In the sandbox MMO ArcheAge, everything is a bit different. This also applies to the classes. Which skill lines work well together? How do you become a tank, healer, or DPS? Which class is the strongest, and can all this still change?
There are 120 classes in ArcheAge. That’s something to deal with. However, these are not like in World of Warcraft or WildStar really “fixed classes”; rather, the system is a bit different. It relies on a modular approach.
Each character can choose three skill lines from a pool of ten.
The first skill line is chosen at character creation, the second at level 5, and the third at level 10, at which point you also receive a class title that results from the combination of the chosen lines.
These lines can later be swapped out, so no one is fixed on what they have to play. During character creation, every hero can choose from one of six skill lines.
These are individually:
The six main skill lines
- Battlerage : A classic melee tree for melee DPS. Here you’ll find abilities you’d expect from rogues, warriors, ninjas, or samurais in other games.
- Sorcery : These are caster DPS, specialized in area damage. A bit of crowd control is available as well. A mage in other games.
- Archery : Range DPS for archers. Quite a standard line. Those who enjoy playing hunters, bounty hunters, or rangers in other games can access this.
- Vitalism : This is a classic healer with healing skills, resurrection options, buffs, and some tricks.
- Occultism : Caster DPS focused on curses and debuffs. It has some temporary pets and mind-control abilities, leaning towards theurgist, warlock, off-support caster DPS, mesmer, necro.
- Shadowplay : These are the movement skills of rogues and assassins, all situated in the melee DPS area. It provides considerable movement radius. Currently incredibly popular for anything related to PvP. And since ArcheAge is basically a hardcore PvP game: the first choice for many.
The four support skills
These are called support skill lines because you cannot start directly with them, and there are fewer DPS abilities included. This means that in class composition in ArcheAge, you cannot mix 3 of these 4 skill lines with each other, but one of the upper six lines must always be included.
- Auromancy : This is a defensive skill line that aims to protect primarily against magic damage. So it’s a counter against sorcery and occultism. Essentially an anti-mage tank.
- Defense : Defensive skill against melee damage. Typical tank skill line against melee DPS.
- Witchcraft : CC abilities that allow you to control enemies and dictate the outcome of a battle. In earlier MMOs, there used to be pure CC classes; today it’s hard to find comparisons.
- Songcraft : A support line that primarily shines with buffs.
When looking at this from a conventional perspective, one would immediately come up with eight ideas about what class they could actually play: a totally offensive rogue, for example. Or a hardcore healer with vitalism, auromancy, and defense. Or something totally crazy with sorcery, shadowplay, and songcraft or so. Yes, others have come up with such class ideas before you.
According to a survey on reddit, shadowplay is extremely popular for patch 1.2 (1.2 is the patch with which ArcheAge goes live here). More than half of all people who participated in the vote plan to incorporate shadowplay into their character. The reason is surely the high mobility that this skill line grants the class. Many builds also include either auromancy or defense to benefit from physical or magical damage.
Here’s a selection of archetypes compiled by the English site 2p.com.
Class Archetype: Melee Damage Dealer
For melee DPS, rogue variations are popular. They work with battlerage, shadowplay, and protect themselves either from physical or magical damage. Or one can go “all-in”.
- Darkrunner (battlerage, shadowplay, auromancy) – This is a type of assassin that protects himself from his typical predator, the mage, with auromancy. The idea is to get to enemies as quickly as possible to burst them down and then escape before things get complicated. A PvP killer and a pretty good all-rounder.
- Blighter (battlerage, shadowplay, defense) – Also an assassin, but more focused on surviving direct enemy contact. More vulnerable to magic than the darkrunner.
- Shadowblade (battlerage, shadowplay, witchcraft): A bit riskier, a bit more vulnerable, but can pull off some impressive feats with the additional CC abilities if he stays alive.
Class Archetype: Range Damage Dealer.
Among range DPS, shadowplay is currently valued as the primary movement element. Particularly for range DPS, having combat initiation on your own side is essential, and the mobility line is very helpful for that.
- Reaper (sorcery, shadowplay, occultism): A range DPS glass-cannon, focused entirely on damage and deception. Shouldn’t be caught.
- Spellsinger (sorcery, shadowplay, songcraft): A type of caster DPS with mobility and support capabilities.
- Primeveal (archery, shadowplay, auromancy): A pretty classic ranger type who tries to get to a good position protected to make trouble there. With auromancy, he protects himself against magical damage.
- Stonearrow (archery, shadowplay, defense): A tanky archer who isn’t as dependent on keeping enemies away as primeveal.
- Trickster : (archery, shadowplay, witchcraft): The offensive version of the archer, who gains mobility through shadowplay and CC abilities through witchcraft. Considered a pretty potent PvP class.
Class Archetype: The Tanks
For tanks, defense is mandatory, and in most builds, auromancy is also included, depending on the situation. Here, rather ‘conventional’ builds dominate, as tanks have a clear task, a job description. Anything that only includes “defense” to give a DPS a bit more padding would be classified as an off-tank.
- Skullknight (defense, auromancy, occultism): A strong combo, a CC tank so to speak, who is fully dependent on team play but can achieve impressive results.
- Paladin (defense, battlerage, vitalism): More offensive than the skullknight, focuses more on self-healing than on blocking opponents.
- Abolisher (defense, auromancy, battlerage): Another seemingly logical combo – a well-protected, classic bash-tank.
Class Archetype: The Healers
Healers need vitalism, and then it’s a question of whether they completely isolate themselves and focus on their own security, choose support with songcraft, or opt for other options, perhaps even play a bit more aggressively.
- Templar (vitalism, defense, auromancy): Essentially a logical combo. A turtle healer, so to speak. Almost unbreakable, not very mobile, not very dangerous.
- Necromancer (vitalism, witchcraft, occultism): A stark contrast to the Templar. The necromancer is fragile but can dictate battlefield strategy with his CC capabilities if left undisturbed.
These are just some of the class ideas circulating on English sites.
Basically, it’s important to understand which skill line does “what” and then consider how to piece them together. The modular approach should ensure that interesting combos are possible and that your character doesn’t become boring.
