Its really surprising to me that I keep seeing the recommendation for people to level a solo character first, when the whole key to this game is to be social and make friends. Talk to people, make friends, join a guild, make friends, start groups, make friends. If you're not a dick, you'll do fine.

You are taking that paragraph from Loraen's guide entirely out of context. You're making it sound like him calling those 4 classes overpowered (which they are) is him suggesting everyone should play them (which he didn't). You're making it sound like he was only concerned with endgame or raiding when writing his guide, even though he specifically addresses lower levels and other types of activities.


The key to the game is to have fun. For some people that means being social for a lot/most/all of the time they're on... but that's not true for everyone. Also, what does soloing even have to do with being social? I talk to people on my friends list, people in my guild, people who randomly /tell me, people in the zone with me, all the time even though I'm basically always soloing.


There's definitely a focus on the long run among a lot of players on the server. But like I said before, basically anything in classic eq IS a long run. It's counterproductive to have a bad or an ok time playing p99 for a few days /played because your first character is one that you don't especially enjoy, but that you're trying to use to make a couple thousand play to give to your next character. Just do some research on the classes to begin with and pick the one that you think you'll like in the beginning, the middle, AND the end.

In my opinion/experience. If you start a new game from scratch with a solo character, you're less likely to have people to talk to while soloing. Also, when I solo, I afk or read a book during downtime.

Lol :)

I feel I must clarify that I don't necessarily expect players to end up hating their chars, quitting and restarting a more powerful twink. My point with the guide is simply to point new players to characters best suited to new players. Those characters, unfortunately, tend not to be the characters that are mid or end game optimal. Iksar is a stronger race for necro and monk, and monk is a stronger class than ranger. But iksar is not a particularly easy race, and monk is not a particularly easy class.

I'm sorry for misinterpreting Loraen's guide. If you wanted to use it to find the easiest classes, you could sort by low gear, drop the bottom 3, and then remove the classes with 8 or higher skill. You get the exact same list of characters I have as great or OK, except without necromancer (which I would argue is easier to play if you choose erudite). My point for deliberately misinterpreting Loraen's guide was that most new players will interpret it the same way. If you're new to the game, you might see Loraen's scores for bard or shaman and think they're the best for a new player.

Note that I've given the most new player friendly race even for the characters I don't particularly recommend for new players.

Yes, yes, its a wonderful contradiction, Tecmos.

That said, I am not a new player. I am already established in terms of coin, gear, and relationships.

Let me offer advice from a slightly different angle. For a new player choosing what race/class to play, consider the nature of this server and where people can be found. An erudite necromancer, for example, is not going to find a lot of people to interact with in their starting area. A Dark Elf or a Gnome would be much closer to popular areas.

Make a bard people, and ill show u the light. Word of advice, where ever u start...find someone to port you pity port whatever...to WC, get a bind in Freeport and level there. The buffs u can get in the tunnel is worth it alone.

To the OP. magicians are not gear dependent one bit. Maybe the least gear dependent class in the game. You dont need shit besides hp rings and pet focus items. And you only need the fire pet torch from levels 1-49 (i think thats the level) because that the only pet you need

Because its WAY easier for anyone, particularly a mew player to make friends and form strong bonds being in a guild and grouping with people.

That's why I list them as one of the best and describe them as "very gear independent" =D.