The minstrel and the instruments.

"The Minstrel, a Epic class that fights their enemies with songs of old and cries of war, making themsleves even better at every moment and raising their friend's morale when its down. Forget about Two handed swords, bows and big axes! Join us now!"

If you read that you can only say: "WTH is this?" and I can't blame you, I would have thought the same if I had no idea of what means been a Minstrel in this game. As you may know, We (Minstrels) dont fight melee... well, some of us defy the fate and go melee just for fun and for a freaking deed that I can't raise easily, too. We are looked as healers and for Rp events for music, since we know how to use all the intruments in the game.

But what mostly of the people (Usually those who have never heard about the game) is that those instruments are our best weapon againts Sauron's forces of Epic Evil. Because we are Epics, we fight against Epic enemies, using Epic instruments instead of Epic big, useful, weapons. That's our life.

It is not a bad thing, we are powerful characters in the game for soloing, we can heal us in the case that is need it, we have some crowd control spells, even more if is improved with Traits or if they are undeads, and we can mentoring intrument's class to others. Even if the class dont seem to be a great thing, its a good choice to pick at the moment to create a character since our play style offers us sometimes danger and sometimes just fun.

And we can role as a Healers too, and every group needs a healer, no matter what. So we have a great chance in every Raid-Instance event to go inside.

There's only one thing that you need to think clearly when you play a Minstrel class. The instrument. Our most beloved weapon... since our melee weapon is just a element to show around and sometimes heals us a bit.

The game have several instruments added, you usually start with a Lute, nice sound and kinda cool looking. I used the Lute for a long time until I meet the Harp. Overall, the Lute has a nice and clear sound and mostly all the songs sounds good if you use the Lute as instrument. Also, for Play style effect, it usually reduce the cost of every Anthem depending its crafting.

The lute!

Also, you can pick Theorbo, is kinda the lute but more quietly and looks awesome. I love this instrument a lot and for Dps, is kinda good and useful. Like the lute, mostly f the songs that I have sounds good with this instrument. Im pretty sure that most of the players that goes as Dps can feel very good using this, since it reduces the overall threat of ech attack a bit.

A large lute.. I mean, Theorbo!

 This is a instrument that I dont like at all. the Bagpipes! I reall yhad a hope that this instrument were better, and I didnt try it at all, I just got one, typed /Music and when I play it was like: "OMG, shut up! shut up!" I think that I need to play (Or try toplay) more with it... and I just checked the stats on Lotro-wiki and gives you +20% extra damage on the ballads and +15% extra cost on the ballads while Timeless echoes of battle and echoes of battle are damage type Beleriand... Not bad... I guess that I can play with the sound muted.

The heavy artillery.. ah.. wait.. the Bagpipes!

 Another instrument that I never used before, but searching on Lotro-wiki I saw something interesting. Echoes of battle or Timesless echoes of battle damage is changed to Beleriand with the Clarinet! and reduces the Anthem costs and larger threat reduction in battle. Sounds good as a choice, dont know as intrument how it sounds, guessing that Im gonna test it tonight.

Middle artillery, The Clarinet!

Drums! oh yes, we has them! works like the Bagpipes and the Clarinet, same functions, just a different sound. Never test it on Varsalla, but I had a Dwarf on another server that used it. that was like 4 months ago, so I can't remember my experience with this instrument, but I think that it sound funny.

Drum, drum druuuuuuuuuuuum!

The Flute... Yes, in this game there's also a flute as Minstrel weapon. I do not like how it sounds, its kinda silly, this flute lowers the cost of your songs in battle, so seems to be really good enough for some players... I just dont like it at all... still, gonna test it eventually.

The "meh" flute...

I have to try this one eventually! Im sure that sounds awfully, but it looks awesome, and yes, I'm talking about the Cowbells. This funny instrument should sound like "Click, clack, click, click, clock" and the animation it also as funny as the idea of being in a raid against the Witch King with this instrument as main weapon. Same deal as the others, Timeless echoes of battle as Beleriand, large threat reduction in battle and less Anthem cost.

Click, clack, clack, click, clock!

While the champiosn uses the horns pocket edition, we use the big one epicness horns of battle, like those to sound the alarm while we are getting invaded in our castle. Another instrument that I have to test some day, but for the moments I'm stuck between my Theorbo aor my Harp. Same stuf at abilites like our Mighty Cowbells.

Pfft... Take that Silly Champion, learn how to use a real Horn!

 And for now, this is my main weapon: The Harp. The reasons that I like the harp is it sounds mostly. its kinda quiet and slower than others, less stronger, besides it gaves me less ballads costs so I can Pew pew peeeeeeeeeew pew more than wit other instruments. I never use it to play music, in that case I'll stick with my lute, but for battle: this instrument is what I do like more. I just crafted one for me for lvl 30, critical success :D

I do look Epic! kinda weird, but Epic after all!

So, if you are planning to roll a Minstrell, think a lot about the instrument options,  all of them can make a difference in dpsing or healing duties in the game, even while you are with a group or solo in the wilderness. Some of them need to be learned in different lvls, yet, you can buy their use in the Lotro Store (Minstrels only, I think) and dont forget to upgrade it too!

See you all later! good luck!