first off jimmy, cool name. I'm still working on pld myself but I'd have to say stay far away from GS. If you can get joytoy (which was made much much easier with the cap increase) it does about 13.76 dps which id think(correct me if im wrong) is way more than anything you will get on GS.
Also, this is a game. whoever was calling ppl gimp and saying don't bother to level it if you don't have certain gear or ws's needs to get over themselves. Skills will always be way way more important than gear and ws's. Be concerned with capping skills before anything else. If you want to level the job and you enjoy the job do it. I'm nowhere near endgame for pld but the best pld's i've seen on my server all use shields. If you have joytoy you aren't losing much offensively to equip a shield, and considering PLD's shield grade(A+), id say not using one is pretty foolish.
Don't listen to the uppity elitists unless they're actually trying to help instead of having a self love fest. Go out and enjoy the job.