So I finally got the chance to get on that server just yesterday. Played around with a few characters trying to decide what I wanted to main and ultimately settled on an enchanter. Totally fresh and untwinked and I managed to get a few levels on him before bedtime. I'm a little bit worried though because the newbie zones in both areas I tried out were basically deserted. No real low level groups around, the soloing was slow going, and I feel like it'll only be uphill from there. I'd love to progress and earn my own gear and such but I'm kind of worried that the opportunity there is lost. Worried too that the guilds are basically maxxed up, raiding, sequestered off doing their own thing and are basically out of reach at this point. I hope I'm wrong there. Any advice for a newcomer?
I am seeing many new alts -- not all of them twinked -- and new players on Oakwynd. With Kunark unlocked there are many groups with new characters leveling-up in Field of Bone -> Kurn's Tower -> Lake of Ill Omen but, if not an Iksar, you could also try Greater Faydark -> Crushbone -> Estate of Unrest with, maybe, even some South Ro (specifically, the beach) thrown in the mix. Multiple instances (picks) of these zones -- during "prime time" -- are still being created. Time of day makes a huge difference. You will have a much easier time finding groups during the week between 5pm and 1am Eastern Time.
Find a guild that is not just raid focused or focused only on leveling to max as fast as possible. It is significantly easier to find groups in lower levels from guild than just PUG/LFG. But, as noted, Kunark just unlocked so the new shiny for new characters are the Kunark low level zones. It's a little trickier to get to those zones as a non-Iksar, but it is doable, however banking and spells and stuff will be significantly less available. The areas closest to East and West Cabilis in four zones are lowest level. If you're a good race/class, you can go to Butcherblock Mountains and, on the left dock, take the transporter to Timorous Deep then the transporter to Firiona Vie. From there, you would need to run to Swamp of No Hope then Field of Bone. The closest bank is Firiona Vie. If you're an evil race/class the South Ro has a transporter/boat to Timorous Deep with a transporter to Overthere. I don't have the path in my memory for the zones to cross to get to Field of Bone and the other low level zones. I think there is a bank in the Overthere outpost you can use as an evil, but not entirely sure (there are a few zones where I have a memory blend of EQ/EQ2 if I haven't been to them in many years in EQ).
You are an enchanter. All of Norrath is eagerly awaiting for your 50th ding in order to group in Seb, Karnor's Castle, and Chardok. Once you level up to a certain level, you'll be forever grouped. A wizard can put on their LFG tag and wait for hours, but an enchanter can barely take a bio break before they have groups fighting over them. You'll never experience in-game loneliness again. TLP's seem to be flooded with enchanters in classic, and then this class takes a back seat to twink characters once Kunark is open for business. I've always been amazed by how challenging it can be to get a non-boxed chanter for your group post classic. Go to EC Tunnel Ask for buffs Solo level up to 12ish Go to Unrest and the low levels will be history Once you ding 30'ish in Unrest, the world will be wide open for you. Put on LFG and say yes to one of the 10+ tells
The server is absolutely still in infancy stage. You can create a level 1 and group in a plethora of zones. I'd only recommend to maybe search in Kunark-era zones to level, as people have the "kunark" bug. Field of Bone, WW, Dalnir, Loio, etc. are poppin off.
Appreciate the advice, thanks all. After much thinking last night I actually made a decision that may or may not spell my doom, lol. I ended up making a ranger. I know the reputation and the memes and whatnot but in terms of pure thematics, ranger is what I want to main. I'll keep pushing through and try to find a good experience on this server.
What expansion is Mischief on? And do they still do older content? I still want to see Nagafen and VP and whatnot.
I leveled a necro for a bit with the launch of Kunark and had no trouble finding pugs. Every time I checked Unrest there were 3+ picks up. Low level game there seems pretty active to me. Also I'll just throw it out there that it's never too late to start on any TLP. You might not be finding any low level pugs on a mid/late stage TLP, but by that point there are plenty of guilds that will happily help you get caught up and raiding just to keep their roster full.
Secrets of Fadwyer. Lvl 80 is the current cap. If you want to raid classic/Kunark zones & targets, stick with Oakwynd. The "older" content on Mischief probably starts around Omens of War. I mean, techincally you can still go see stuff like Nagafen and VP on Mischief, but Naggy can be soloed in about ten seconds.
It both is and isn't as bad as people make Rangers out to be. Naked with lousy weapons and no buffs at low levels is pretty bad. This is true for others like Paladins and Warriors. *BUT* I recall someone buffed a Shaman I started there. IIRC before the buffs the character had ~42 hit points and after 322<?> or so. I have a mid level Druid there and buffing any head knocker character with a damage shield => 1/2 of the damage done is from the damage shield so they level more then twice as fast because they can take on high value yellow/red con targets. If you started a Wood Elf Ranger, it is a minor problem they don't have enough strength to wear banded and carry all the weapons and loot a Ranger needs. You don't get dual wield until 20 or so me thinks, but you are still kind of expected to carry a shield for when you tank and two weapons for when you go DPS. Then you have to carry a bow, quiver, and arrows. If you don't mind telling your character name, do it here and you may pick up some drive by buffs from people in the forum and some summoned arrows or something.
Kunark is the best time to join a TLP if you ask me. You miss all the boring Classic stuff and start during one of the best expansions ready to head into another of the best expansions. I think its also easy to level up from scratch during Kunark even if untwinked because lots of people will be rerolling to Iksars. If you want to twink, like I did, its the best time for twinking. Just get a Fungi tunic and Staff and never watch your health go down. Not to mention the max level is going to be the same for a while.
Also utilize the /LFG tool - you can use it to advertise yourself for a group, see if any groups are looking for players or to start a group yourself and collect players.
Generally leveling groups all times of day near Crushbone>Unrest. Just have to join the cookie cutter leveling paths. If you go off the norm, I could imagine running into issues.
I main a ranger on Oakwynd, and mained on every other TLP.. HARD recommend. I could go on for awhile about why Ranger's are so much fun to play
Appreciate the votes of confidence everyone, thank you. Actually changed my mind and decided on a wizard, hehe. Hopefully for the last time! Gonna stick around Oakwynd though and see where that path takes me. Nah I ended up making a human ranger. Karana arrows ftw! But that might be because it felt lonely, the Surefall side of the world is kind of isolated compared to the rest. I rolled this wizard in Freeport though, gonna see how different the experience is. Name is Glyndus in-game.
