I mostly agree with the advice there from Daldaen. Bards are the most flexible class and can fill any role, so it comes down to the bard determining what role will best suit the group makeup and situation.
Bards aren't going to match the DPS of a hasted enchanter pet, but the right situation where your group needs DPS, you can absolutely fill in that role. HS is a great example. Charm a SK and have it attack another SK. You've already done 2 HTs (~1k damage) before your group even begins to DPS. Continue charming the extra mob while twisting your 3 chants for DPS during the fight. Or charm that ice comet caster, and land 2-3 big nukes during the fight, like a wizard. Bards have a lot of tools, don't be afraid to experiment with them.
I often hear groups prefer monks pull, but that's an area that bards excel in. After leveling a monk and bard to 60, I'd prefer pulling as a bard over monk almost always. In some rare situations, I'd prefer pulling as a monk e.g. in an unfamiliar area where I could accidentally pull too many mobs to cc. A monk wastes time FD splitting, whereas a bard simply lulls and pulls. Monks have to worry about nukes breaking FD. Not a problem with bards, just charm that caster and have it nuke the 2nd mob you're pulling for DPS (and it saves your tank from taking those nukes). Harm touches? Again, easy to deal with as a bard.
Almost every level, bards get a completely new song, unlike other classes where the majority of spells are upgrades. Consequently, every level something new is added to your toolbelt. You'll be changing your spell bar loadout up until lvl 60. And you'll do it again when you get your epic, which will change the effectiveness of many tools on your toolbelt. That constantly evolving flexibility makes the class fun for me to level up. With that said, keep in mind that some role will only be possible once you have the right tools.
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Originally Posted by ECDubz
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Should I be on the lookout for things getting out of control even with a chanter and then /stopsong and cast AOE mez? Should i be charm DPS'ing or is that typically a no no.
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Unfortunately, aoe mez is one of the few songs that lose usefullness. It has a level cap of lvl ~30, so you're going to get 100% resists on it at some point during your mid levels. Before that point, however, it can be situationally useful. However, since it only lasts 1 tick, I'd generally prefer a single target mez as it will allow you to twist other songs while mezing.
Charm DPS'ing is one of the overlooked abilities of a bard. I'll almost always charm DPS since I'm the one pulling and can control the pace and direction of the group. Of course, you'll need to communicate with your group what you are charming because it can otherwise become an issue. For example, players could dot/cc your pet causing it to attack that player, and if said player has his own pet, it will begin attacking you. Or mage/necro/ench can have their pet attack yours, causing their pet to attack you once your charm breaks (can get deadly with an enchanter's hasted dual wielding pet). So, again, do what best suits the group makeup. If your group can handle charmed DPS, go for it.