[Lemiddar]

Honest advice? If you have the patience to play a Ranger pre-velious (XP penalty, no panic animal to aid in soloing) by all means go for it. I love seeing other Rangers on the server. The community is generally helpful when it comes to drive-by buffing and low level gear. Just don't beg for it. No one likes a beggar. =) Nothing wrong with asking for a SoW to keep yourself safe though. And if you do the Ranger/Druid/Shaman will probably completely buff you. Most of the time.

The solo experience will be difficult around 30 most likely, unless you're able to gear yourself well through farming and selling. Depending on where you start there are plenty of ways to go about this, especially if you're willing to spend a reasonable amount of time doing it to make your p99 life easier later on.

I can't really speak to the grouping, since grouping isn't something I'm interested in until I'm 60. Just a personal goal to go solo. However, I've turned down a number of groups, despite never looking for one. They're out there. Make some friends, they don't care about your class. I'm a firm believer that if you display your ability in groups of friends (which sometimes will include others) you will gradually increase your grouping possibilities. Unless you suck, which is possible. I said this would be honest.

The epic. Right now you should plan on not having your epic for quite awhile, if you decide to make a Ranger. Unless you want to be in one of a select few guilds. The VSR stone is pretty clogged up unless you want to pay for it. No hate, I have no issues with it. It'll open eventually.

If you want an easier life as a Ranger wait until Velious. You'll be able to solo and group more readily. However, I suspect you'll also be competing with a lot of newly created Rangers who will be twinks with better gear than you can hope to get at their level. It'll also mean more competition in guilds for Ranger drops. But really, if you're joining a guild you should want the entire guild to gear up. You don't have to be first. There will be many, many more chances at the same (or better) targets.

Overall I would say.. make a Ranger. Test it out. That's why you have eight character slots. You'll know between 17 and 22 whether you want to continue it. I prefer Half Elves, but I'm an EQRacist. If you decide it isn't for you.. make something else. If you feel the need to strip the Ranger down to fund the other character that's still an option.

Frankly, I feel like all level 60 hybrids who later have penalties removed should get a stat-less no-drop token to separate them from those later on. It's an achievement. But I'm biased. This part is irrelevant to the topic, but I'm just trying to say that YOU will always know you did it the harder way, and there's something to be said for that.

Long-winded, but hopefully that sums it up for you. I'd like to know what you decide!