I decided to do a little write-up on each class to give an idea of how they are played. I will over the course of time add to this and repost any changes that I make.
Guardian – It’s a very durable class so you will not have any trouble soloing most any even/yellow/maybe orange con mobs. The DPS is the second lowest, coming in just above the minstrel. This class makes most of its attacks through the use of a shield and although you can use a 2handed weapon it’s simply not worth it.
Champion – You will need to be much more selective in what you kill. You are not as durable as the guardian but you make up for what you lack in durability with the ability to kill much MUCH faster. Using two-handed or one-handed weapons really does not matter in the long run with a Champion. The champion class is one of the most unique in that you can choose which way you want to play each day you log in. You can do some mild off-tanking with a shield, aoe lower levels, single target burst dps, and so on.
Hunter – Similar to the Champion you often need to pick and choose. However due to range and insane dps you will kill even quicker than a champion and have little trouble soloing. Some hunters choose to use bow skills even when the mob is in melee range. At the time I am writing this my high level hunter sources tell me it’s more efficient to almost never use melee weapons to melee – instead use them for stats. Really at all costs avoid any multiple mob fights. You aren’t Legolas.
Minstrel – It’s not a durable class and it has the lowest Dps in the game. However its strength lies in the ability to almost never die in an even/yellow/orange because you can heal yourself quite a bit while still having offensive abilities. Short duration buffs on that comes with your song chains will aid in your soloing ability. Finding a nice area to grind where your buffs will last you through one mob and onto the next will be the most efficient.
Captain – With the pet and plate armor and decent attacks you will have decent survivability with decent dps. It’s a very “middle road” class and offers a good deal of utility/support for group scenarios. “Jack of all trades – King of none” comes to mind here.
Lore-Master – With a pet, decent but not great dps, and a few utilities, you will find this class to be a pick and chooser as well. I don’t suggest orange cons and stay the heck away from multiple mobs. The crowd control ability is not that great and you will quickly find yourself on the losing end of an uphill battle. I prefer to play Lore-Masters in groups.
Burglar – The burglar is an interesting little class. You have dual wielding ability and traits that go along with it to improve your offhand damage. You have stealth and abilities that gain strength through the use of stealth but still work even when unstealthed. Burglars can add “bleeds” to mobs, crowd control, stun, gain life through attacks, and pretty much kick butt. While not at the DPS of a Champion or a Hunter while soloing, the Burglars DPS will shine in a group when all attacks execute from behind.