Getting Started in Enshrouded

Ranger is considered the safest first archetype — bows let you kite while learning enemy patterns, and the line scales smoothly into the mid-game.
You can freely respec at a Flame Altar for a small resource cost (a few Goo plus biome-tier materials), so experimenting with playstyles early carries little risk.
Skill nodes overlap between trees (for example, Updraft is reachable from both Assassin and Trickster), so you're not always locked into one path just by picking a starting focus.
Avoid grinding enemies below your level — XP scaling falls off, so prioritize Shroud Roots, Hollow Halls runs at your level, and side quests in your current biome instead.