The efficiency in which you level depends on quite a few things. Furthermore, there also isn't a "set guide" for the most effective way to level as from what I've seen the strategy changes based on when new spells are available and which mobs you are fighting.
For example, for some levels the pet was weaker relative to the mobs at that level in which case the best strategy for the most efficient leveling was to chain cast pets as they were dying.
In the mid level ranges when haste became available it made more sense to get a high level pet then buff it and keep it alive however initially they had slow regen so the most effective way to level was to alternate taking damage (with troll regen on) with your pet.
At higher levels the pet regen is higher so you can leave the pet on it's on far more often, especially if the area has caster mobs where you can stun them and the pet can regen during the fight for very minimal downtime.
There wasn't a point where slowing the mob was effective to leveling. Yes, you can do it, but it wasn't the most efficient way to level due to the mana cost (and agro) associated with slowing the mobs. It should be used very sparingly, if at all. If a particular mob hit hard it was far more effective to stun it with whirl then to slow it. As well, feedback (damage shield) ends up being a pretty effective spell (without slow) providing you are keeping the pet alive through above listed methods (alternating fights with casters or moving in and taking damage to regen with troll form on).
Combing that with calm (can split rooms), invis, invis to undead, mez, haste and clarity the only downside to an Enchanter compared to the other pet classes is the lack of control on the pet however that can be mitigated due to proper planning and control before and during the fights.
It's hard to "judge" based on something 10 years ago but it seems like pets are definitely more powerful here as well. However, based on the effectiveness of the Enchanter pets on THIS SERVER (probably more powerful then they were on live) it would appear they are the more effective soloing class in the right hands. They require a bit more skill to play with better rewards. In any case, for someone completely new to EQ I'd probably go with a Magician or Necromancer over an Enchanter.
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