New to Project 1999... would like some advice

[Hollywood]

I thought the health/mana regen here was way faster than back in the day before Luclin.

I would suggest you play something simple and basic, with a bit of survivability so you can figure things out again, whether class related or not. Then pick a more involved class you can solo with while the other one maybe you group with.You may end up having five level thirty characters before you decide on one or two.

Ranger works fine. The small self heals, snare and other spells come in handy and if you play it right, you'll be a boon to a group. Just accept that some groups/players are ignorant and will pass on you.
Ranger can make good money later on too. There's lots of things people need tracked.