So for a first play through, what's the recommended build, melee, succubus or magic? Will it change story at all?
Also any other starting tips not mentioned in the guide?
Recommended build? The easiest one would be sneaking with traps where your main weapon is probably bow.
Melee to be truly viable - you must be higher level and it also depends on what weapon you are using. Not to mention even then you shoul not fight many bandits and large monsters at once anyway. But you can kill everything with ease if you have set it up and use proper equipment and startegy based on enemy. Use sneaking and traps first if you are low level.
Magic is in a few ways similar to the bow and sneaking/traps. You can destroy enemies if you keep your distance. Viable from the start more or less.
Sex build is also viable if you are willing to stay with it. But I think at first it is pain in the ass to do at the start which becames less pain once you get more levels.
Does any build change the story? No - not really. Only how you deal with the enemy. And a few ending slides depending on if you did any lewd and such.
Edit: I only play melee later with steanking/traps at the start. Below you can see example on how it can be viable if you have proper set up. (a little spoiler maybe).
Berserk sword is also viable in dealing with them.
I was missing 1/3 of my stamina at the start so thats is why I was so easily out of it at the end. Nothing that a few quick naps wont fix anyway.