After i started a new expertgame the 3. time because something didn't work like i thought it would :)...
i decided to write a small starterguide.

It doesn't include divine widsom...just my opinion, based at my experience with Blackguard.

I. Magic powers or not..that is the question here (AP=Adventure points, AE=Astral Energy)
Your first decision is...giving your Avatar the ability to use magic or not.
You don't choose a class...you just decide if you Avatar should be able to learn and use spell..may it during the
creation, from books or teachers.

Without magic
A Avatar that don't invest into magic will have enough AP to max. out 2 of 3 styles (ranged, pure damage and amorpiercing/wounding), the important attributes/skills and "aura-armor"..you're weaker then a wellmade, buffed hybrid..but you don't need to care about AE/spellduration/AE-reg/...and you still can get buffs from your NSC-Spellcasters

"Pure" Mage
A Avatar that uses magic as his favored tool will have several difficulties you should be aware off
1.AE-Potions are expensive and their stock is limited, the stock of merchants wan't refill
2.good equipment for mages i rare and you wan't get it early
3.there're several situation where you have to fight 2+ battles in a row..making AE-mangment even more diffcult
if you don't know what will happen ;)
4.The mainchar is placed at the fronline most the time wich can result in instant death at several battles
because enemys start within attackrange with several chars.
Aside from this small problems...mages can become really powerfull heros..but you really need to know the game.

"the mixed Bag"
The Fighter with buffs&selfheal, Archers with buff&selfheal or fighters that summon their own shadow are
good ways to mix up magic and mundane skills. There are countless more combinations but if you plan to build
a really exotic mix...you should allready know the game and the rules.
You should concentrate at the mundane skills first and only buy the option to use magic and the main buffspell
you plan to use, raise during the creation if you have sparepoints...but after you start adventuring don't split
your attention to early. And don't take to many spells..or the battle will be lost before you're buffed ;)
Axxeleratus work well for all chars, Sensatacco might be right if you use 2 Dagger, blades, fencing weapons,..etc...

Take into mind..that you will be forced to fight with a staff at some situations if you choosed the ability to use magic.
and that you wan't regenerate AP if you wear metall armor..so you have to put it off before Rest.

II. The attributes
There isn't much to say.
If you hover the cursor over one of the main-attributes..you get a explanation and the secondary Attributes that are affected by it are highlighted.
If you hover the cursor over one of the secondary attributes you get a explanation and the main Attributes that affect it are highlighted.
If you wan't to know wich attributes are needed to increase the sucsesschance of using a skill or a spell, click at the skill/spell or hover your cursor over the skill/spell and at the upper right a explanation of the skill/spell will appear that name the important attributes too.

III.The weaponskills

Before i write down some comments how usefull i find the different types of weapons you should know how dealing damage work at Blackguards.
You have to score a "possible" hit (use your weapon with sucsess, pass magical protection that cause a misschance), then the game tests if the enemy can parry or evade and then damage is rolled. Lets say we deal 10 damage.
First...the damage is reduced by the armor of the enemy, then by his resistance...so dealing 10 sworddamage against a enemy that has 5 armor and 80 resistance against sworddamage...results in dealing 0 damage.

Most enemys have a
medium to very high resistance against common-damage, dealt by most animals and some environmentobjects/effects
medium to high resistance against sworddamage
low to medium resistance against piercing and slashing damage, several enemys are immun against piercing d.
no to medium resistance against firedamage, some enemys are immune against fire d.
no to low resistance against infantry-damage
no resistance against magic and poisondamage, several enemys are immune to poison d.

That is only a summary applicable for most enemys but several of the mystical creatures have a special set of resistance, like skeletons being immun against piercing damage.

-Daggers
Nearly all daggers are fast(giving a bonus to Initiative), deal low piercing damage and high quality daggers have a bonus to attack.
There're several unique daggers that have special traits like permapoison, wounding, astral regenration, parry,dealing magic damage...
Dagger are nice if you plan to learn the special Feats of the Feinttree with a 2-Weapon-Avatar or as a offhand-weapon if you look for some of the special traits they offer.
For 2/3 of the game acting first and dealing some wounds or poison the enemy is a good tradeoff for the low damage, later you will have the problem that many enemys are immun/very resistant against wouding or are just so powerfull that they don't really care if they have wounds or not.

-1H-Blades
The 1H-Blades deal medium sworddamage, can use many of the special Feats and have balanced values for at the chapter you can get them.
For the first half of the game 1H-Blades are the most versatile weapon, notably at the beginning where the drawbacks/limitations of other weapons can be annoying...the very ability to use feint and impact with the same weapon is very helpfull, with 1H-Blade and shield you get the best values for parry/attack and with 2 1H-blades you can combine being versatile with dealing damage.
Later on you will get some problems because many enemys have high resistance against sworddamge and/or are immun/very resistant against wouding or are just so powerfull that they don't really care if they have wounds or not.
There are few unique 1H-blades that have better values but none with special traits...or at least..didn't found one.

-1H-Slashing weapons
Slashing weapons deal medium slashing or firedamage and they are slow and clumsy(reducing your attack/parry and Ini-attributes).
At the early parts of the game the drawebacks can be hard to deal with but later the combination of "low enemys resistance"+"Special Abilitys" allows you to deal medium to high damage (esp. for a 1H-weapon) throughout the whole game.
Aside from this there're several situations where the game forces you to use basic/improvised weapons that count as shlashing weapons.
The only real "drawback" for the later game is the limited selection of normal 1H-slashing weapons at least there are some unique ones, including some that deal magic damage.

-Fencing weapons
Fencing weapons deal medium piercing damage, are fast and well balanced (+ to attack&Ini, small - to parry).
Their values make them a easy to use weapon early on, esp. because you have access to the first high-quality-fencing-weapons very early and they are the fastes weapon to get the 2-weapon-style working.
Althought dealing more damage then daggers they share the same weakness and i didn't found any real unique fencing weapons.

-Bows and Crossbows
As ranged weapons you don't have to splitt the points beetween attack and parry, reaching high attackvalues early.
The damage dealt depends on the ammo you use but the basic ammo deals piercing damage for both weapons.
Crossbows are more precises at very long ranges but get problems earlier than bows if the enemy closes in.
Bows have a limited and crossbows a very limited weaponselection and 2 unique ones with better values but
the different ammotypes outweight this small drawback.
Bows are a more versatile weapon throught the complete game then crossbows because they can use all ranged special abilitys, allowing you to deal raw damage, aoe-damage or wound the enemy to weaken him, where you can't use multishoot or the aoe-attack with crossbows.
Overall the Bow is a strong and versatile weapon throughout the whole game where the crossbow looses much of his usefullness later on, at least if used as mainweapon.

-Throwing weapons
Throwing weapons are a mixed bag, most basic ones are weak and will become useless fast and the more exotic throwing weapons have a very limited stock.
All throwing weapons have to be placed at the belt and are used like potion therefore you can use them without changing the weaponset but they block a space at the Belt and you can carry only a very limited number compared to the fact that you chars can carry 3 complete weaponsets with up to 100 arrows or bolts for each ranged set.
Still..until you learn to change weaponsets for free it often very usefull to have a throwing weapon ready to finish of a enemy before he can be healed or uses a potion and the more exotic ones can be really mighty if used right.

-Staffs
There is no reason to train this weapon expect for"pure Mages" that might be forced to relay on their staff for selfdefence or RP-reasons ;).

-Spears
Spears deal medium piercing damage and can be used at a range of 2, the selection of spears is very limited but you can aquire several unique spears at the 2.half of the game. Spears have the same problem like daggers and fencing weapons later on the problem is greatly reduced if you aquire the unique spears and attacking over 1 Hex can be used to your advantage most the time like attacking over a trap, a nasty swamphole or even over your dwarf...still..for a 2H-weapon the damage isn't that good.
Overall the tactical advantage outweights the drawback at many battles but you should have a 2. Set with a other weapontype for the 2.half of the game.

-2H.-Blades
2H-Blades deal high to very high sworddamage and for the most part of the game their drawbacks are weaker then for 2H-Slashing weapons with similar damagevalues. Early on the access to feint and impact makes them very versatile and they have a nice selecion of weapons and uniques, esp. having the most usefull weapon with magic damage.
The drawback is..that they deal sworddamage where many enemys have high resistance during the last third of the game and the average damage of most 2H-blades isn't that good...still..with their unique weapons 2H Blades are very powerfull if used right.

-2H.-Slashing weapons
2H-Slashing weapons deal high to very high sword or Infantrydamage but are very slow and clunsy (Up to -5 to attack/parry/Ini).
Early on their Drawbacks are very hard to deal with but later those types that deal Infantrydamage are annihilating because most enemys have no or only a low resistance to this damagetype.. with specialattacks you can kill normal and veteran enemys with a single hit and with a lucky blow and/or buffed even Eliteenemys or subbosses. The highest damage dealt without buffs/Potions was 109 for a char with strenght 18.
The Drawback is..that chars that use 2H-Slashing weapons are really hurt by curses/wounds or poison...high damage isn't usefull if you don't hit :)

IV. The Skills
I hade some problems to translate the skills^^...i hope everybody understand what i write :)

Bodycontrol
If you don't like laying your chars around and taking a Nap in the middle of a hot fight you should raise this for all chars.
Early on mages and ranged fighters rarly need it but this will change fast...aside from special meleeattacks that can knock you out there are spells and ammotypes that can do the same. 8 will be enough for most situations at chapter 1&2, 13 at C.3 and for c. 4&5 you should raise it hight as can afford.

Selfontrol
For a large part of the game you need this skill for your meleechars to avoid wounds as much as possible because they really weaken you
and the ways to heal a wound during battle are limited or expensive (AE-wise)early on. Starting with the late 2. Chapter your ranged fighters and spellcasters need it too because more and more enemys with ranged attacks will have special attacks or ammo that can cause wounds and for the 2.half of the game it is needed too reduce the time of enemy curses or controllspells.Likewise to Bodycontrol 8 will be enough for most situations at chapter 1&2, 13 at C. 3 and for C. 4&5 you should raise it as high as can afford.

Keen Perception
One of your spellcasters or a ranged fighter should raise it to 18 to discover all traps, swampholes,...with a single use.
Keep into mind that the skill is rolled seperate for every trap/enviromentobject,...so raising it to 18 with a meleefighter is lesseffective.
Aside from this the skill isn't that usefull but if you have spare points raise it to rang 3 to get the Ini-bonus.

Trapping
Sounds really nice and usefull for getting a tactical advantage...well first traps need to be placed at the belt...blocking slots,
then you need the right place, situation and a passed roll to make use of it..but at most battlemaps where traps would be really usefull...the enemy had allready placed them :). Aside from this...it rarly makes sense to waste a turn or even two to place a trap that might hurt the enemy. Overall...i found trapping quite useless but it may fit a different style of playing this game.

Citylore
Well...overall the reduction of costs is very small and useless because it only applys to using taverns and the gain from additional loot isn't much better compared to the money you get from quests or selling stuff expect you're going to max it out early with one char but until i have nearly 2000 spare AP...
Overall the +2 Speedbuff still looks nice but if you use AP to raise your attributes and a buff you will gain much more out of your AP.

Naturelore
Again...compared to the AP you need the gain is small, just use the AP to raise your attributes or buffspells and you will gain much more out of your AP.

Zoology
Melee and ranged fighters should raise this skill to 3 to get all important Informations and the lucky strike buff.
Rang 4 doesn't pay off.

Art of War
Melee and ranged fighters should raise this skill to 3 to get all important Informations.
Any Char that need to change weaponsets at a regular base should max it out for the free change of weaponset.

Physics
At the first thought it seems wise to learn it with your chars that don't use magic but the difficulty for
using it during battle is very high and 2 of the 3 the attributes are normaly only raised by mages for most
of the game. Through mages can heal wounds with the balsam-spell III and bandages would use a beltspace that
could be used for potion i normaly learn Physics up to rang 3 with my spellcasters and give them 1-2 bandages
because it allows them to heal even if they are out of AE without using a Potion...a balsam III and using a
bandage with Physics III have both the same effect...but a bandage costs 5 silver...a balsam III needs 15AE
= a weak AE-Potion=8 Gold at least and using balsam III would take 2 turns instead of 1 for using the bandage
at most situations because you would need to drink the potion first.
Only take into mind that bandages have no range.
I would suggest to raise ti to 3 and keep a bandage or two at the belt of your healers until you have spare
money/potions to waste AE-Potions in such a way ;)

V Spells

Corpofrigo
The Corpofrigo is a very usefull spell for 2/3 of the game, esp. if you max it out fast.
At Rang III he is realy nice to slow the progress of some enemys, giving you time to kill them one by one
At Rang IV it hit's all enemys dealing a bit damage, reducing the defence of all enemys and the attack of ranged fighters
At the last third of the game you will only have a low chance to cast the spell even with attributes of 16+..while most enemy spellcaster still have chances above 75% against MR(Magic Resistance) around 15. He want be useless at all fights but for many battles groupbuffs will be more usefull at the late game.

Fulminictus
During the early game and at Rang I anyway the Fulminictus is weak. With Rang II and raising fireresistance of most enemys he's getting more usefull. At Rang IV it gains a AOE-effect, hitting up to 3 targets(friend&foe) within a cone.
Learning it at Rang II to finish off enemys that are nearly death or helping to kill the few enemys that are immune to everything expect magic damage can be usefull but overall the spell is to expensive compared what you can do with other spells for the same AE.

Witches Bile
Witches Bile deals poison damage...meaning that you deal full damage to most enemys that are not immune to poison but what makes the spell a mighty tool is the ability to paralyze enemys..at least in theory. Until you can learn the spell or get a char that can cast it...veteran- and Elite-enemys are quite resistant to the paralye effect and most the time there's no need to use it at normal enemys.
A pity that enemy casters don't have the same problem...if the enemy has casters that use Witches Bile you can have big Problem fast :)..killing or disabling that caster is important.
The spell is still usefull a many battles to finish off a single enemy, to disable weaker supporting ranged enemys or at battles where you just dish out the AE and don't need to really pay attention.

Ignifaxius
The Ignifaxius works similar to the Fulminictus with the positive sideeffect that you can use it to emblaze things,
dry bushes or grass, bubbles of swampgas, barrels and crates,...making him much more usefull.
To deal damage to single enemys or 3 targets in a cone at Rang IV he shares he's expensive and later on many enemys are resistant to fire. I only used it to emblaze or finish of enemys.

Axxeleratus
A very versatile and powerfull buff, usefull throughout the whole game.
Rang III gives the buffed char a additional action/turn and Rang IV is a nice partybuff.
2 of 3 attributs are used by fighters too, making it a nice selfbuff for hybrids.

Falconseye
A nice buff for ranged fighters, esp. if using Bows+Multishoot, imagine a Archer with Axxeleratus III, Falconseye IV using Multishoot... Usefull throughout the whole game.
All 3 attributes are used by ranged fighters, making it a nice selfbuff for hybrids, the only "Drawback" is...it will take you some time learn if it is better to buff or just shoot.

Ignisphero
The good old fireball, but at blackguards you have to think twice about throwing fireballs around because of the AE-cost.
Another drawback early on is the high AP-cost to raise the spellskill. Overall it is still a very usefull spell throughout
the game because you can damage great groups of enemys, destroy barriers and emblaze things to...just have to use it with more care then at most other games using it mainly to emblaze the eviroment.

Kulminatio
At Rang I Kulminatio is singletargetspell that does 6-25 magicdamage and follows the target for up 3 rounds if it don't hit immently and it does damage to all targets it moves through (friend and foe).
At Rang II i was able to target enemy i had no direct line of sight and it will follow the target up to 4 rounds..really nice :)
I have to admit i didn't tested rang III...i will add the Information after my next playthough or if someone know that it does.
Rang IV creates a 5 Hex Thunderstorm, dealing damage to all targets within the cloud and it seems it shoot with Kulminatios Rang I from time to time to targets next to him.
Expensive AP and AE-wise but very usefull, and dealing magic damage ...but i need to test it more carefull.

Rage of the Elements
At Rang I it is a singletargetspell that deals low slashing damage and may cursh the target down.
Rang II-IV it is a 5 Hex-Aoespell, dealing low slashing damage and may crush down all targets within range.
The Spell can be usefull to disable enemy ranged fighters or spellcasters throught the whole game but Rang I
or II will be only sucsessfull at normal enemys later on.

Ecliptifactus
Summon the shadow of the Caster At Rang I-III, at Rang I and II the caster looses all remaining
AE and Rang IV is a Singletargetbuff.
At Rang III the spell is usefull for all casters as support or distraction...but the shadow of a mage will be weak.
2 of the 3 attributes are raised by fighters as well..making it a nice and strong spell for melee/magic-hybrids.
I am unsure about Rang IV...the buff is quitre usefull at some situation but it's quite a investment for a singletargetbuff.

Sensatacco
Raises weapondamage and the chance for a lucky strike.
2 of the 3 attributes are raised by evasion/feint-fighters, making it a nice selfbuff for 2-weapon-style-fighters.

Steady&catlike
Giving a singletargetbuff to attack and Evasion at Rang I-III and as a groupbuff at Rank IV.
Quite usefull through the whole game esp. for fighters that use 2H.Slashing weapons or 2H-Swords but only
1 of the needed attributes is a primary attribute for meleefighters...so the best way might be using it as a partybuff
from one of your spellcasters or as a selfbuff with a special Hybridbuild.

V. Spells

Witches Salvia
A Jack of all Trades, a bit Healing, curing poison and wounds at higher Rangs and giving a resistance buff against
magic and firedamage. There're a few situation where the buff is usefull...but most the time it's a waste of AE because 2/3 of the effects.
I wouldn't learn/raise the spell, Balsam is much better for healing and can heal wounds allready at Rang III, Rang I and II poisons
aren't that dangerous and can be better dealt with Klarum Purum or counterbuffing/cursing and Paralysis IV gives a much better buff.

Klarum Purum
At Rang I to Rang III it cures a poison of similar or lower Rang at one target.
At Rang IV ic cures all partymembers. Higher Rangs heal some damage and give a buff against poisondamage.
The Problem with poison is...enemys with poison have the permanent ability to poison..even if if they use weaponpoisons and everytime you're hit you will be poisoned again without a save.Considering how weak most lower Rang poisons are Klarum Purum isn't that usefull at first. Later on you will need it because there are poisons that deal nasty damage for the whole battle,
give debuffs like -10 to several attributs for the whole battles and there're some battles where 2+ of those nice poisons stack...making it impossible to hit stronger enemys. If the enemy deal much poisondamage just cast Klarum one every 4 rounds to keep the resistance and if you get nasty debuff through poison let all chars delay their action, clear the poison at the end of the round, make your attack for this this turn and attack direytly the next turn and so on.
Anyway...you should get it maxed or don't get it at allbut i would advice it at least for chapter 5.

Magica Infracta
At Rang I to Rang III it dispels a spell of similar or lower Rang at one target.
At Rang IV it dispels all spells from enemys or partymembers.
Like Klarum Purum the spell has only a very limited use at first, later on it's usefull to counter 2+ stacking partydebuffs or to dispel nasty spells like the Karnifilio...the first time you think that you really need him...it will turn out to be a waste of AE :)
Just keep into mind that flowers have no spells but spelllike abiltys that can be used for free.
Contrary to Klarum Purum you can life without it because curses, debuffs,..have a limited duration...very limited if you raised
Selfcontrol and Magic resistance...still it is nice to have from time to time..you wan't to see your best fighter, using a
2H-infantryweapon, running beserk at your spellcasters and ranged fighters.

Balsam Salabunde
Healing, curing wounds, buffing with regeneration.
Usefull throughout the game...every pure spellcaster should have it.

Paralysis
At Rang I and II it turns one target to stone and making it immune to most damagetypes expect slashing and infantrydamage.
At Rang III it works as a Aoe.
At Rang IV it works like a powerfull protectionbuff for one target.
Very usefull and versatile...disabling enemys, protecting partymembers ore transforming a partymember to a stonegolem...nice.

Flash light
At Rang I-III a cheap singletargetcurse that is very usefull against meleefighters
At Rang IV it works as a areacurse, hitting all enemys.
Very usefull througout most of the game at the last third groupbuffs might be more usefull because many enemys are difficult to
curse.

Fortifex
Creates a Wall out of pure energy.
You can life without it but it is quite usefull and versatile at many situation to block the path of enemys for some time,
Rang II should be enough if you play a meleefighter or meleehybrid, as a mage or ranged fighter Rang III or even IV might be nice.

Gardanium
Rang I-IV protects all targets within the shild from direct damagespells of thesame Rang or lower.
It stays active for the whole battle.
You can life without it but it's nice to have it at several situations.

Armatrutz
Raising the armor of one target.
Very usefull early on but later groupbuffs/curses/a paralysis are a better use for the turn and
for a singletargetbuff it is quite expensive.
It it still usefull to buff up a tank, esp. against weaker enemys that wan't deal damage anymore after the buff
and this way they are stoped in poisoning your Tank(s)...if you raised it to Rang III or IV at all.

Duplicatus
Creates a Illusion that gives the enemy a fixed miss-chance,independet from all attributes.
Very nice and usefull spell to buff your tank against mighty enemys.

Corpofesso
At Rang I-III it works as a singletarget curse, very usefull against meleefighters.
At Rang IV it works as a areacurse, hitting all enemys.
Like Corpofrigo..very usefull for 2/3 of the game, esp. if you max it out early.
Later on it will be difficut to curse the stronger enemys and other doesn't seem to care
if they are cursed...or you have endless waves of weaker enemys...
Again..it wan't be useless but for many battles groupbuffs work better.

Carnifilio
Turns one target into a Berserker, buffing his attacks, cursing his defence from Rang I-III
At Rang IV it has a AOE-Effect.
Very nice and versatile spells if used right, turning the enemys against each other or
turning a wellarmored partymember into a killingmachine after he stormed into the enemys.
As with most curses/Controllspells it is difficult to curse enemys later on but it is still very usefull.

VI. Special abilitys
Not much to say. Again..just hover your cursor over one of the abilitys and you get a explantion including the requirements
and wich weapons can use that ability.

The only general advice is to get Evasion II and battlereflexes with every Char that will greatly reduce the incoming damage
and that Auraarmor is really usefull if you have the sparepoints to get it with your meleefighters.

So..thats it...i wrote down everything that came to my mind.
If you have question, comments or suggestions just post it.
If you found a bad translation...post a correction..but in english please...not slang, denglish, ...;)

Wow. Pretty extensive. I wanted to post a "thanks" earlier but didn't want to break the flow. Since now that you're done, thanks for your hard work! I still yet have to start playing (not ready yet as I have other games I'm finishing), but when I do, I'll be back.

+1

Very good explanation of Das Schwarze Auge / Dark Eye RPG system game mechanics/formulas in English language (5 parts):

http://www.gamebanshee.com/editorials/28222-the-rules-and-world-of-the-dark-eye.html