initial target.Instant
Storm a distant target, dealing <<1>> kinetic damage, interrupting the target's current action and immobilizing the target for 2 seconds. Cannot be used against targets in cover.Instant
Interrupts the target's current action and prevents that ability from being used for the next 4 seconds.Instant
Blasts everything in a 10-meter cone with ionized energy, dealing <<1>> elemental damage to up to 8 targets.Instant
Fires a sonic round that taunts your target and all nearby enemies, forcing them to attack you for 6 seconds, if Ion Cell is active. If Ion Cell is not active, threat towards all current enemies is immediately reduced. Enemy players have their damage reduced by 30% for 6 seconds unless they attack you.Instant
Deals <<2>> internal damage to up to 8 enemies within 8 meters, stunning them for 2.5 seconds.Instant
Call in a strike while unloading your own plasma blitz upon an area dealing <<1>> kinetic damage and <<1>> elemental damage over the duration to up to 8 enemies. Standard and weak targets are knocked down by the blasts. Can be used while moving.Channeled
Increases the duration of Reactive Shield by 3 seconds. In addition, suffering direct damage from area attacks regenerates 2 energy cells and heals you for 2.5% of your total health. This effect cannot occur more than once every 3 seconds.Passive
Shocks the target at long range, taunting it to attack. Player targets deal 30% less damage when attacking anyone other than you. Effect lasts 6 seconds.Instant
Increases ranged and tech critical hit chance by 25% for 15 seconds.Instant
Strikes the target with the butt of the rifle, dealing <<1>> kinetic damage.Instant
While active, the guarded player takes 5% less damage and generates 25% less threat. In addition, so long as you remain within 15 meters of the guarded player, 50% of all incoming damage from enemy players is transferred back to you.Instant

Trooper Class Abilities

Name Description Type
Grants 6 seconds of immunity from all movement-impairing effects, knockdowns and physics and increases movement speed by 30%.Instant
Recharges 50 energy cells over 3 seconds.Instant
Increases damage reduction by 25% for 12 seconds.Instant
Ranged weapon attacks have a 25% chance to deal <<1>> additional elemental damage over 6 seconds. This effect cannot occur more than once per second.Passive
Fires a series of hammering shots that deals <<1>> weapon damage to the target.Instant
Activating this ability makes you Fired Up for up to 60 seconds, which triggers an Adrenaline Rush when your health is reduced to 35% or less. If your health is already 35% or less, Adrenaline Rush triggers immediately. Once triggered, Adrenaline Rush goes on cooldown for 3 minutes and rapidly heals you up to 35% of your max health for 8 seconds but will not exceed 35% of your max health.Instant
Hurls a cryo grenade that freezes the target, dealing <<2>> energy damage and stunning it for 4 seconds.Instant
Purges incapacitating and movement-impairing effects.Instant
Fires a very powerful round at the target, dealing <<1>> weapon damage. Only usable against incapacitated targets and targets suffering from periodic damage.Instant
Increases the target's Endurance by 5% for 60 minutes. If the target is a group member, all other group members are also affected.Instant
Seize the moment, restoring 2% of your maximum health every 3 seconds. Requires an active companion. Lasts 60 seconds.Instant
Fires off probes that scan the area for stealthed opponents. The probes last for 10 seconds.Instant
Your next ability depletes no energy cells. Effect lasts 15 seconds.Instant

Rotation

Rotation



Filler:

Minor Rotation:
Major Rotation:

Comments:

References:

Advanced Tactics

Advanced Tactics

No advanced tactics have been written yet for this guide. If you would like to write this section, please email us at admin@torcommunity.com. Thanks!

About the Author
Hayward
Autor: Hayward
Hayward founded TORCommunity in 2008 the day after SWTOR was announced. Engineer by day, software dev by night, he does his best to keep the site up to date.