Post by moleman on Mar 8, 2016 23:32:27 GMT
I'll be adding tidbits of useful information here, to get new players started.
First off, one of the best things about ArcheAge character building is that once you level a class, you can always go back to it, completely revamp skills on the fly, and mix and match any way you choose.
Here's something to help you decide on your first three classes:
Battlerage - If you want to hack people up and do alot of damage, great gap closers, some defense built in with parry and bond breaker, some cc breakers, the king of melee DPS. It's possibly the only class where Battlerage plus ANY two other skillsets, and you can still win PvP fights.
Shadowplay - less damage, more utility and stealth melee character, decent utility, ok cc, no cc breaks. A solid backstab can do huge damage. Considered a mobility skillset. Can be used as a main damage skillset, but markedly less output than battlerage.
Archery - we currently live in a Archery nerf world that won't get better till v 2.9 maybe this summer? So for now Archery is a DPS support skillset. It's got a bit of useful CC, 8% move increase, expect to have very good gear if you want to be competitive in archery. In raids they are good for their CC, and putting pressure on healers, scragglers, initiators. They still rock in dungeons.
Sorcery - most magic DPS and burst of any magic class. Lots of AoE damage. Many long cast times, few cc's and cc breaks, no built in mobility. You need really good timing to pull off Sorcery spells.
Witchcraft - most CC's in the game under one skillset. Lots of magic defense, not much magic damage output, great utility class. Has only skill where you can summon a creature to fight for you in addition to your pet. Witchcraft cause good with just about any other class, but the rotations and combos can be tricky.
Occultism - Lots of AoE cc's and debuffs, fair magic damage, rarely used as a main damage skill. Good CC breaks, great raid v raid initiator class.
Auramancy - Great utility class that has skills for both magic tanking and melee tanking. Awesome mobility potential. Self buffs. Makes any archery, tanking, magic dps, melee dps, and healer class better in alot of ways. Some CC and CC breaks.
Defense - A Melee class with a few hard hitting skills, very sturdy skillset, pretty much REQUIRES a SHIELD to be of use. The root of all tanks. Goes great with any archery, tanking, magic dps, melee dps, and healer class.
Songcraft - This is the primary buffer/debuffer class and shines in group v group or group v boss situations. A good team becomes phenomenal with a good bard behind them. Some CC and CC breaking, some light healing, one great movement speed boost that you can use all the time. A good skillset to add to healers for better group help, and sorcery builds for some insane bursts.
Vitalism - the main healing class. Some CC and debuff removal. Buffs for friends. Can be used as a main healer with many points in it or for self healing/off healing with just a few points in it.
Like I said, you can change any time so it's not a huge waste to pick the wrong skills at first. That said, if you want to solo level, I'll save you some trouble and suggest you pick at least one skillset that does a good amount of damage and one skillset that helps you survive:
Damage skillsets:
Battlerage
Sorcery
and to a lesser extent
Shadowplay
Archery
Occultism
Staying alive skillsets:
Defense
Auramancy
Witchcraft
Other:
Vitalism is good for self heals, but make sure you have a primary damage skill with it.
Here's my suggestions for good starter builds.
Abolisher, Paladin, Dreadnaught, Death warden, Enigmatist, Dark runner, Stone arrow, Templar, Ranger, Argent, Doomlord, Hexblade, Reaper, Swiftstone, Primeval, Bastion... just to name a few of dozens.
Play with all possible builds here (2.0 version missing some new 2.5 descriptions)
archeagedatabase.net/en/calc/
Here is a great set of leveling guides that if anything tells you what area you should be in for your level along with quest by quest run downs.
forums.archeagegame.com/showthread.php?33877-Meliran-s-Complete-Archeage-Leveling-Guide
First off, one of the best things about ArcheAge character building is that once you level a class, you can always go back to it, completely revamp skills on the fly, and mix and match any way you choose.
Here's something to help you decide on your first three classes:
Battlerage - If you want to hack people up and do alot of damage, great gap closers, some defense built in with parry and bond breaker, some cc breakers, the king of melee DPS. It's possibly the only class where Battlerage plus ANY two other skillsets, and you can still win PvP fights.
Shadowplay - less damage, more utility and stealth melee character, decent utility, ok cc, no cc breaks. A solid backstab can do huge damage. Considered a mobility skillset. Can be used as a main damage skillset, but markedly less output than battlerage.
Archery - we currently live in a Archery nerf world that won't get better till v 2.9 maybe this summer? So for now Archery is a DPS support skillset. It's got a bit of useful CC, 8% move increase, expect to have very good gear if you want to be competitive in archery. In raids they are good for their CC, and putting pressure on healers, scragglers, initiators. They still rock in dungeons.
Sorcery - most magic DPS and burst of any magic class. Lots of AoE damage. Many long cast times, few cc's and cc breaks, no built in mobility. You need really good timing to pull off Sorcery spells.
Witchcraft - most CC's in the game under one skillset. Lots of magic defense, not much magic damage output, great utility class. Has only skill where you can summon a creature to fight for you in addition to your pet. Witchcraft cause good with just about any other class, but the rotations and combos can be tricky.
Occultism - Lots of AoE cc's and debuffs, fair magic damage, rarely used as a main damage skill. Good CC breaks, great raid v raid initiator class.
Auramancy - Great utility class that has skills for both magic tanking and melee tanking. Awesome mobility potential. Self buffs. Makes any archery, tanking, magic dps, melee dps, and healer class better in alot of ways. Some CC and CC breaks.
Defense - A Melee class with a few hard hitting skills, very sturdy skillset, pretty much REQUIRES a SHIELD to be of use. The root of all tanks. Goes great with any archery, tanking, magic dps, melee dps, and healer class.
Songcraft - This is the primary buffer/debuffer class and shines in group v group or group v boss situations. A good team becomes phenomenal with a good bard behind them. Some CC and CC breaking, some light healing, one great movement speed boost that you can use all the time. A good skillset to add to healers for better group help, and sorcery builds for some insane bursts.
Vitalism - the main healing class. Some CC and debuff removal. Buffs for friends. Can be used as a main healer with many points in it or for self healing/off healing with just a few points in it.
Like I said, you can change any time so it's not a huge waste to pick the wrong skills at first. That said, if you want to solo level, I'll save you some trouble and suggest you pick at least one skillset that does a good amount of damage and one skillset that helps you survive:
Damage skillsets:
Battlerage
Sorcery
and to a lesser extent
Shadowplay
Archery
Occultism
Staying alive skillsets:
Defense
Auramancy
Witchcraft
Other:
Vitalism is good for self heals, but make sure you have a primary damage skill with it.
Here's my suggestions for good starter builds.
Abolisher, Paladin, Dreadnaught, Death warden, Enigmatist, Dark runner, Stone arrow, Templar, Ranger, Argent, Doomlord, Hexblade, Reaper, Swiftstone, Primeval, Bastion... just to name a few of dozens.
Play with all possible builds here (2.0 version missing some new 2.5 descriptions)
archeagedatabase.net/en/calc/
Here is a great set of leveling guides that if anything tells you what area you should be in for your level along with quest by quest run downs.
forums.archeagegame.com/showthread.php?33877-Meliran-s-Complete-Archeage-Leveling-Guide