Halas newbie area is literally hell incarnate.

[supermoonbeam]

First time getting into classic eq in what seems like forever. Opted to go barb instead of iksar so I could visit friendly cities but I'm reconsidering kunark... This newbie area is so awful I've spent at least 10 hours there only level 3 and having so many issues. How bad is it being a lizard really?

[Swish]

Arguably Field of Bone/Iksar is the best starting area by far.

I completely agree Halas is very cut off, you almost need a port out to Gfay or Freeport area (with a bind) to get started.

Definitely less barbarians on P99 than there were on the live servers back during Kunark/Velious :p

[Trungep99]

If you stick with your barb, i would suggest for you to find a porter and travel to Gfay to level up. many people group there and crushbone is good xp.

dont forget to get a bind!

[liveitup1216]

My first char here ever was a barb shaman. Everfrost is pretty sweet if you avoid the Vengeful skellies. Start doing the little goblin camps or the Blackburrow entryway. Gnoll fangs are sweet xp.

I stayed there soloing mostly with nothing but cloth and a fine steel spear some passerby gave me. Ground levels on gnolls / fangs til I got Bind at 14 and made the long trek to Freeport.

Was legit the most fun I've had gaming in the past decade or so.

[jolanar]

Once you understand the layout of the Mountains, and remember to check that every passing skeleton isn't the vengeful composer, it's actually one of the better starting areas in the game IMO. But harsh for brand new players not used to the con system.

Bears are extremely plentiful. Spiders and decaying skeletons as well. Once you are 6 you can head to Blackburrow and powerlevel yourself with Gnoll Fangs into the low teens and onwards to the Karanas.

[Baldrek]

I agree with what Jolanar said - I think it's one of the better starting areas in the game if you learn to avoid the Vengeful Soloist.

Originally, I was not overly fond of the Everfrost newbie area either. The more I played, however, the more fond of it I became.

The Spiderlings drop Spiderling Silk and the Bears/Wolves drop Animal Skins. You can sell those items to players for a good amount of plat.
The Spiderlings also drop Wooly Fungus to do the Wooly Fungus Quest (http://wiki.project1999.com/Wooly_Fungus_Quest) that will get you level 5 spells.

Then there are the goblin camps that will drop weapons and (cloth) armor.

All-in-all I think it's a very good starting area.

[supermoonbeam]

Alright thanks for the advice. I knew about the red con skellies i've been good at avoiding them for the most part but it's difficult when you're fighting something. I didn't think about how valuable silks/bone chips/pelts are so I guess I underestimated the area. I'll give it another go and make some progress.

[austforbeer]

I started my barb there, it's really rough, no doubt about it. Around lvl 5 I went to Qeynos and bound there before doing some stuff in Qeynos Hills/Blackburrow.

I won't be starting another character there again. :)

[gprater]

dont leave...grind it out to level 5 start killing the 4 gnolls at the EF side of BB. Get to qeynos hills start hunting rabid wolves (more in WK now too). gnolls for xp, rabid animals for coin and xp. Then bandits for coin and xp. you will level quickly and be a wealthy newb. you are in the BEST spot for starting.

[GuRu]

dont leave...grind it out to level 5 start killing the 4 gnolls at the EF side of BB. Get to qeynos hills start hunting rabid wolves (more in WK now too). gnolls for xp, rabid animals for coin and xp. Then bandits for coin and xp. you will level quickly and be a wealthy newb. you are in the BEST spot for starting.

[Crawdad]

Its tough to start out in Halas/Everfrost, but the entire Qeynos area (Halas included) is actually on par with Cabilis and Kelethin for starting zones.

You'll feel cut off until you learn the way from Halas to Blackburrow, but the entire newbie area offers better than loot most newbie fields. Tons of armor, weapons, bags (had 8 boxes/bags by level 3 on my Barbly rogue) and pelts to make patchwork without a hassle. Just make sure you check if you're targeting a decaying skeleton versus say, a vengeful soloist.

And it only gets better. Rabid wolves/grizzlies in Qeynos hills, gnolls in Blackburrow, wisps in NK or Erud's crossing, bandits in WK. Tons and tons of great Exp/cash all on your doorstep.

[Expediency]

everfrost is terrible. its too hard and very cut off. Blackburrow and qeynos are fun and if you want to go that route you should bind at qeynos gate immediately. Shaman are kind of stuck unless they have money to buy spells and bank them, rogues/warriors can go immediately.