From Runes of Magic Wiki - The Runes of Magic

Introduction to PvP gameplay

PvP is short for Player versus Player.

PvP promises a high adrenaline environment where you engage in battles not only between you and the monsters the world provides, but also against your fellow team mates. If you have the courage and skill to face off against others, perhaps this is the type of server/gameplay you should choose. Remember if you choose PvP, the PvE world is still open to you.

Introduction to PvE gameplay

PvE is short for Player Versus Environment.

On a PvE realm you dont need to fear other players around you. In fact, it encourages a co-operative team effort to solve some artificial intelligense puzzles beyond your wildest imagination.

Team Play

Every member of a instance or raid group has their own highly specific job. To choose the correct character for you, you need to consider some of your attributes and strenghts, and weigh them against your weaknesses. Although you should always aim to be all that you can be for your group, remember that a character you enjoy playing will always be easier than one you do not.

Most groups consists of 1 tank, 1 healer and 4 dps.

Tanking

A tank is the selfappointed leader of any group. He determines the strategy and sets the pace. Amongst his virtues is the ability to stay alive; high armor, defensive skill, parry, stamina and dodge lets him take beatings by monsters who would otherwise eat the team members in one bite.
He is the protector of the team and fights a constant battle to ensure all the mobs are fully in his control. This mechanic is known as threat or aggro. In other words; the person who angers the mob the most will have his attention. As a tank, your job is to anger the mobs more than your team does, by generating constant high threat on the mob that is being killed. This means a keen knowledge of his skills and abilities and a understanding of the tendencies of his team.
Tanking is a great responsability, and the healer is his best friend.
Currently Knights make the best tanks, although you can alternatively bring a Warrior.

Healing

Trailing slightly behind the rest of the group walks the healer. The one who is in constant worry about the wellbeing of his friends.
His job is to keep everyone alive, constantly vigilant, always ready with a spell.
There is no excuse for running out of mana, no excuse for being too slow.
The healer understands his team better than anyone, and has a almost psychic link to his tank. He sees what happens before it occurs to the extent that he has started casting before the damage appears.
Healing can be rewarding in many ways, but the responsabilities can be overwhelming. Currently Priests make the best healers.

Melee DPS

Always up at the front, always flirting with danger is the melee dps. High bursts of damage ensures the mobs health drops quickly, but the constant threat he generates towards a mob may be his undoing. Being near a mob not only means the danger of becomming his next meal, but the melee dps has a keen understanding of his pray and lightning reactions to get him out of trouble when he spots it.
When the adrenaline soars, movement, vigilance and huge shiny weapons is all that counts. Currently Rogues and Warriors make the best melee dps.

Ranged DPS

At the back with the healer, the ranged dps stands. Wether he is using a bow or casting spells, his job is to kill. From a distance he not so much stalks, but bears down on his pray with such might that it serves a real challenge to his tank. Somewhat more delicate than most, he has overview and is ready to help when things go awry. A wellplaced slowing effect may mean the difference between life and death for your healer.