Gameplay: Minstrels channel the power of music to either heal their allies or Damage their foes. Ballad skills allow the Minstrel to use their Codas and Anthems, which grant the Fellowship powerful bonuses. They have powerful skills like Call to Greatness that empower all of their allies. As a damage dealer, Minstrels deal light damage to their foes and use Piercing Cry to harm their target. As a Healer, Minstrels use powerful heals like Bolster Courage and Inspire Fellows to quickly restore their allies' morale.
Lore: Middle-earth is a land deeply infused with music, and true Minstrels are skilled at tapping into that power. They weave songs and tales so stirring that their companions' morale will not fail, and they will be driven to perform greater feats of prowess. They can even utter words of true power, and ward against the forces of darkness with their Anthems.
This class was inspired by Lúthien Tinúviel, whose Elven voice beguiled friend and foe alike.
Below, you can find more information about the class under the different headers. These pages can also be viewed independently through the table above.
Gameplay
Minstrels use a combination of Ballads, Codas, and Anthems to deal damage or heal the fellowship, depending on their specialization. Minstrels are valuable members of the Fellowship, with Tale of Tales providing bonus stats and Call to Greatness instantly readying all major abilities of the Fellowship.
Blue-line (Healer): Minstrels specialized in the Watcher of Resolve trait tree excel at quickly healing up targeted Fellowship members. They can also heal the entire Fellowship through the usage of several AoE heals. Upkeeping Soliloquy of Spirit on tanks provides them bonus mitigations. Blue-line Minstrels must carefully monitor the usage of their major cooldowns, with their long cooldowns.
Red-line (Damage): Minstrels specialized in the Warrior-Skald trait tree deal significant damage through the use of their Ballads, Cries and Calls, and Piercing Cry. They deal light damage to their enemies from afar, and are highly mobile, albeit more fragile. Dissonant Piercing Cry is their key damage skill, providing an animation cut to other skills and being reset by Ballads.
This class is deceptively difficult, even though it is one of the most widely played healers in the game. Both red and blue specializations are easy to learn, but hard to master, requiring extensive knowledge of the class, as well as synergy with other classes.
Stances
A Minstrel has three stances: Dissonance - Stance, Melody - Stance, and Resonance - Stance. These are toggle skills that remain active indefinitely until you switch to another stance (and you may freely do so at any time).
Each Minstrel stance emphasizes a different role (Dissonance for damage, Resonance for Healing, and Melody for a compromise between both). They provide a healing and/or damage buff and change some of the Minstrel's skills. For instance, in Resonance Major Ballad (Resonance) heals the group, while in Dissonance, Major Ballad damages enemies.
Ballads, Anthems, and Codas
There are 3 types of skills that interact with each other to form a core part of the Minstrel's playstyle: Ballads, Anthems, and Codas.
Ballads
A Ballad buff is applied by using any of the Minstrel's three Ballad skills: Minor Ballad, Major Ballad and Perfect Ballad. Each Ballad applies a different buff to the Minstrel and up to three buffs can be active on the Minstrel. If you already have 3 Ballad buffs active, then the oldest buff will be replaced by the new one when you use your next Ballad ability.
Anthems
Anthems are powerful buffs that cannot be used until a Minstrel has a certain number of Ballad buffs active. Anthem of the Free Peoples is the most powerful Anthem, and can only be used with 3 Ballad buffs. All other Anthems are separated into three groups, each with a Lesser and Greater ability. Lesser Anthems require 1 Ballad buffs, while Greater Anthems require 2 Ballad buffs. All Minstrels can gain Greater Anthem III - Prowess and Lesser Anthem III - Composure. Damage Minstrels have access to Greater Anthem II - War and Lesser Anthem II - Dissonance. Healing Minstrels have access to Greater Anthem I - Compassion and Lesser Anthem I - Resonance. All Anthems share the same skill cooldown, and the effects of Lesser and Greater Anthems of the same group stack into a singular buff that can be refreshed by using either Anthem. While Anthems' primary bonus is to the group, they also grant the Minstrel a small buff.
Codas
The Coda is the Minstrel's "finisher" ability — it consumes 3 Ballad buffs for a powerful final effect (then you can re-apply your Ballads and begin the process again). The effects of the Coda will change depending on the Minstrel's current Stance: Coda of Fury (Dissonance), Coda of Resonance (Resonance), or Coda of Melody (Melody).
These skills are granted automatically as you gain levels. Some skills have an improved version that can be obtained by leveling further or by equipping certain traits, traceries, or armour sets.
Stance Skills
Based on your current Stance, these skills change into one of three different versions.
These skills are usable in all Stances (unless the Stance column denotes otherwise), and have the same effect in all Stances. Most healing skills are self-only while in Dissonance stance.
These skills are acquired by spending trait points in the Watcher of Resolve (blue) trait tree. You can only obtain the Set skills if you specialize in this tree.
These skills are acquired by spending trait points in the Warrior-Skald (red) trait tree. You can only obtain the Set skills if you specialize in this tree.
Class deeds will involve 3 types; Quest-based; Any time for deeds based on skills which are usable outside of combat; and Offensive, which requires attacking a hostile target. With respect to trivial (grey) mobs, offensive skills used against them, do not advance class skill deeds.
Class deeds require the character to have completed the player introduction quests.
Individual Deeds are not visible in the Deed Log until the appropriate skills trigger the Deed
Individual Meta Deed Tiers are not visible in the Deed Log until at least one of the 3 individual deeds are completed
All Individual and Meta Deeds are logged in the Deed Log under "Class/Race/Epic" on the "Class" tab and are called "Class Deeds - tier N"
Completion of Class Quests (levels 15 and 30) does not grant LOTRO Points or show up in the Deed Log, but can trigger the appropriate Meta Deed Tier to show up in the log
The Minstrel is the heart of a fellowship, a herald of hope, inspiration, and renewal. His knowledge of ancient songs and lore not only enable him to bolster fellowship morale, but also to provide motivation against the forces of darkness. When the Minstrel is alone, he becomes an intimidating opponent capable of demoralizing foes through an assortment of ballads, cries, and calls.
Introduction
The primary role of the Minstrel is that of a healer:
Strong single target burst heals (large heals) can help members of your fellowship survive attacks, while HoT skills offer a way to refill Morale over period of time.
Group-wide buffs provide boosts to defences, as well as the fellowship's damage output.
Traited in the Warrior-Skald (red) tree, Minstrels can also fulfill the role of a ranged DPS with a mix of AoE and strong single target burst damage.
Gameplay
The Minstrel is one of the easier classes to level up and play solo: they have a reasonable damage output and good surviveability thanks to the ability to heal themselves up when in trouble. While grouping, you will often be asked to play the role of (main) healer. Other classes that can fulfill this role are the Rune-keepers, Captains and Beornings. In comparison, Minstrels use more instant heals (single target and AoE), while Rune-keeper healers are more about HoTs and shields. Beorning healers are more difficult to play, but can be as good as Rune-keepers. Captains have the least healing power of these classes, but they can heal 3-man or 6-man instances.
A central aspect to playing with the Minstrel class is the use of three stances, activated by corresponding skills:
These are so-called toggle skills: when you use one of them, you remain in that stance and only one of them can be toggled at a given time. Apart from the permanent buff they give you (more damage or better healing), some of your skills are altered while in one of these stances (e.g. Echoes of Battle and Major Ballad).
Another aspect is the Ballad/Anthem/Coda mechanic. The three ballad skills :Major Ballad, Minor Ballad and Perfect Ballad give you three different, weak buffs. When any three buffs are active on you, your Anthem skills become available: more powerful group-wide buffs. You can then also cash-out the ballad buffs with the Coda skill: Coda of Fury, Coda of Melody or Coda of Resonance, depending on the stance you're in. The
skill immediately gives you three different ballad buffs and thus unlocks your Anthems and Codas without having to use three ballads.
Trait Trees
There are three trait trees to choose from:
The Watcher of Resolve (blue): Powerful healers, offering buffs to healing potency and frequency. These Minstrels heal the Morale of the Fellowship and themselves.
The Warrior-Skald (red): The damage line for Minstrels, inflicting heavy damage and moving quickly through battles.
The Protector of Song (yellow): Supports allies with powerful buffs, using enhanced Anthem skills with great effectiveness.
The trait tree of choice for healing is The Watcher of Resolve, assisted by some red traits (giving you access to Anthem of War, see below) or yellow traits (better healing and defensive buffs).
Bolster Courage: this is one of your most used healing skills, a big burst heal with a short cooldown
Chord of Salvation: a stronger burst heal with no induction but longer cooldown
The damage boost of Greater Anthem II - War is also useful to the fellowship, but requires a considerable investment in the red tree.
As the group healer, target priority is something you need to think about: which of your fellows is in most need for heals?
First of all, heal up the target which is going to die in the next few seconds. If the tank has lost 20% of its Morale and a hunter 80%, you should almost always burst heal the hunter first.
However, there will often be several people in need for heals and you need to choose which one is at the top of your priority list. First you have to stay alive yourself (otherwise there won't be much healing and reviving), followed by the tank (guardian, captain, warden and sometimes champion) since they keep the enemies' attention away from the rest of the group. Next, keep an eye on the support classes (loremaster, burglar and captain) since their debuffs, stuns and dazes keep the mobs under control. Lastly, look at the DPS-classes (hunter, champion and runekeeper) healed up. They can always be revived.
Often, target priority can be different depending on the specific situation of your group and thus communication is always key to success.
DPS
The trait tree of choice for DPS is The Warrior-Skald, assisted by some blue traits (that give you access to bigger self-heals) or yellow traits (for better damage and buffing).
Call of Oromë: an AoE skill which reduces your enemies' resistance to light damage, thus raising the damage of almost all your skills
Call to Fate: your highest damaging single target skill with a high critical chance
Cry of the Valar: an AoE skill which removes a corruption and gives an in-Combat Morale Regeneration buff
The Tactical Mitigation and Resistance Rating of Lesser Anthem III - Composure is also useful to the fellowship and requires only a 2 point investment in yellow.
Note that while you're in Dissonance (the preferred stance for DPS), all your healing skills become self only.
Equipment
The Minstrel is a Light Armour class and can use Daggers and one-handed Clubs, Maces and Swords. However, almost all of the Minstrel's skills are Tactical damage and do not benefit from these weapons. Minstrels do get to use instruments (fiddles, theorbos, drums and even bagpipes) which boost their healing or damage and add some music to the fight.
From level 20 onwards, they can also wear Shields.
Important Stats
When fulfilling the role of a healer, try to improve your survivability (so you don't need to heal yourself):
Weaponsmith: weaponsmiths can make metal weapons and class items for other classes
Cook: Lute Strings draws away attention from enemies while healing and Food can be consumed by all characters, which makes the cook a fine choice as well
Jeweller: rings, bracelets, necklaces and earrings make up a lot of your equipment slots, so this is a good option too
Tale of Tales providing bonus stats and 
Call to Greatness instantly readying all major abilities of the Fellowship.
Soliloquy of Spirit on tanks provides them bonus mitigations. Blue-line Minstrels must carefully monitor the usage of their major cooldowns, with their long cooldowns.
Dissonant Piercing Cry is their key damage skill, providing an animation cut to other skills and being reset by Ballads.
Dissonance - Stance, 
Melody - Stance, and 
Resonance - Stance. These are toggle skills that remain active indefinitely until you switch to another stance (and you may freely do so at any time).
Major Ballad (Resonance) heals the group, while in Dissonance, 
Major Ballad damages enemies.
Minor Ballad, Major Ballad and 
Perfect Ballad. Each Ballad applies a different buff to the Minstrel and up to three buffs can be active on the Minstrel. If you already have 3 Ballad buffs active, then the oldest buff will be replaced by the new one when you use your next Ballad ability.
Anthem of the Free Peoples is the most powerful Anthem, and can only be used with 3 Ballad buffs. All other Anthems are separated into three groups, each with a Lesser and Greater ability. Lesser Anthems require 1 Ballad buffs, while Greater Anthems require 2 Ballad buffs. All Minstrels can gain 
Greater Anthem III - Prowess and 
Lesser Anthem III - Composure. Damage Minstrels have access to 
Greater Anthem II - War and 
Lesser Anthem II - Dissonance. Healing Minstrels have access to 
Greater Anthem I - Compassion and 
Lesser Anthem I - Resonance. All Anthems share the same skill cooldown, and the effects of Lesser and Greater Anthems of the same group stack into a singular buff that can be refreshed by using either Anthem. While Anthems' primary bonus is to the group, they also grant the Minstrel a small buff.
Coda of Fury (Dissonance), 
Coda of Resonance (Resonance), or 
Coda of Melody (Melody).
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