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Starter Builds & Choosing a Class — How to Decide

Basic KnowledgePublishedUpdated

Your first character’s experience hinges on your class and build direction. But which build is “best” changes every patch, so this page focuses on how to choose and where to find info rather than naming a specific build. For concrete builds, always check a current-patch guide.

How to choose a starting class

A class sets your starting position on the tree and your early skill access. The passive tree is shared across all classes, but nodes suited to your class cluster near your start, so early convenience differs. What to weigh:

  • Playstyle — do you like meleeing up close, keeping distance with ranged/spells, or a style where your character isn’t in danger (minions, totems)?
  • Primary attribute — Strength (melee, armour), Dexterity (ranged, evasion), or Intelligence (spells, energy shield). Starting positions roughly follow this axis (see the passive tree).
  • Resource / execution complexity — combo-heavy or resource-hungry styles ask more of you. A first character is easier if it’s simple.

Forgiving directions for beginners

Instead of a specific build name, aim for traits that hold up even when you make mistakes.

  • Styles that keep distance (ranged/spell) are generally less risky. Melee is strong but takes more hits.
  • A single, reliable main skill is easier to learn than juggling several.
  • Minions or totems — where your character isn’t on the front line — are also beginner-friendly, since your death risk drops.
  • Whatever you pick, leaning defensive makes the campaign far smoother.

In short, “stay alive and deal steady damage” is plenty for a first character. Favor stability over flash.

Early traps to avoid

The spots where first characters most often fall apart — most are covered in detail in the other beginner pages.

  • Ignoring resistances to chase damage. The most common and most costly mistake (Defense Basics).
  • Neglecting defensive layers and life. Great damage means nothing if one hit kills you.
  • Spreading across damage types. Focus one type so increased-damage, penetration, and ailments all work together (Damage Types & Ailments).
  • Letting your weapon fall behind. If monsters won’t die, it’s usually the weapon (Leveling & Campaign).
  • Burning expensive currency early. Save valuables like Divine Orbs (Crafting Basics).

Finding build info

Current builds change a lot each patch, so when it was written matters.

  • Use community build guides, videos, and planners, but always check that they’re current-patch. Old guides may assume skills or currency that no longer exist.
  • Once you find a build you like, draft its tree in this site’s planner and save or share it (see Passive Tree & Planner).
  • If you’re brand new, instead of copying a build exactly, taking one character to the end with the “forgiving direction” above plus the fundamentals from the beginner pages is a great way to learn.