Best starting zone for a BRAND NEW player

Hey everyone.

A friend is going to be joining me on the next TLP, he has never played EQ and I’d like to suggest a good starting zone for him. One that has some starting quests: multiple turn in, one time, item rewards. Any kind of quests he can easily do over the the lower levels.
He has a bunch of mmo experience but newer games that are more hand holdy and I want at least a little transition that would be helpful for him I’m sure

The tutorial.

To ensure he has a great experience, you might want to create a character and level up with him. And play like you're a newbie. Explore zones, have fun, etc. No reason to rush through the levels.

If you create a new character, I might recommend doing it on a new account. This way your main characters on your main account can buff you and your friend. As you know, having buffs can make the playing experience much more enjoyable. But I wouldn't go overboard with the buffs to the point that the characters are totally power leveled unless he really just wants to get to the top levels.

The tutorial is going to be the best place to start. If you've never played it, it's not exactly like a regular zone. There are lots of popup tips and quests to guide you along. There are several places to camp, a few named, and you can get some good starting armor as well. You can stay there until 10-15. Then go to Crescent Reach. Turn in your guild note and do some of the quests there. The CR newbie zone can get you to 20 or so.

“On the next TLP”. The tutorial is not on TLPs.

Greater Faydark is a good starting zone with a multitude of quests. My personal favorite is Qeynos, which has a lot of easy quests and some fun side zones.

If you're doing this on a Live server, the suggestion of the tutorial and then Crescent Reach is the way to go. If you're committed to the next TLP release, whatever that is, you won't have the tutorial yet (unless it's a GoD start). Your starting zone options will be dictated by your choices for race/class combos. This is a good reference, although it is a bit dated with respect to how casters work now in Classic:

Levelling in Classic/Progression ← (paullynch.org)

None of the Classic EQ starting zones have hand-holding quest lines for new players. You're expected to wander around and talk to people. The guildmasters for your class will have one or more things to do for either gear or faction. We're supposed to be getting some new Classic-era achievements by the time the new server launches, those may prove very useful for finding steps to accomplish. The alternative is to look up quest lists by zone on an EQ reference site such as Alla.

The tutorial is a great place for your friend to "start". However, the tutorial isn't available on a TLP.

He'd need to roll a character on a 'live server'.

However, I'd still recommend he do this, prior to doing the TLP launch. It'll give him some basic familiarity with the UI and game play.

In fact, you could set him up on a Live server, and have him play a few different classes up through lev 10, before the launch. Then he'd have an idea of what sorta class he wants to play? Melle, caster? healer, mage/wiz/ench?

I'd also highly recommend you play with your friend. If you're doing a 'launch group' and racing to max level, you should get your friend in that. Else, he'll get bored and not stick with the game.

Depends on the ruleset. If it starts in GoD it has the tutorial correct?

i'd say stemfront. you can stay there for a while, can sell in the same zone, open ground and gnomes are awesome.

That's a good idea to have him play a little bit to get a feel of the game. Along those lines, I would recommend doing this pre-play on Test and making use of the /testbuff command. As many of you know, you can use /testbuff on the Test server to bump up to level 25 with spells and abilities. At that level, playing the class will be more typical of how they play in general. A lot of the classes feel kind of the same at the low levels, but by 25, most classes will have a good number of their distinctive abilities. I wouldn't recommend this for a solo newbie, but since he'll have you to help him out, he should be alright. This way he can really get the feel of what the different classes are like when they get to a mature level.

I wouldn't have him restrict his race choice based on starting zone. None of them are so bad they need to be avoided. Personally, I think Faydwer or freeport starting zones are great because easy access to unrest is very nice. Kaladim has some nice repeatable quests for patchwork armor and stuff too.

I think if you are looking purely at speed of leveling then zones where the classes tilt towards pet classes end up being best because being able to group up with them and blow through to lvl 15 is very nice

The tutorial suggestion would be good if they get their subscription before the next TLP server comes out. It really isn't anything like the TLP experience but is a good way to get to know the interface and basic quest procedures.

I almost wouldn't suggest doing an already in progress TLP server. It's a lot like a pig passing through a snake with people at ~the same levels. TLP is an end of it's own with many people doing it exclusively on every new server. For me it is an incredible experience like being able to participate in a Gold Rush or maybe ground zero of a new frontier. Crazy number of people forming ad hoc groups. People in a rush to gather resources and levels. Nothing else like it.

On that note, tell them not to wait until the new TLP is open before subscribing! This is particularly true if they want to have a specific name for their character. #1 all character names are unique on a server such that you own your reputation, good or bad. #2 There is a naming convention in place where you won't be able to chose a name from popular culture or literature: No Merlins or Frodo's. You can get away with names like Phrodo perhaps. #3 The character naming is a meta game. Not me but perhaps someone will see you used the name Ketchup here, so when the next TLP comes up, they will create a dummy character with that name in the first 5 minutes of shard opening just because that is the way they get their jollies.

Good luck and much fun! I like Qeynos as a starting area myself but I can see why others like other zones. One of the reasons why I don't like Wood Elf as my first choice is the zone. Fell to my death many times out of their tree city back when you had to do corpse runs. It is perhaps the favorite zone to start in. All starting zones are pretty much equal now in the short term with respect to leveling and quests. A few things that made one zone superior to another like you could pick up a Focus item from the Ogre starting zone at level 1 from players using low level MOBs to gain experience have been taken out of the early game by eliminating all Focus effects in the early life of a TLP.

Assuming a classic start, I'd go with Greater Faydark or Freeport. Both will be central to anything he will want to do. They are both arguably the two best starting zones for most players anyway.

Speed runners are heavily favored towards Neriak (Dark elves), but that town/layout is way too confusing for a new player IMO.

On TLP servers the tutorial zone unlocks when GoD unlocks.

Best starter zone is Nektulos, because killing halflings is the most fun you can ever have at low levels.

I know its not about this thread's question, but if we are talking about a GoD TLP start, how many tutorial zone copies would we have? Hundreds?

Throwing my lot in with Greater Faydark as well. You've got multiple camps for very low levels, Bandits at 3-6 ish, orc camps at 5-7ish, then Crushbone nearby which can conceivably take you into your late teens, Unrest not too far away to get into your low 20's. Easy reach of merchants, and of course, the best low level quest of all time, Crushbone centurion belts and legionairre sholderpads. What's not to love about that? There's a few other flavor quests that aren't really worth too much, like delivering mail or turning in rusty weapons and things.

Freeport is not bad, as others have said, very central, still lots of options of things to do, I would just say it's slightly less robust for lower levels, as the nearest dungeons start a few levels higher than in Gfay.

Perhaps, but what a great introduction to a new TLP that would be, to have the option for everyone to experience the tutorial right at the start of the new server.

faydwer is the only thing close to this but nothing is like that. tlps dont have armor quests in newb zones until pop. the best you can do is turn in orc belts / pads for small leather armor. maybe do the scarab hat and chest quest if hes a dwf or gnome.

and modern wow and ffxi are harder then anything in eq quest difficulty isnt going to be your hurdle instead it will be boredom because if youre melee you press 1 button every 10s at most and if your a caster you cast 1-2 spells per fight and sit your down for about an entire year. and if he is coming from ffxi he knows how to research on alla since thats half of what you do in ff .

Greater Faydark and East Freeport. Reasons are: There is linier leveling paths in a small area, high concentration of other players to meet and group with, Zones are not dangerous to travel.

Depends on the class. Freeport, Neriak, Gfay would be my suggestions. Halas/Qeynos offer good experience until about lvl 10-12. After than you really need Sro, Lavastorm, Sola to progress into your 30’s. This means the long trek across the karanas and the dangers of HIgh hold and Kith.

Many zones work for this. My personal suggestion for a brand new player is Butcherblock Mountains. It's really large and has a good level spread to get your feet wet and then some. It's not the fastest levelling experience and and that's another reason why I suggest it. Let him grow slowly into the levels at the beginning. It's also a good classic phantasy theme for a starter to get into everquest lore if you are so inclined.

If you want to go fast to 23 do Field of Bones (1-5) and then Paludal Caverns (5-23). But lots of zones/combinations are really fine. Don't worry to much about it.

My personal opinion is the tutorial really sucks for fresh players. Too much information is thrown at them in short interval.