Resurrection of the Dark Dragon is a butchery of what was a truly awesome game. It was a terrible remake of the original Shining Force, and does not even deserve its name. Play the originals. They are much better. SF2 has a lighter feel, while SF1 is a much darker game, but they are both fun and engaging.
I loved the support system. Didn't use it for the stat boosts, just loved the conversations.
As for classes, I like Generals and Assassins for physical classes (my Assassin once did a 1 hit kill on Limstilla in the original. Assassins rock). I love most magic classes, and giving Sages light magic just makes them totally awesome. Oh, and I learned to like Wyvern Knights when Tana got a Pierce/Crit combo and 1 hit killed Lyon.