Hey, welcome. I wouldn't recommend a tank/melee for your first character as they're very gear-dependent and weak soloers. Groups are also going to be hard to come by at lower levels at this point, so a more self-sufficient class is a good idea. Necro is one of the stronger choices if you're into playing an evil-themed character. For the most part it's a very civil community on p99, probably more than you're used to playing any other MMO.
You might find this a useful guide just starting out,
https://wiki.project1999.com/Newbie_Guide Good luck!