Ashes of Creation Builds and Classes Guide
The best builds for all the classes coming soon after the Game's Release!

Introduction

Many MMORPGs struggle to deliver diverse gameplay experience to their player base. Despite many available Specializations and Subclasses, a lot of the time, Players get stuck playing with a few viable builds, because the rest of them is way below the power curve. Creating a well-balanced, unique, distinct, and yet robust Class System is quite a task and many companies struggle to deliver in this field. However, developers of the Ashes of Creation seem to have come up with the system that may prove to be one of the best Class systems to date. In this Guide, we will introduce you to all of the Archetypes and Classes available in Ashes of Creation. Also, we'll do our best to explain how the AoC's Class System works, and what exactly does it offer.

The Class System

In Ashes of Creation, a Class is the combination of two Archetypes, primary and secondary. Primary archetype is chosen during the character creation process, and can not be changed. It determines your character's role in Raids and Groups. Secondary Archetype is selected later in the game after the player got used to his primary Archetype's skills, abilities, and features. Unlike the primary one, the Secondary Archetype can be changed, however, this change is subjected to some limitations (for example, you are not able to change your secondary Archetype in combat, or during Raids and Dungeons). It Augments* your primary Archetype's skills and abilities.

*Secondary Archetype does not provide you with any additional Spells or Abilities from that Archetype (this means that combining a Tank with a Cleric will not give you access to healing spells). Instead, it provides you with some Archetype-specific utility effects and alters your existing spells and abilities, by adding some bonus effects to them.

There are 8 Archetypes, that can be selected at the start of your journey through the world of Verra. The same 8 Archetypes become available as secondary Archetypes later in the game (selecting the same Archetype for a second time is possible). This means that there is a total of 64 Classes in the Ashes of Creation, and you can freely change between 8 of them (because, as we mentioned before, Primary Archetype is permanent). All available Classes will differ in playstyle, flavor, mechanics, and backstories.

Below, we present you with all currently available information about Ashes of Creation Archetypes and Classes.

Important Note: Some of the information may be missing and all of it is subject to change, as the Game is still in development, and a lot of the Class and Archetype-related knowledge has not been released yet. We will keep all information featured in this Guide up-to-date, and all newly released clues will be added immediately.

Ashes of Creation Archetypes and Classes

Bard
Combat Role	Support
Primary Weapon	Currently unknown
Archetype Description – Bards are masters of word and tune. They are able to reinforce their teammates and weaken their enemies through magic based on music, stories, songs, and dance. Bard's influence on nearby allied and hostile creatures and Players can change the tides of any battle. They inspire courage among teammates and doubt among enemies.
Bard-Archetype Classes
Ministrel (Bard + Bard)
Soul Weaver (Bard + Cleric)
Tellsword (Bard + Fighter)
Magician (Bard + Mage)
Song Warden (Bard + Ranger)
Trickster (Bard + Rogue)
Songcaller (Bard + Summoner)
Siren (Bard + Tank)

Cleric
Combat Role	Healer
Primary Weapon	Staff
Archetype Description – Clerics are masters of holy arts. They are capable of healing even most deadly wounds and cleansing even most virulent poisons and diseases. Despite their stoic and calm appearance, they are also capable of defending themselves with offensive abilities if a situation demands it.
Cleric-Archetype Classes
Scryer (Cleric + Bard)
High Priest (Cleric + Cleric)
Templar (Cleric + Fighter)
Oracle (Cleric + Mage)
Protector (Cleric + Ranger)
Shadow Disciple (Cleric + Rogue)
Shaman (Cleric + Summoner)
Apostole (Cleric + Tank)

Cleric's Abilities
Staff Combo	Strike your enemy with a Staff multiple times, dealing Damage. This Weapon Ability Powers up your Focus
Cleanse	Removes harmful environmental effects from the targetted area
Divine Form	Increases your Healing and Damage done with skills and abilities by 25% for 8 seconds, inflicts nearby Enemies with Damage over Time, and empowers nearby Allies with a Heal over Time effect. Usable only at 80% or more Focus
Endow Life	Heals your Target for a large amount of Health. If targetted at a Dead Ally, it will revive them instead
Life's Balance	Balances the Health percentages of all group members to the average group's Health percentage (adds Health % of all Group members, divides it by the amount of Group members, and then redistributes it evenly between all of them)
Lifeline	Heals your primary Target and other friendly Targets nearby. This also deals Damage to Enemies that are close to healed Targets
Righteous Blessing	Heals your Target instantly, and applies a Heal over Time to it. This also inflicts enemies that close to your Target with a Damage over Time effect
Stolen Blessing	Places a Totem in the targetted area. This Totem deals Damage over Time to all nearby Enemies, and siphons all Damage Done as Health to all nearby Allies

Fighter
Combat Role	Damage Dealer
Primary Weapon	Currently unknown
Archetype Description – Fighters are masters of melee combat. They excel at wielding all sorts of close combat weapons and dealing physical Damage to their foes. They are also able to strike fear among their enemies
Fighter-Archetype Classes
Bladedancer (Fighter + Bard)
Highsword (Fighter + Cleric)
Weapon Master (Fighter + Fighter)
Spellsword (Fighter + Mage)
Hunter (Fighter + Ranger)
Shadowblade (Fighter + Rogue)
Bladecaller (Fighter + Summoner)
Dreadnought (Fighter + Tank)

Mage
Combat Role	Damage Dealer
Primary Weapon	Spellbook
Archetype Description – Mages are masters of arcane arts. They are able to harness the power of elements and use it to create devastating spells. Their vast arcane knowledge lets them bend and alter perceived reality to their will. Mages physical form is rather fragile, weak, and susceptible to attacks, but they more than compensate for it with their great offensive powers.
Mage-Archetype Classes
Sorcerer (Mage + Bard)
Acolyte (Mage + Cleric)
Battle Mage (Mage + Fighter)
Archwizard (Mage + Mage)
Spellhunter (Mage + Ranger)
Shadow Caster (Mage + Rogue)
Warlock (Mage + Summoner)
Spellstone (Mage + Tank)

Mage's Abilities
Spellbook Combo	Launch multiple Magic Missiles from your Spellbook at your Target, dealing Damage. This Weapon Ability Powers up your Focus
After Image	Confuses your enemies by summoning shadows of you. This ability grants you 4 seconds of Invulnerability
Arch Lightning	Shots a bolt of lightning in a straight line from the caster. The lightning damages all Enemies within its path
Ice Prison	Encloses your Target in the Ice Prison, inflicting Damage over Time and paralyzing it
Implosion	Launches a powerful burst of fire at the targetted location, dealing Fire Damage to all Enemies within range. It also has a chance to set affected Enemies ablaze, dealing additional fire Damage over Time
Mage's Detection	Reveals magickally hidden terrain and secret passages around the caster
Mage's Escape	You teleport forewards by stepping through another dimension. Enemies targetting you lose contact
Quake	You split the earth itself in a line in front of you. Dealing Damage and knocking Down all enemies in range. Usable only at 80% or more Focus

Ranger
Combat Role	Damage Dealer
Primary Weapon	Bow
Archetype Description – Rangers are ranged combat specialists that prefer to avoid close combat engagements and opt to utilize their superior positioning instead. They are known for their keen senses, familiarity with the natural environment, and unmatched skills with Bows.
Ranger-Archetype Classes
Bowsinger (Ranger + Bard)
Soulbow (Ranger + Cleric)
Strider (Ranger + Fighter)
Scion (Ranger + Mage)
Hawkeye (Ranger + Ranger)
Scout (Ranger + Rogue)
Falconer (Ranger + Summoner)
Sentinel (Ranger + Tank)

Ranger's Abilities
Bow's Combo	Strike your Target with multiple Arrows shot from your bow, dealing Damage. This Weapon Ability Powers up your Focus
Fleeting Shot	You dash away from your Target and shot a single Arrow at it simultaneously, dealing Damage
Hail of Arrows	Launches Hail of Arrows at the targetted area, dealing massive amounts of Damage to all Targets within range and sometimes slowing them. Usable only at 80% or more Focus
Marked Arrow	Marks your Target, causing it to take increased Damage from all sources
Power Shot	Charge up an Arrow, and shot it in a straight line. The arrow damages all Targets in its way and sometimes applies a bleed Damage over Time effect to them. Damage done increases with the charging time
Snare	Your shot hinders your Target's movements, rooting it in place and slowing its movement speed
Sniper's Eye	You create a focus zone around you. While you remain in the zone, you deal additional 200 Damage with all of your attacks
Track	Allows you to search for nearby tracks left by unknown adventurers, letting you eventually find them

Rogue
Combat Role	Damage Dealer
Primary Weapon	Currently unknown
Archetype Description – Rogues prefer the stealthy approach to Combat, and try to avoid fair fights if possible. They are the masters of ambushes and assassinations and specialize themselves in dealing high amounts of close combat Damage very quickly. Their unmatched agility lets them suddenly withdraw from combat and use the surrounding environment to disappear from sight.
Rogue-Archetype Classes
Charlatan (Rogue + Bard)
Cultist (Rogue + Cleric)
Duelist (Rogue + Fighter)
Nightspell (Rogue + Mage)
Predator (Rogue + Ranger)
Assassin (Rogue + Rogue)
Shadow Lord (Rogue + Summoner)
Shadow Guardian (Rogue + Tank)

Summoner
Combat Role	Damage Dealer/Support
Primary Weapon	Currently unknown
Archetype Description – Summoners avoid fighting in person and prefer sending their pets to do their bidding instead. Their race determines what kind of Pets they are able to summon. Summoner's pet is also based on the chosen secondary Archetype and its appearance changes depending on the cosmetic and non-cosmetic items used.
Summoner-Archetype Classes
Enchanter (Summoner + Bard)
Necromancer (Summoner + Cleric)
Wild Blade (Summoner + Fighter)
Spellmancer (Summoner + Mage)
Beastmaster (Summoner + Ranger)
Shadowmancer (Summoner + Rogue)
Conjurer (Summoner + Summoner)
Brood Warden (Summoner + Tank)

Tank
Combat Role	Tank
Primary Weapon	Sword and Shield
Archetype Description –  Tanks are frontline fighters specialized at gaining and keeping the enemy's attention, but also at creating breakthroughs in enemy lines. They are exceptionally tough and are able to shrug off unbelievable amounts of incoming punishment. The secondary Archetype choice will determine Tank's specialization by, for example, adding self-heal abilities, increasing physical resistances, or improving the ability to avoid incoming Damage completely.
Tank-Archetype Classes
Argent (Tank + Bard)
Paladin (Tank + Cleric)
Knight (Tank + Fighter)
Spellshield (Tank + Mage)
Warden (Tank + Ranger)
Nightshield (Tank + Rogue)
Keeper (Tank + Summoner)
Guardian (Tank + Tank)

Tank's Abilities
Longsword Combo	Strike your Target with your Sword and Shield multiple times, dealing Damage. This Weapon Ability Powers up your Focus
Bulwark	Create a Wall that Knocks Down and Damages all enemies who make contact with it
Cover	Allows you to protect a friendly Target by absorbing 50% of the Damage he receives over the next 6 seconds
Harted	Forces your Target to attack you for 5 seconds, and increases its Hate towards you. This ability also increases the Hate of all Targets around your primary Target towards you
Impale	Pulls your Target towards you by hooking them on a chain
Perception	Allows you to spot threats within the range of your perception
Righteous Fury	Launches spears at all Targets within your frontal arc. Spears deal Damage and pull all affected Targets towards you. Usable only at 80% or more Focus
Shield Might	Swings your Shield in a frontal arc, knocking down and damaging all Targets within melee range

Pictures used in this article are the intellectual property of Intrepid Studios