RIFT builds could be broken down in many different ways
In the beginning, 4 classes appears like not enough to select from for this type of robust game. Once you realize that each of these classes takes on several possible playing styles according to their skill sets, it might be clearer that 4 classes in plenty.
Each class stops working to eight sub-classes each. And if that's insufficient, each sub-class could be configured in a variety of ways because you will soon learn. There are lots of variations and talents that RIFT builds can assume.
A few of the classes abilities may surprise you. Warriors are usually assumed to become offensive or defensive. Mages must be for dealing damage... right? Rogues... surely hack and slash damage dealers. Cleric builds should be in which the healing is at.
Don't be so sure til you have had a chance to review everything each of the classes can perform:
RIFT Cleric builds have 3 different healer builds (roles), but they also have 4 different offensive builds and 1 defensive (tank) build. The Cleric RIFT builds can be a large amount of fun and may be considered a extremely important a part of any group. While they are able to handle two of the important thing roles of a party (tank or healer), they can also be devastating damage dealers.
It's no surprise that RIFT Mage builds can be made up of offensive abilities. In RIFT, there are 5 offensive builds (roles). It's also not too surprising to find the Mage can take on support responsibilities. They have 2 RIFT support builds. The thing that took me off guard was there was a healing build for mages. It makes more sense if you think of mages as being magic users and typically healing is used using magic of some kind. So, the shock wears off quickly. I still think it is both odd and enjoyable when playing a healing mage though.
Should you be guessing that RIFT Rogue builds were hack and slash, you were... mostly correct. The most of the available rogue RIFT builds are offensive anyway. There are 6 in most. Two of the coolest rogue builds really are a support role referred to as “Bard” along with a tanking role! The bard build is fairly amusing and fun to experience in addition to a very vital piece of an organization. They don't cast spells, but rather they use their instruments (yes, the type you play musically) to effect their friends and foes. The defensive build really sent my head spinning. A tanking rogue?!? I never might have thought it, but it is a significant fun and useful role to experience.
RIFT Warrior builds are for the most part, just what you realized. There are 4 offensive roles and three defensive roles. So, obviously these kinds is meant for laying the smack down or protecting the group from harm and taking the brunt of the enemy assault. They are doing, however; have 1 support build that may be very helpful towards the group. If you want just being a beast of the fighter and being the savior from the meek and mild, here's your class. Don't let the simplicity of the warrior build mislead you. This class and all sorts of it's builds are simply as complex and rich with a variety of skills as any of the other classes. If you had been thinking the warrior is too boring... think again.
The RIFT responsibilities are made up of Offensive, Defensive (Tanks), Healing, and Support. If you have been playing MMORPG or adventure type games for some time, you may be very familiar with tanking, healing, and offensive responsibilities. The support responsibility may be new to some people. I realize it was a new comer to me. The following is a brief explanation of each:
RIFT Tank Builds - The defensive responsibilities fall on the shoulders of the tanks of the game. Tanks are supposed to go ahead and take brunt from the battle which means they need to contain the attention from the enemy targets. This is known as taking aggro (taking aggression). Each player will have a threat level which rises and falls depending on what the player does. Tanks have abilities that raise their threat level so the enemies pay more attention and concentrate their attacks on them. They also have abilities that “taunt” the enemy to refocus the enemy's attention from another party member to themselves.
RIFT Healing Builds - The healers from the game play a very important part of any group. While the tank and damage dealers are focusing outwardly towards the enemies, the healer is focusing mostly on the party members. It is their task to help keep everyone alive and heal the wounded. The most significant member of the group that has to stay alive at all costs may be the tank. If the tank falls, in almost every case, all of those other group will fall. When the battle is over, the audience usually relies on the healer to resurrect (bring back to life) their fallen friends.
RIFT Offensive Builds - Fundamental essentials guys that do the dirty work; the harm dealers. Bringing down the enemy may be the main job for the offensive builds. It isn't necessarily as easy as just attacking an enemy. An offensive character must be conscious of getting into harms way in addition to doing enough damage in a short amount of time as you possibly can. The tank are only able to take on so many foes and last such a long time and also the healer doesn't have an endless pool of magical energy to spend on keeping the group alive. Taking the enemy targets down fast and hard is a must in order for the group to survive.
RIFT Support Builds - The support responsibility is extremely special and in some cases very vital to the group. Their abilities are mostly comprised of either those that enhance the group or allies and people who diminish the abilities from the enemy. They are of help in allowing the group to do more damage and remain more protected while which makes it so that the enemy takes more damage and deals less damage. I have seen this role result in the distinction between a field of players living and dying against battled hardened creatures from rifts and the demons lurking in ominous dungeons.