Maethyr Illuvatar

Preface: This post will take multiple sessions to complete, so check back for additional information from time to time.

If you have elected to join the world of the morale slaves, welcome! The Minstrel class is considered "beginner," but you will soon learn that this label is at least somewhat inappropriate. Tactically, Minstrel is not complicated. Skills are fast-inductive, and pretty straight-forward once you develop a rhythm to their utilization. The challenge arises in the the following areas: 1) Minstrels are not classically high-DPS, even at higher level; 2) Minstrel's are not built for multiple combat; 3) Minstrels are one of the highest threat generating classes. There are other challenges associated with the Minstrel class, but these are primary. Know these limitation going into the class, and you'll have a better understanding of how to approach situations.

This thread will attempt to address the following:
1. Skills and skill combination
2. Traiting
3. Managing threat
4. Managing your morale
5. Fellowshipping
6. Instruments

Skills and Skill Combination
No War Speech
Using War Speech

Traiting
Class Traits
One of the first traits a Minstrel should strive for is the trait "Smooth Voice". This trait will turn two of your current attacks, specifically Ballad of Vigour and Ballad of Balance into induction-based, non-attacks. While this sounds like a downgrade, the effects to you and your fellowship are significant. First, this trait allows you to add a significant vitality buff to every member of your fellowship who are in range using the Song of Vigor. Second, using the Song of Balance will allow you to apply an increased chance to evade to yourself and the fellowship. These songs can now be played at any time, even out of combat, in order to prepare yourself or your fellowship for battle. Doing this also allows you to immediately unlock Tier III Ballads which will also unlock your Anthems. For many reasons this one trait is one of the MOST important of all traits that the Minstrel can equip.

Smooth Voice: Earned by utilizing Piercing Cry 600 times.

Virtues:

Managing Threat
Strings
There are technically three types of strings that can be used to reduce the threat generated by the Minstrel during combat:
Lute Strings of Minor Subtlety
Lute Strings of Subtlety
Lute Strings of Greater Subtlety
Each of these items can be improved to yield better threat reduction resulting in the following items:
Improved Lute Strings of Minor Subtlety
Improved Lute Strings of Subtlety
Improved Lute Strings of Greater Subtlety

These strings can be used no matter what instrument you are using. You do NOT have to use a lute in order to take advantage of these strings.

If you are going to be relying on your healing skills in areas that are crowded, or if you are in fellowship and you're primarily in a healing role, you should always use these strings to ensure that your threat spike and radius is reduced. Check under your power meter to see if the threat reduction is in effect. You should see a small icon that looks much like a lute.

Strings are made by the Cooks, and utilize various Intestines. Torn Intestines and Small Intestines should be saved, and either mailed to an alt that is able to cook, or stored in the Kinchest so that a cook can process them into strings for you.

Tactics
In a phrase, "Heal only when you have to."

It should be immediately noted that the best way to get the attention of the foes around you is to start healing. When you heal someone, especially using a heal that affects the entire fellowship, and even when you buff the entire fellowship while in combat, your threat rating sky-rockets. Keep this in mind at all times.

In order to manage this from the onset of battle is to apply whatever buffs that will be needed BEFORE the fight begins if you are able to do so. This is where using Song of Vigor and Song of Balance really come into play. Using these two skills unlocks your Tier III Ballads as well as your Anthems. Two Anthems of note are Anthem of Compassion and Anthem of the Free Peoples. These two Anthems are of great importance in large fellowships. One, the Anthem of Compassion, reduces your threat output by a significant 40%; Anthem of the Free Peoples allows you to increase the entire fellowship's In-Combat Morale Regeneration (ICMR), which takes the burden of healing off of you to a great degree, which also therefore reduces the amount of threat you generate (since you won't be required to heal as often).

Managing Your Morale
The only suggestion to add here is a general rule of thumb you should consider when fighting. If your morale reaches around 33%, you should strongly consider switching your tactics to healing. Remember, if you're using War Speech, your healing capacity is significantly reduced. You should consider toggling War Speech off, and hitting your base healing skill (Raise the Spirit), followed by another of the same, or, if you are able to fear your opponent, do so and heal with your stronger heal (Bolster Courage). In my experience, waiting until your morale is less than 33% puts you at unnecessary risk considering that all healing skills (except a couple that are mentioned below) have short induction times that CAN be interrupted.

The higher potency healing skills that do not have an induction come with a significant cool down timer, high power cost, and strong threat spike. These are Triumphant Spirit (Level 30) and Chord of Salvation (Level 38). They do have their place in the fight, however, but should really be used as a last resort.

Fellowshipping
Playing Your Role
Tips

Instruments
Choosing the right instrument from the various instruments available to the Minstrel is not simply a matter of taste. Each instrument has its own properties that make them unique from the other instrument types.

Further down, you will see links to most of the instruments found throughout Middle-earth. For now, take note that the primary instruments that I suggest are the following:

Soloing
Short Fights: Drums - Increased ballad damage, increased power cost
Long / Multiple Fights: Harp - Reduced power cost when playing ballads

Fellowship
Healing and Fighting: Theoboro - Reduced threat from combat and healing.

Here are some instruments for reference (hover over the link for a quick glance at the instrument's properties. Click the link for a more detailed description found in the Official Lorebook):

DRUMS
Basic Drum
Simple Drum
Crafted Drum
Critical Success Exquisite Crafted Drum
Superior Drum
Critical Success Exquisite Superior Drum

HARPS
Basic Harp
Simple Harp
Crafted Harp
Critical Success Exquisite Crafted Harp
Superior Harp
Critical Success Exquisite Superior Harp

THEORBOS
Basic Theorbo
Simple Theorbo
Crafted Theorbo
Critical Success Exquisite Crafted Theorbo
Superior Theorbo
Critical Success Exquisite Superior Theorbo

Virtues:
The below listed are assuming Rank 10 (Max).
Honesty - +123 Power, +270 Armor, +8 Fate
Loyalty - +62 Power, +150 Armor, +30 Vitality
Empathy - +450 Armor, +15 Fate, +609 Fear Resist
Innocence - +230 Shadow Defense, +1014 Poison Resist, +1000 Melee Defense
Idealism - +8 Will, +30 Fate, +1014 Fear Resist
Wisdom - +30 Will, +609 Wound Resist + 303.8 Out of Combat Power Regen

Other Virtues to consider (providing you know what kind of fighting you will be doing) are as follows: