255 stat hard caps, 200 soft caps in cases where it applies.
Certain combos will level more slowly, some races have benefits, ogres are immune to frontal melee stun, iksars and trolls have regen, all large races have slam. Halflings have sneak, dark elves and wood elves have hide. Dwarves start with 50 sense heading. Anything that looks like it could live in your apartment can't see for shit in the dark.
Warriors are a product of their gear. Bards are a product of skill and familiarity with the game. Bards can be attractive to newbies, but you may not like the experience.
IMO, start with a shaman. SoW will let you make lots of mistakes and get away with it.
Here twinking is whatever you can give your character. Which is anything that isn't no drop, except in some extreme cases where it does include them. No matter how bad you are, most groups won't notice as long as you aren't afk with a full mana bar for minutes at a time.
Clerics are a very needy class at low levels. Play what you want and either find groups or make her adapt. Groups start as early as 5, orcs in gfay/ec, gnolls qhills. How effective soloing is at any given level depends on your class.
The details about what's best will be argued to no end, so you'll get the specifics from other posters.
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