Minstrel

Overview

Minstrels are the primary healers out on the battlefield, and are extremely capable in their roll. They have some excellent defences which makes killing them harder over that of other Freeps. On the flip side, minstrels in Warspeech can output a rather large amount of damage, however their healing capabilities are cut by either 50% or 75% depending on which build of minstrel they choose to take.  There are three primary builds a minstrel can take, ofcourse many will choose a hybrid of these three thus that it matches their playing style. In its simpliest form, minstrels can have straight trait lines of buffing, healing or DPS.

Tactics

• If you see a Minstrel in Warspeech, don't worry about it healing others.  Their healing is cut by 50% or 75% depending on which build they have chosen for their minstrel.  Do not forget that Warspeech is a toggle skill, that can be turned off at any given point in time.
• Warspeeching minstrels can stun a reasonable amount of time.  Use Cry resistance to prevent this.
• The Minstrel's larger heals have a large induction time. Interrupt these when you see a glowing green circle at their feet.
• The warg silence on minstrel is just as effective as killing them, so try to keep it on them, however remember that minstrels do have a cry of the chorus skill that will remove your silence and provide a small immunity time.
• Banners of Terror work great in reducing Minstrel effectiveness as it negates much of their in combat power regeneration.  Spider dots are also wonderful for draining power, however the captain banner, and minstrel buff can negate some of the effectiveness of the Banner of Terror.
• Minstrels defensive skills are several
  • A blue bubble which redirects all damage to their power.  A stun will immediatly break this shield. Further a similar shield can be put on others, and works under the same proviso.
  • A feign death skill which prevents them from taking any damage.  This in its most basic form will last 30 seconds, however a legacy on a legendary weapon can increase the duration of this. A pounce or stun at the time of the feign happening, will interupt it. However if no interupt occurs switch targets immediately and have someone watch the minstrel for when it gets back up.  Hobbit minstrels have another feign. Dots are also an excellent thing to have on the minstrel, as many do not pot out of them.
  • Minstrels have a fear that lasts 15 seconds, on a 30 second cooldown. Has a 3% chance of breaking after two seconds on damge.
• Minstrels have one combat rez if the legendary trait is slotted and otherwise have a nearly no cooldown out of combat rez.  Try to keep them in combat to prevent them from rezzing dead freeps.