If you're using your defender as a "panic-shield", you're doing it very, very wrong. In fact, Defenders who use their shields just to save themselves are just as bad as Warlocks with self-res. The Titan defender bubble, when used properly, should not only be boosting the entire team's DPS, but also creating 4-8 orbs. It's all about placement and perk selection. Golden Gun is very useful in PvE, though Bladedancing is markedly less-so.