Silkroad has a very fluid skill system.
This means a lot of freedom in weapon and stat/skill choices, which sometimes means you get a lot of freedom in screwing up your character build
So here’s a little guide to different build types you can follow. Of course this is only a guide. You’re always free to experiment.

Legend

I will be using the folllowing words in the guide with the presumption that you know what I mean.

STR build - majority of player’s stat points are put into STR
INT build - majority of player’s statpoints are put into INT
all STR - all of player’s stat points are put into STR
all INT - all of player’s stat points are put into INT
2:1 - player’s stat points are put approx. twice as much in STR than INT
1:2 - player’s stat points are put approx. twice as much in INT than STR
1:1 - player’s stat points are put approx. equally into STR and INT (aka Balance build)
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Sword - One handed magical weapon
Blade - One handed physical weapon (previously known as Dagger)
Spear - Two handed magical weapon
Glaive - Two handed physical weapon (preiouvsly known as Big Sword)
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Weapon skills - skills in one of three weapon skill trees (Swordmanship, Spearmanship, Bowmanship)
Force skills - skills in one of four force Silk Road Gold trees (Cold, Lightening, Fire, Heal)
Mastery Level - level of a certain skill tree, i.e. Cold Mastery lvl 12
Stat Points: Basics

When a player levels, s/he is given 5 stat points.
2 of those stat points are automatically allocated for you, 1 to STR and 1 to INT.
3 remaining need to be allocated by the player.

A stat point to STR will add HP, Physical Attack, Physical Defense
A stat point to INT will add MP, Magical Attack, Magical Defense

Builds: Basics

For obvious reasons, Blade and Glaive users usually do STR builds.
Sword and Spear users do INT builds.
Bows can go both ways.
You can also do a 1:1 build.. more on that below.

STR builds:
Your main damage skills will be your Weapon skills.
You will have a harder time levelling than INT builds.