Leveling path tips?

+1

as a first charecter barbarian is not viable but if you decide to 2 box you can lvl a mage get it to lvl 5 run it to barbarian area and plv your barbarian

What? Why? Before a new server launch?

I believe they worded it as that they were "brought in-line with what the zone should be in-era".

Of course, the fact that only 2 zones were like this, and all the other newbie areas are not, is a clear and unfair disadvantage to Barbarians and Dark Elves. It's just plain silly. You can walk out of the entrance of Neriak into Nek Forest, walk 10 feet, look left, look right, and not see a single mob in sight. At all.

So as an FYI, I think a good number of DEs will be running to Freeport for the first few levels, further congesting those areas.

Suddenly Qeynos isn't looking half bad....

No comment on devs, done with those guys.
As far as leveling paths, you know the common ones already and I am not going to further advertise those spots learned over the years that are not commonly on any lists.

This is the path I took and it worked well.

Once Kunark opened it was 50-60 in seb.

They're not really nerfed. At one point, they made respawn timers almost zero, so berserkers could catch up during GoD, but since this is Vanilla, they reverted it to vanilla numbers, should be around 200 lowbie mobs and 90 level 8-9 mobs in nektulos. And why people are whining about this i don't know..you got 12 weeks until kunark arrives..and no hell levels

Here is my leveling guide, quick and easy on my youtube channel. Check it out guys, it might not be in High quality yet but it definitely will be in an hour or so.

Mepp did say they will be monitoring the situation in Nek & Everfrost, so at least there's that. Better response than the prior "Deal with it" kind of replies.

Its not just those 2 zones, I played around steamfont yesterday and the only mobs there that were level 1 were the rats, and I could easy keep them all killed as a level 1 mage with no pet.

Then that means you just need to group with others to xp on higher con mobs. It's how the game was when I started. I still remember doing ORC1 camps in Gfay in the 2000ish time and full groups were what was required to xp, and yes it took time and was slower paced. I remember taking two weeks to get my character to 15. Lots of deaths in CB. Good times, honestly how the game should be played, with others.

Everfrost and Nektulos are the best newbie areas, tons of mobs, instant respawns.

If you don't roll there, you're doomed to be behind the curve.

The only thing that means is that they might revert it in a week or two, after it is too late to matter for 95% of Agnarr players.

Yes, as usual, they will drag their feet and it will be too little, too late. Again.

At least they helped me see which way I should be throwing my money, and it's not towards DB.

May want to add Befallen into the mix there. According to Project1999's ZEM list, when ordered from by Stock (XP) multiplier, the top 10 XP zones are, from top down...

• Befallen (2.1x XP Bonus)
• Crushbone (2.1x XP Bonus)
• Highpass Keep (2.0x XP Bonus)
• Upper Guk (2.0x XP Bonus)
• The Warrens (2.0x XP Bonus) - Not available at launch!
• Kurn's Tower (2.0x XP Bonus) - Not available at launch! Kunark era
• Najena (1.7x XP Bonus)
• Sol A (1.7x XP Bonus)
• Unrest (1.7x XP Bonus)
• Kaesora (1.5x XP Bonus) - Not available at launch! Kunark era

Going with this list, You will notice almost all of them are sitting around East Antonica / Faydwer, so starting in Freeport would likely be your best option.

For myself, I plan on going Freeport -> Commonlands until around level 10ish, then hit up Befallen / Najena, which can take you to around 20-25. Follow it up with Sol A. Should get me up to around 35-40, at which point, ill be joining everyone in Guk. As well, you could just jump straight from Befallen into Upper Guk.

Hope this helps

http://almarsguides.com/eq/leveling/

Is p99 ZEM the same as DBG ZEM? I thought they were two different things.

I believe it is still accurate.

Maybe someone can chime in if they ever changed it?

Didn't read the whole thread, but noted something the OP said...
Barbarians being useless due to starting area populations...

Early on in EQ, before lots of ease of travel was added, as a new+low level character, I was always happy to see races from other cities. They were rare to see and would be better known in the area due to that.
You can move, you don't have to stay at your starter city.