LOTRO Back to Basics 102: Picking a Class - The Captain

Currently the game's only racially exclusive class, (at least until the beornings get here) playable only by men, the captain is a jack of all trades. Able to summon allies, heralds and use banners to inspire themselves and their fellowship, they are valiant in combat. Able to heal and resurrect allies in or out of combat makes them valuable as healers. Captains can heal, fight, crowd control, buff and tank, making them valuable in any situation. 

They are one of the two current "pet" classes (class that is able to summon a NPC pet or helper).

Captains are rated as "moderate" difficulty to play, but are probably not too difficult for most beginners to enjoy.

Solo Play

Captains can summon heralds who fight next to you as well as providing a buff to damage, morale and healing or power regeneration. Alternately they can plant a banner to provide stronger buffs, but the banner won't fight for you. 

Captains can become "Battle ready" a state that allows them access to certain skills; as well as gaining defeat responses which allow them certain abilities when an enemy is defeated. While they can heal others very well, their ability to heal themselves is somewhat limited, but with heavy armour and a herald (with a healing ability) captains are highly survivable if played well. 

Group Play

No other class performs as well in a group as a captain. 

Their buffs are always welcome, raising stats, damage, and more, and with heralds or banners providing even more buffs. They are, hands down, the best buffing class in game.

They can put out reasonable DPS but are also able to quickly switch to a healing role in a pinch. 

Against groups of mobs their enemy defeat skills will be a great boon to a fellowship or raid, increasing the groups attack speed or stunning multiple mobs or providing a small heal to the fellowship. 

They are also able to use skills to draw the focus of mobs, becoming decent off tanks, or even covering main tank if the main tank has been killed. 

With the variety of abilities at their command, captains should be a welcome part of most groups. 

Drawbacks

Since captains have such variety, this means that they don't do most things as well as other classes. They can tank, but not as well as a warden, guardian or (properly traited) champion. They can heal but not as well as a minstrel or rune keeper. And they certainly don't DPS like a hunter, rune keeper or champion

They also suffer from a shortage of ranged attacks. This is pretty much limited to "battle shout". 

Overall

The captain is a personal favourite class of mine, especially for group play. The versatility provides both challenges and rewards that are truly unique to the class. While soloing, the captain may be the best of the heavy armour classes, since he has (typically) better defence and healing than a champion and better DPS than a guardian. 

If you want to excel at a single role, the captain is probably not for you, but when you'r ready for something different, or if you want to lead your herald (or fellowship) into the fray, the captain is the way to go.