New Player to EQ - Need first class advice

[Shirrar]

Hi,

I installed the client today but haven't made a character yet and have been reading the wiki and looking at some youtube videos about classes and trying to decide which to play as my first EQ character ever.

I've played MUDs for many years from the mid-nineties till about 2013.

I have a few questions.

Q: How important and useful is being able to teleport yourself around the game i.e. being a druid, wizard or necromancer? If you are not one of those classes is it easy to get a port or could you have to resign yourself to walking for an hour or more to get somewhere?

Q: How strong can enchanter charmed mobs be and are they comparable to a magician's pets?

Q: Are magician pets or enchanter charmed mobs good for groups or raids or is it easy for them to steal xp from people or screw things up by attracting agro/etc?

Q: Should picking a good solo class be key to a class decision or is it very easy to find groups to level with?

Q: Is it the case that the great gear is mostly dropped from mobs that can't be soloed to the point where end game solo ability isn't relevant?

Q: How long does it take to level to max level; are we talking weeks or months or? I'd be spending a couple hours a day at it and more on weekends.

Q: I am interested in getting into a good high level content or raid guild. I'll have a good amount of time to play and want to contribute as much as possible while having fun. What classes are most sought after and why?

Q: What classes are the most fun?

Thank you for your feedback.