Hello All, New Character

[ajdes]

I've played EQ on and off (mostly off) since the original came out, most recently on the mac server before they closed that. It seems when summertime comes around I get nostalgic to play and as such I find myself here.

My old favorite character was an iksar necro which I think I'd probably like to play again but I'm also considering a cleric. My main concern with the cleric is groups.

My understanding is that most level ranges are pretty active, but are groups focused in only a couple specific zones? I.e. do you just park a character in HHK for 15 lvls looking for PuGs?

I'm also curious about the economy as I used to enjoy buying and selling quite a bit. How does one get started with cash? Are raw materials (such as spider silk) worth anything in the old world?

How available is newbie gear? Lets say I decided to roll melee instead of a caster. Am I resigned to wearing crap for 50+ levels?

Just how painful is it to get around? Are there many dru/wiz porting services?

I appreciate any feedback. I look forward to playing the game!