Szophie Explores: Choosing a Class

Hour 1:  After you choose your race, you will be asked to choose your class.  Your class choices will play a large part in the type of combat you will experience and your roles at later points in the game.

Please keep in mind this section is intended for those new to Rift and is an introduction only.

The soul system in Rift is the most flexible of any current MMORPG.  When you begin your journey you can choose a prebuilt combination (recommended for those new to Rift) or choose your own combination to make a soul of your own choosing.  While some soul combinations work better together than others, there are no "wrong" combinations. 

The first questions you should ask yourself when choosing a class are:

* What type of combat will you enjoy most?
Will you want to be up close to the enemy or farther away?
Will you want to cast spells or us a sword?
Would you like to have a pet?

* What type of role would you like to fulfil when playing with a group?
Would you like to be responsible for healing and protecting your friends? (Healer)
Would you like to demand the attention of the enemy? (Tank)
Would you like to be a heavy hitter who will quickly damage the enemy? (Damage)
 Would you like to provide your friends with back up or useful tricks? (Support)

After you have answered these questions, you can look into the prebuilds to see those that will fulfil your interests.  These builds are designed by Trion and will help you with point placement as you level.   It is a good idea to follow the prebuilts while you get to know the game.  However, you can always strike out from the prebuilds and choose your points - the system will give you a message, asking you if you accept you are leaving the prebuilt.  Keep in mind there are many more prebuilt souls than the five shown on the customization screen.  If the class archetype interests you, but you do not see the right build for you in the prebuilt, choose any prebuilt and continue forward to character customization.  Once you are in the game, but before you begin your questing, you can choose a different build.

Want to preform more than one role?  Don't worry, as soon as you reach your capital city (around level 10) you can purchase a new role from your calling trainer.*   It is also possible to level your character using one soul and go into groups with a choice, just be sure to spend time learning the abilities both roles.

Warrior
The warrior can fulfil all roles except for healing.

The Warrior support soul, listed in the prebuilt as Pathfinder, is the type of support who offers buffs and additional damage to their group. It is possible to choose this role while levelling, but you will kill things much more slowly than the other roles.

Warriors have many different damage dealing souls, falling into two categories. A majority of the damage dealing souls in the Warrior class are melee (Close-up) damage dealing.  There is flexibility however.  If you are interested in playing a spell casting damage dealer who can also fight up close, you should look into the Shock Trooper prebuilt.*  This warrior uses air spells to damage its enemies from afar, then finishes them off with their sword in melee range.

Any of the warrior damage dealers are excellent choices for levelling a new character, as they take damage more slowly than the other classes.  However, be sure to stock up on healing potions.

Warriors have many classic Tank souls.  Tanks often have few, if any, opportunities or means to heal themselves, but they have skills to help them minimize the damage they take, allowing them to stay alive longer when playing alone.  The abilities of a tank are designed to taunt an enemy, rather than to damage it, so levelling a character in a tank soul is slower.

Warriors wear Plate armor and are looking for reward items that provide Strength and Attack Power.

Cleric
The Cleric can fulfil each and every type of combat and role.  They are the most flexible when planning a do it all type character. 

Clerics are adept healers.  Their healing souls range from classic healers who heal via spell work (the Flame Keeper is one such example) to healers who shield their friends from taking damage.

There is a cleric healing soul that is often better used as a support.  Choosing Deathwright* you will absorbe damage taken by your fellows, provide a boost to their damage, and damage the enemy yourself.  Although a great healer at lower levels, at the higher levels it is more useful as support.

Clerics can be excellent tanks.  Their single tanking soul, "Seraphic Guard" combines self healing with tanking skills.  Look into this option for levelling if you are interesting in pursuing tanking at the higher levels - it will help you level more quickly than warrior choices and you will learn the soul as you progress.

Damage dealing as a Cleric ranges from melee as a Thunderer to ranged spell casting as an Arbiter. 

Clerics were chain armor and are looking for rewards that provide wisdom and spell power.

Rogue
The Rogue can preform all roles except for healing. 

The Rogue is a support class in their Battle Bard soul combination.  The Battle Bard provides additional healing to their group and gives the group powerful buffs to damage and healing.  It is possible to level fully in this soul combination.

Rogues can be very flexible in the tank role.  Planar Sentry relies on the Rogues speed to dodge the enemies tanks, infuriating the enemy and holding their attention.

Many of the damage roles for a Rogue focus on being up close to the enemy, however the Rogue has many unique souls.  Shadow Stalker is able to hide in the shadows or in plain sight, the Flame Trooper* wields flame throwers, and the saboteur throws damaging bombs to the enemy.  Rogues can also be huntsmen, able to use a bow and arrow with accuracy.

Rogues wear leather armor and are looking for rewards that provide dexterity and attack power.

Mage
The Mage can preform all roles except for tanking.

The mage healing soul is the Sage.  The sage heals by dealing life damage to enemies. It is not a traditional healing soul, and takes some practice, but it is an excellent choice for levelling and groups.

The mage damage souls focus on ranged spell casting and many of them are able to summon a protector to act as a tank, allowing them to take less damage.  They also have a melee, sword whielding soul in the Spellblade prebuilt.*

A look at their prebuilt screen shows a lack of support, but a mage can support with any mixture of a sage and and other spell caster.

Mages wear cloth armor and are looking for rewards that provide intellect and spell power.

* one soul in each of the classes is only available if you have purchased the storm legion.  After the launch of Free to Play, you will need to purchase the rights to these souls from the Cash Shop.