Looking for advice

[dbouya]

you don't have to worry that much about being gear dependent.
for the price of a caster's levelup spells you can buy yourself some decent hand me down twink gear on p99 because low level gear has basically no value in the economy anymore.

I'd just play whatever you like the feel of best, the role of best. although you have to get to level 10or20 or so before roles begin to define themselves much at all.

field of bone is CRAZY friendly, but the east commonlands right outside freeport and the greater faydark right outside kelethin/felwithe are also very friendly as well.

if you start near qeynos you'll make zero friends and think the game is dying. so before giving up on some of your alternate characters make sure to check out the crowded popular hangout spots nearest them. (gnomes can easily walk to the elf starting locations, and while it is hard for ogres/trolls to walk to the human starting location they can do it at level 1 if they're experienced with the terrain.)