sorry for wall of text.
dont fret the number of options, while there is a ton and will be a ton more, every game develops a meta around balance patches. right now its not super open on meta, you see a lot of the same classes picked for dps spots at highest levels in groups for example. several classes in each tree are good at their respective levels, but often there are classes where only 1 specific circle option is recommended or it is recommended not to go any amount of circles other than the best for it (for example, archer - ranger c2 doesnt offer that much of a bonus so most suggest c1 or c3 in a build, sapper doesnt shine until c2, quarrel shooter until c3, etc).
pve: dps 1 target is the most limited out there, WB only 1 is top tier atm but that can change when later classes are added. as far as a party setting goes there are multiple good archer paths at tier 1 and 2, some wizard builds at tier 2 and 1 at tier 1, and cleric has int druid as its main option atm. once buffs roll along there might be hope for swordies in the future, but there are a few almost good options for tier 2 (none good enough for tier 1 atm)
aoe dps is a bit more open for tier 2 as all it takes for some classes is to choose 2-3 ranks for aoe purposes (for example archers can take sapper 2 or falcon+cannon), wizard top tier dps has good 1 target but shines in aoe, clerics i believe suffer here. swordies also lack here for the same reasons as above, but peltasta swashbuckling makes grouping mobs for your party to aoe together easier.
tanking isn’t a necessity in this game at the moment provided group has a good support role, but can help dps focus more on doing damage than surviving. the current form of endgame isn’t kind to tanks even built for 0 dps, ET is easier replacing tank with cc-spam. but in the role of tanking, swordies do it best due to higher hp per point of con, more class ranks with defensive abilities, and aggro control with swashbuckling from peltasta.
support makes a group. wizards and clerics do this best but in totally different ways. wizard supports come mainly in the form of class ranks of cc and 3 ranks of chronomancer for a total build with cc spam and buffs to help the team with utility. cleric supports have the benefit of being able to be large offensive buffers, large defensive buffers, debuffers, healers, and all the mix inbetween – and some builds can come out as the top potential damage cleric tree has to offer atm if desired.
my suggestion is find which role you want, pick a base class (even swordie, it’ll get love at somepoint, im not giving my hopes up), and then research some threads within the subtopics of that class for the role you desire. find a build that works for you (please don’t jump on the ele3/warlock bandwagon just for the sake of dps, pick something you think will enjoy playing that fufills your intended role as lvl 600 r10 may be vastly different from what the current state of the game and its meta is) and plan it out from skill points to stat points etc. once you get that, start your lvling and have fun 
for reference my characters so far are: lvl 203 swordie - corsair2/doppel planned, lvl 134 archer - fletcher3 (only one not made for flavor in my character ideas), lvl 103 wizard - to be sorc/necro2. other characters planned to make: archer - qs3/wugushi2, cleric - paladin3/plague
I am playing with the assumption that I will be playing something completely different for lvl 600, so im taking my time learning each path I take and having fun in the lvling process.
