Picking your optimal class depends on what you find most fun and what you plan to do most. However, I’ve come up with a general guideline of classes. Feel free to give me more info to help people be able to choose what they like best :smileyhappy: Also, I haven’t listed much on utility in this, mostly because it’s not brought up enough in conversation and such to really know much about it. This is based off my experiences and what I’ve heard from other people.

Key:
S.T. = Single Target
Grp = Group
DD = Direct Damage, in reference to a spell that is NOT a DoT
DoT = Damage over Time
FD = Feign Death (”play dead” in laymans terms, not that useful outside of PvE)
[E/G] = Evil/Good, listed next to subclass names

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Random Advice:

You may wish to lock XP at a low level to get a feel for the basics of a class if you’re really not sure of how it’s played or don’t have a feel for it.

“…to any new players, before rolling up ANY character, go to that class’s forum and read up on what it is about, find out any problems or advantages that class is currently facing, it will save you a lot of grief and many hours of gametime to pick a class that fits you from the get go.” -Boonga

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Fighters:
Fighters in general: Can take hits best, can deal out stuns/knock backs/etc, and are the guys who are built to keep your opponents off the rest of your party.

• • The STA Warrior AA line adds a TON of dps while using a buckler, though you MUST use a buckler for the abilities to work. It gives things like autoattacks, ripostes, etc, significantly boosting DPS. Keep in mind, however, that bucklers have extremely low protection compared to tower shields (a t3 handcrafted towershield gives 300 protection - about the same as a t7 treasured buckler).
    • Counterattacks - deal damage when hit

    They can dish out decent DPS and still take hits well
    Are good with holding group aggro and taking out groups of enemies
    Noteworthy Abilities:Damage Type(s):
    Buffs: In-combat HP regen
    Debuffs:

    Noteworthy Abilities:
    Damage Type(s):
    Buffs:
    Debuffs:

  Noteworthy things:BerserkersGuardians are the most defensive fighter class. In exchange for being able to take hits best, they have little to offer in the damage department, and therefore are great in groups, but soloing can lead to killing taking a while, giving the enemy even more ability to run away.

  • • Group FD

    Noteworthy Abilities:Damage Type(s):
    Buffs: Grp Haste
    Debuffs:

    Noteworthy Abilities:
    Damage Type(s):
    Buffs:
    Debuffs:

  Essentially, they can both solo and group well, but if you want a guy out there taking all the hits for a group, it’s tough for Brawlers to do that with only two taunts (PvP-wise).Healing: Brawlers also are more difficult to heal, in some respects. Their HP jumps around a lot more, so throwing out direct heals and heal over times won’t always be completely efficient. Also, they get hit less than plate tanks, so reactives aren’t as efficient. Wards are arguably the best way to “heal” a Brawler - it takes the damage on each hit, and relies less on hoping that you get the full potential from your heal (such as when reactives don’t go off a lot during one cast, or a HoT is wasted due to the Brawler consistently evading shortly after casting).
  MonksBruisers

  • • Lay on Hands - large instant heal, long recast

    Noteworthy Abilities:Damage Type(s): Melee, Divine
    Buffs:
    Debuffs:

    • Lifetaps

    Have their Harm Touch line, on a 15 minute timer, which can really hurt an opponent. Though it may not give an instant kill, it can finish off players when they’re around 50% or lower HP. (Note: it can, doesn’t mean it always will.)
    Noteworthy Abilities:Damage Type(s): Melee, Disease
    Buffs:
    Debuffs:

  General: Paladin and Shadowknight are very similar yet very different classes. Shadowknights are like the inverse of Paladins. Both classes’ level 20 fun spell is a +10% speed summon-able horse, which to those without much coin is a plus for PvP
  Paladins have the same basic characteristics as other tanks, with great taunting ability and emergency healing for themselves and their party members. They have group buffs to protect the party, and targeted buffs to protect the weakest. Last but not least, Paladins have innately high magic resistances. They won’t win every fight, but they will always play a crucial role. [Written by Inkantra]Shadowknights

Warriors(Berserker, Guardian)Brawlers(Bruiser[E], Monk[G]) are better if you’re only fighting one opponent as far as keeping them occupied on you and not on the group goes. The problem is that Brawlers only get two taunts, and I’m sure many are well aware at how much tougher it is for a brawler to hold group aggro =) While they have 360 degree deflection, good DPS, etc, if you want a tank who can keep more than one guy on him at almost all times, I don’t think a brawler would work best.Crusaders(Shadowknight[E], Paladin[G])