AO-Universe

So I am new to AO and this awesome website. I really enjoy the game. Apart from this weird text issue i am having( I have a thread for it), I really love all AO has to offer. That being said i would like some pointers and advice, or just opinions on class, server, and faction selection. What I would like to do is have a toon great at PvP and PvE. I typically enjoy casters. I love to heal, but I don't want to have a hard time soloing. I would love to do group instances or raids and pvp. I Have the full client free game. I can't pay for more right now. So I was just wondering what classes are well- equiped to solo, pvp and group if need be. Also what level can i start to pvp. Which server has the most pvp, and are any of the factions on this server short handed.

What I look for in determining what class I wanna play is.

1: how fun are they to play all together. PvP, PvE, solo and grouping.

2: Can they kite or kill multiple mobs at once.

3. How gear dependent are they.

4: How they hold up in pvp

5: How easy is it to get groups and gear..


Thanks to anyone who answers
Also I have another thread about my technical issue help a brotha out =)

Hmmm, not easy questions to answer...

1/ MA is a good starting proffession (no weapons to worry about), after that, Doc is a good all rounder (particularly in team)

2/ You're looking at a Nano Technician there (damn squishy & needs backup in tank form)

3/ Gear... Yes... All Proffs are gear dependent, the more & better gear you have, the better you are quite simply.

4/ Dunno, not a PvPer... ^^

5/ Teams are fairly easy to get dependent on where you want to go, joining a good Orginisation always helps with this & the availability of gear is dependent on, well, it's availability realy, the seriously good gear is less accessable than the crap stuff, as you'd imagine...

1. Depends on what you consider fun... Personally my favorite profession so far has been doctor, but you might enjoy another profession entirely

2. Pretty much NT exclusive

3. All professions are dependent on gear. Unlike most other MMOs I have played, characters in AO depend a lot more on gear than on pure levels, the increase in skills from IPs per level does not make up for the jump in mob difficulty.

4. Any profession can PvP, but some are more easy to PvP with.. Again, it comes down to what you enjoy doing like in #1.. Some want to play the glass cannon uber killing machine NT.. others prefer being a heavily support orientated team player with a good doctor.. playing a highly offensive class such as a soldier is also an option for some..
TL;DR version: Any profession can PvP, it all comes down to what you enjoy playing.

5. Fairly easy in the major leveling spots, depending on your level of course.
Gear is a bit of doozy if you want to go for the ultimate, uberduber armor right off the bat.. But there are good options for new players on a budget as well

I just enjoy pure casters a lot more then melee. I was top healer in the Guilds I was a part of in EQ and vanilla WoW. I just know how horrible it can be soloing as a healer...

sounds like you'd enjoy doctor or NT then, there the most cast heavy classes, NT's having no other way really of dealing damage, and Docs DoTs being rather effective

Just wondering, how hard are the raid instances in this game? I assume they must be pretty fun.