bard/minstrel/skald?

ENialisNailo

I want to play one of these classes but i dont know which one. what are the strengths and weaknesses of each?

JulianDracos

Bard is the backup healer for Hib.  While you technically can make a "battle bard" I have not known anyone to do so very well.

Minstrals can stealth and climb walls.  So if you are running in a group, minstrals are very annoying for the other side.  You stealth in and mez and the other group is left at the mercy of your group.

Skalds are more fighters.  Unlike the minstral or bard, I believe skalds can use some of there songs in battle (I might be wrong on this, but I think that is the case).  You loose out on powerregen and I think you also do not have an AoE mez.  However, you do get resist chants and a root.

Yaros

Bard is also main mezzer for Hibernia. Which makes them die a lot 

Syri

The bard is a healer and crowd control specialist, main roles are to keep your guys healthy, and the enemies sleepy. They have a few songs to help their party also, boosting run speed, endurance regen rate and power regen rate.
Their combat is very basic, though they can spec in a weapon, they will not hit for much over an unstyled hit from a druid, and their single instant dd shout is nothing to write home about. Overall, great as a support and mezzing character, not one to solo with.

Minstrels are very much the middle ground, can hold their own in a fight, having 2 insta dd spells and an insta stun for a few seconds, but will get beaten quite easily by a well specced specialist tank or assasin. Minstrels have a secondary mez, not as long duration or as powerful as that of the bard and sorc. They also have an absorb shield, to reduce melee damage taken for their group, aswell as power regen, health regen and speed. Minstrels also have some basic stealth skills, though nowhere near as good at hiding themselves as an assasin or scout, they can still gain a bit from stealth, being able to drop from greater heights, and climb the walls of some keeps to support any assasins climbing the walls. Again, very good in groups, due to their support skills, but also good on their own in a fight. and with the stealth and mez, can pick your own fights to a certain extent, though by no means does this make you indestructible.
Also, minstrels can charm a pet, though this will prevent any other duration songs from working, as they break the charm. The pet will also get a resist attempt every few seconds, so you have to watch it, or the pet might just end up nibbling you instead of the enemy invader you sent him after.

Skald is primarily a tank, their main aim being to hurt people, and hurt them good. The skald has a song to add to their damage, and some insta dd shouts also. They also include faster run speeds, though are lacking in a lot of the support areas, due to having more combat abilities.
Skalds are also the only music class not to require instruments.

of all the music classes, I've played a minstrel the most, and skald the least, and it shows in my words. None the less, I hope what I have got down is of some use to you.