Wish i hadn't read about XP Penalties :(
 

This is killing my wanting to play this game. I know, it really shouldn't bother me, but the penalties are hefty, not just 2% there, 5% here... So i've limited myself to non penalized or +% only and i just can't decide :(

Ugh, guess I'll have to wait for Velious and check to see if they've been removed.

I really want to play on this server, but i just can't decide what to commit my time to.

There's a lot of options and I'm sure the community here can help you sort it all out.
To start though:

What are you currently interested in playing?
What type of character would you like to play?
Do you like to solo or group more?

The penalties don't affect it much if you are having fun.
Te iksar penalty isn't noticeable due to the HP regen speed. Less downtime yields more kills, nets equal xp.
The only thing I can't wrap my head around is the handling boost to xp... Can't see a downside to playing them that would require a boost in xp.

Forgive me for being a little harsh but this is EQ. Journey is greater than the destination that is why rangers = best. Journey is long and sweet. Not playing a class with an exp penalty because of the exp penalty is a modern mmo mentality and doesn't have a place in Everquest.

Assuming you mean halfling. Fun fact, that's actually a bug in classic EQ that's reproduced here. Humans were meant to have the EXP bonus, not halflings. I think it's a nod to D&D, where humans have a similar bonus.

You got the right idea. Wait for Velious. For now play a druid and make some money to twink um out!

There's no exp penalty on red and hybrids destroy people so if you are deadset on playing one just roll a char there. Stay out of Unrest.

I heard there was a penalty, people just don't care as much over there about it.

I dunno, I'm a bluebie through and through, I don't think red server would be for me.

I appreciate the information guys, and yes, i know this is EQ, i enjoy the challenge.

I started in Luclin, well after these penalties had been removed. You can see how this was a bit unexpected. Making myself spend 30%+ more time leveling in a game than everyone else, just because i wanna play a shadowknight(just an example), doesn't spell fun :(

I dunno, think I'll continue my Nostalgia trip on Live with my buddy. Maybe i just don't have the time to commit to this server :(

If you only have a couple hours to invest each week, then not even the exp penalty being removed will help you.

If you wait until Velious is out to roll what ever class with a penalty is, then you will be that much further behind. Waiting 3-7 months for Velious to be released and the xp penalty patch to go into effect is essentially lost time that you could have already put into what ever character you were wanting to play. Depending on your time availability 3 months is enough to get high enough for Velious stuff and get some decent planes gear.

Just get started and play the class you want. If you enjoy the class, play it well, and make friends that want to group with you, then you won't notice the penalty.

Life in the forums and life in-game are two different things. Don't fret over the negative stuff you read here. People tend to complain a lot, period. If the class/race you really want to play has a penalty, don't worry too much about it. It takes a long time to level in this game regardless of the penalties. It will feel longer leveling a class that you don't really want to play vs playing the class you do, including the penalty. And while I'm sure the penalty shunning is true for pugs, it generally doesn't exist amongst friends.