I'm going to be playing the free trial to check out the game and I'm looking for beginner tips, such as:

What class is horrible and should be avoided?

What's a couple of the most wanted classes for groups and best performing classes solo?

Is there something I should get started on early, like crafting or skills or whatever?

Any other basic tips would be appreciated.

I am trying EQII right now and I have played only about 6-8 hours I am not an expert but I learned something from these hours of playing and that is you should talk with the NPCs and listen to everything they have to tell you, it can be boring but those guys have a lot of useful information that will make you to be aware of what to do according to your goals in the game. Listen them otherwise you will be running around asking yourself what are you doing there in a senseless run. This is temporal, I am going to buy DFO this holiday.

 well there isnt rly a horrible classs tbh if u want a class that is always welcome in a group go for utility classes illu or bards but i guess it all depends on the server u are on

u can start crafting if u like at a low lvl but one thing that is good to have and a good moneymaker is harvesting skills so remember to skill them up

as for tips.. get a guild it makes life so much easyer if u are low and new to the game.

Originally posted by holdenhamlet

I'm going to be playing the free trial to check out the game and I'm looking for beginner tips, such as:

What class is horrible and should be avoided?

There is no horrible class per se. All the classes can solo and if you do other things well, you won't have to worry about groups too much. Skill counts for much more than class availability, but there are classes desired over others.

The bard (dirge or troubador) is great for endgame groups and raids, and they are highly sought after, however, soloing is probably the worst of the classes. Not that soloing is very hard for any of the classes, but of them, bards are harder. Also, the templar, and the guardian, while they can solo fine, they are slow. They do the least damage to mobs, so some people just get too ADD to play them sometimes.

What's a couple of the most wanted classes for groups and best performing classes solo?

Most wanted for groups are bards, enchanters (illusionist and coercer), plate tanks (guardian, berserker, shadow knight, and paladin) and healers of course. DPS is always needed as well, but most groups aren't that picky about the dps as far as class. I mean, as long as you do damage and aren't a complete moron, then most any dps class is fine.

Best solo classes would be summoners (necromancer and conjuror), brawlers (monk and bruiser), and the shadow knight (although this might change... someday...). Shadow knights are noticably overpowered right now, well this whole expansion really, but you never know with this game. But, brawlers aren't desired for groups as much, and summoners aren't sought after for raids.

Is there something I should get started on early, like crafting or skills or whatever?

Every time you get a chance... harvest. Also, get into a guild asap. If it's not an active guild with regular people, find another guild. These are the two most important things. Other than that, have fun, do quests, learn the ropes. Harvests will sometimes get you rares that are worth good money or even be able to make a nice item for your character, even if you don't craft.

Any other basic tips would be appreciated.

This game has something called mentoring. People of higher level can mentor down to your level and help with low level dungeons, quests, or just goofing off. You get bonus experience, and they get bonus aa, so it's a win win situation.