The Most Viable and Popular Classes in ArcheAge

With the 120 classes available in ArcheAge. After reaching level 10, you can combine any three skillsets to make a unique class. So you can easily get lost in the sheer amount of information, especially if you are new to ArcheAge or to MMOs in general. So here are some of the most popular builds, chosen for their efficiency, viability and combo diversity.

Blighter: Battlerage/Shadowplay/Defense
A great melee class with a high survivability against archers and warriors. If accompanied by a healer class, and assuming that the Blighter isn't up against several mages, a win can even be possible in 2 vs 5 situations. The downsides are, as you can guess, low chances of survival when attacked by mages, and a low mobility.

Shadowblade: Battlerage/Shadowplay/Witchcraft
Also a viable melee class, the Shadowblade has slightly lower chances of survival in group fights as compared to the Blighter, but possesses numerous CC skills, and long combos dealing huge amounts of damage. They have a higher mobility, but remain weak to mages.

Darkrunner: Battlerage/Shadowplay/Auramancy
The Darkrunner is basically a Shadowblade, geared toward more survivability, and fast strikes rather than long combos. Auramancy effectively offers a decent defense against mage classes, as well as anti-CC skills. You will depend mostly on your stealth, and backstabbing critical hits to kill opponents as fast as you can before jumping back into stealth.

Trickster: Archery/Shadowplay/Witchcraft
Ranged version of the Shadowblade, the trickster will be highly dependent on bow skills for damage, and witchcraft's CC's to keep enemies at bay. With the wide attack range and Stalker's Mark, fleeing enemies will rarely get away from a Trickster.

Shadehunter: Archery/Shadowplay/Occultism
Considered as slightly inferior to the trickster due to the mitigated damage output, the Shadehunter nonetheless possesses some great combos, and the Occultism magic damage skills can work great against physical tanks. As a Shadehunter, you will want to use a Staff early on, before switching to Obsidian Katanas.

Primeval: Archery/Shadowplay/Auramancy
Ranged version of the Darkrunner, the Primeval possesses a high mobility meant to keep enemies at bay while you slowly reduce their health, Auramancy being useful in countering certain CC skills. This class offers a good rate of survivability against mage classes, assuming that it isn't ambushed.

Stone Arrow: Archery/Shadowplay/Defense
Basically a Tank archer, the Stone Arrow works great in countering other archers, as well as leather wearing melee players. It remains weak to mages and such confrontations should be avoided.

Skullknight: Defense/Auramancy/Occult
One of the best tanks in the game, the Skullknight is great for both group PVE and group PVP, taunting enemies, and disrupting them with Occultism skills. High survivability in group battles assuming that they are backed up by a party.

Abolisher: Defense/Auramancy/Battlerage
Another good tank that can also deal some decent damage against melee and archer classes, while offering more mobility and anti-CC (Boundbreaker).

Paladin: Defense/Battlerage/Vitalism
True to its name, the Paladin has a high level of survivability against most classes, and can also support the party with heals or by taunting dangerous enemies.

Spellsinger: Sorcery/Shadowplay/Songcraft
While some may argue that the 1.2 update reduced the effectiveness of the Spellsinger, it remains a highly viable mage class, allowing you to ambush enemies and dispatch them with ease in most cases.

Daggerspell: Sorcery/Shadowplay/Witchcraft
Great damage with long combos, and very useful CC skills that will make the difference in group fights where you are outnumbered, assuming that your teammates don't break them.

Reaper: Sorcery/Shadowplay/Occultism
Occultism always works great with Shadowplay, but also has some decent combos with Sorcery. A well optimized Reaper can easily take down any enemy if it initiated the attack, with a few exceptions of course.

Templar: Vitalism/Auramancy/Defense
Great to have on your side in large scale wars, the Templar will often be among the last men standing when played right with its great self heals, anti-CC and immunity to damages.

Hierophant: Vitalism/Auramancy/Witchcraft
Hard to solo with, the Hierophant will be a great asset in group fights if it has the support of a party. Can disable enemies, heal allies, or help take down enemies with a good set of combos.

Necromancer: Vitalism/Witchcraft/Occultism
Great class to use in battles of small scales, with better damage and CC, but less anti-CC with the loss of Auramancy. You can always switch to Templar of Hierophant during large scale wars for more survivability.