Not So Evil Shadow Knight?
 

Thinking of making shadow knight but I have two questions. First if I go human can I get into cities like AkAnon or Kelethin? Or does my evil god make me KOS?

Second, how critical is slam? I heard the epic functions like a shield for bash but are there other weapons that do as well?

My main's a human Shadow Knight from Qeynos. Faction's decent by Shadow Knight standards. I could not use Kelethin or Felwithe initially, but started out "threateningly" rather than "scowls". A couple hours in crushbone fixed Felwithe enough so I could bank, although the merchants still disliked me. Ak'anon is about 50/50; the NPCs in the Necromancer area were fine. Some parts of Kaladim were aggressive, main faction to watch out for are the rogues near the bank. The Paladin guild can be ignored since it's in the back of the zone and doesn't matter. Erudin mostly also starts out threateningly, as did Paineel, but both can be addressed by spending a modest amount of time in the Warrens.

Slam is nice to have but I don't regard it as critical. Most the time you can interrupt casters with snare/fear. I don't know of any 2-hand Shadow Knight weapons besides the epic that allow the use of bash. Many Shadow Knights prefer 1-handed weapons anyhow.

Danth

Good stuff, thanks. My main on P1999 is Ogre so I am trying to avoid another evil path. My EQ main was High Elf Enc, I want to do the Crushbone -> Unrest -> Mistmoore loop again. Was thinking of making a paladin but if by some odd chance I get above 40ish I would much rather play an SK in the end game.

Is there a better or worse deity?

Erudite SKs are welcome in far more places than you might expect. I think they're able to walk freely through both the OT outpost and Firiona Vie for example. This is second-hand info, but that's what I've heard!

Also, their enormous starting INT is actually a benefit rather than a totally wasted stat like on my paladin. :)

The Naginata from the Spirit of Garzicor quest can 2h bash, but that's it other than the epic afaik.

This is accurate. I have an ERU SHD and with a bit of faction work I walk around most places without worry. The "hardest" part was getting faction for Faydwer, but that can be done with help (muffins for Pandos is super easy with a bard) and/or slaughtering the aquagoblins in Butcherblock.

As a Dark Elf Shadowknight, all I can tell you is to embrace the Dark Side in the old world and Kunark. In Velious, you can be friends which whichever groups you're doing raiding quests for.

Also as a human SK from Qeynos I find most places are non Kos, while a few need a little faction work. I also can go into both FV and OT outpost being able to freely move around, bank and sell, with no faction work.

Made my erudite SK, and spent way too long in Paineel before figuring out the secret key rock thing. Never done Odus so I am going to try it out, thinking I will head to Faydwer after I train Meditate and I can farm early faction in CB.

Thanks for the tips.

stay in Paineel IMO, the warrens is a great exp zone into the 20's