Starting City Tier Rankings - CLASSIC - Everquest - TLP

[@Blacksunstoneful]

Qeynos and Surefall would be S+ tier if quest experience was working like it should, but it's still an S as it's one of the best starting areas for early wealth and items. Here's my opinion why: - Qeynos area offers several early level quests that are quite powerful (bonethunder staff, locket of courage, jaggedpine quests, prayer beads, shining star etc.) all of which can be done before level 10; there is no other starter zone in EQ that gives you that many procing items and stat items at such a low level outside Paineel when Warrens is released. - Quest XP, gnoll fangs and muffins are disgustingly good for blowing through levels; collect fangs and orbs sell for muffins rinse and repeat (it's only nerfed on TLP a bit) there are later quests in the karanas like langseax and Short Sword of Morin which are a huge boost to melee - Money, gnolls have a ton of stuff that sells very well and once you hit the karanas you can kill bandits for sashes that turn in for bronze weapons that sell for 2-6pp a piece and those bandits come in groups of 5 or more; you can make hundreds of plat here easily; there is also tons of wisps that you can then turn lightstones in for 10pp a piece as well - Items, gnolls drop tons of ruined leather and chain which is better than cloth for low effort, the sewers has enemies that drop +HP and + resist items, the karanas is packed with roaming named NPC's that drop valuable +stat items that can last until guk replacements or even longer; even blackburrow can drop you +str and +sta items rather frequently; oh and lets not forget you can kill Pzyjn multiple times for +9 int held items that in early game can sell for 1-3 krono for little effort If you get a solid 6 man group going from the start you can easily bulldoze this area and level faster with a much better stream of income and items than ANY other starting zone outside Cabilis and Paineel with Warrens

[@darkwulf2k]

Qeynos is a high A almost S, esp since Black Burrow is near by. You can get to late teens easily before heading to highpass hold. Just location kinda sux at the end of the day, but still Qeynos was my first starting city ever in EQ so it does hold that special place in my heart. Agree with Neriak, other than sucks for shadow knights and Necros with their guild all the way in the back. So every 4 or so levels, that is a long ass haul for new spells and stuff.

[@lucasryder3930]

Kelithin is my favorite city I just think it looks really cool

[@shanelandry9814]

Having fun playing on this server. It's brought back some good memories. So far made it to level 10 on my ogre SK. Last night I was killing frogs in upper guk with a group. Fun times!

[@donhearn2248]

I think a lot of rankings like these come down to what city does the creator know well. In the case of Neriak, it is in-fact one of the absolute best starting zones. There is a clear leveling progression all the way 50 in zones adjacent to your starting area. If you want to go 2 zones adjacent you might have access to more midlevel content then any other starting content other then Freeport. When it comes to 30-50 Neriak takes the cake tho. Easy to get to stuff, and if you die....easy to talk a cleric into taking a quick trip one zone over to Rez you. Rivervale has always been one of my favorite. Easiest zone to get around, tons of low-mid-high level content with in 2 zones of you ( I kill HighKeep nobles). You can do 1-50 with-in 2 zones of you, but unlike Neriak you might have to contend with camps. Qeynos however is a starting zone that keeps on giving long past your days of using the "newbie" city. Once POK comes on-line you can "origin" back home from anywhere and your POK book is right there to get to the Plan of Knowledge. add in tons of content to get to 20 in adjacent zones makes it a fair starting point if you are thinking long term.

[@TBCNexus]

Oh 100% it’s based on my experience and opinion! Rivervale is great love that zone! After making a de sk before though , it’s a huge run to get to the book

[@bernatzmark]

I'm not fond of the Freeport layout, but you canNOT rate it at the bottom ... You can do ALL tradeskills except alchemy there... it's RIGHT there for the tunnel, the noob areas are second only to paineel. Otherwise, great job. I'm loving the buildup to Yeli!

[@TBCNexus]

You are not wrong it’s great for tradeskills, close to the tunnel, great newbie areas and only place you can buy melee tomes! but it’s too big , too brown and too bland !

[@bequakynskagroupie3751]

New EQ content is always S class. Thanks man…!!

[@demris15]

If Warrens were added at launch, Erudin would be S tier for me

[@TBCNexus]

yeah warrens would make a huge difference to me for Erudin, right now it just is too remote. the translocators help make that smaller though.

[@arentak2773]

@@TBCNexus I just learned they added a Parcel vendor to Paineel. That's pretty cool. It really takes Paineel for a "no way" to an "ok, maybe".

[@WesleyWyndam-Pryce]

Add Warrens and Stonebrunt and it's golden. Those zones come in a little too late though.

[@shyllo]

Had a couple friends start in Felwithe, they both instantly walked off the bridge and sank to their deaths not knowing swim/move the camera.

[@everwake2689]

Grobb was always my favorite...as long as you didn't step foot in the water.

[@allisonparker2405]

I think you underestimate surefall glade, its origin point is 10 feet away from a bank, and is a druid hub/port location so easy to find transportation there.

[@TBCNexus]

maybe so, its no where ive spent a great deal of time, other then quickly running through on my way to Permafrost!

[@jrightly]

I actually like the new Freeport design. It is easier to bank in, for starters. Plus, old FP was horribly ugly and you had to run through stretches of empty, barren spaces to get anywhere, which doesn't make sense if it's a bustling port town. With the redo, it makes more sense visually to me and more "crowded". The new caster guild hall is a mess though. Grobb should be even lower. That newbie zone is already awful because of the water and ease to get disoriented/lost but they put in a high level NPC troll killer for more grief. Grouping is almost mandatory due to all the social mobs. Teenage me back in 99 loved Qeynos but never got any character past level 13 or so because running through the Karanas terrfied me. Since I got back into the game I prefer any city on Faydwer or Freeport because the leveling path is so smooth, but can become repetitive. Still debating if I want my rogue to be a wood elf or a barb and the starting city is a major factor I am wrestling with.

[@TBCNexus]

i get what they were trying to do.. bridge the gap/difference between EQ and EQ2 and its alot more of a functional zone, with the banking, but my primary issues are its too big, too empty and too brown!

[@Flea_ip]

Wood Elf Rogue has a pretty amazing Origin point if you ask me. I was playing with it the other night, and it's just a quick hop off Kelethin (Safe Fall FTW?) and like a 6 second run to the PoK book. And then before PoP, there are always Druids there so you can get ports and buffs pretty easily. Not to mention Kelethin is just awesome

[@WhyYouAskingMe]

You are the first person I've heard of in all my years that actually like the new freeport over the old one.

[@KayossSZ]

I don't entirely mind the new Freeport, but I do have some criticisms about it. -The Dismal Rage and the Underground Coalition rogues mingling and occupying the same area. In for some awkwardness if you pick an Erollisi Marr rogue. xD -The Militia and Knights patrolling the same areas and crossing each others' paths without a care. How is there not open warfare in the streets? Other than that though I don't see it as too bad. Weirdly enough the Academy is probably my favorite thing about the new FP. That room upstairs with all the astronomy aesthetics is the absolute best. I'm going to roll a human wizard on Yelinak and I still don't know if I'm going to start in Freeport or Qeynos.

[@jace76ful]

Freeport for sure should be higher because the location is close to everything. Neriak and freeport should be A they share alot of zones. Kelethin and and felwithe share the same zone, so it should be equal, and I would give them an S. The reason is with orc hill and crushbone you can level there extremely fast and the grouping is great. After crush, you can go right to Unrest, which is where everyone goes.

[@dustindouglas9912]

Respect for the s rating on Neriak. People sleep on that as a starting city

[@Unzem]

Will you do a tradeskill tier list or guide for classic-tov

[@Flea_ip]

Totally agree with Neriak. Love that city/zone. My only complaints with this tier list would be Kelethin definitely needs to be higher (S for me), and Ak'Anon needs to be F- tier. Other than that, good stuff!

[@TBCNexus]

Kelethin would be better if it had a better, more populated newbie area, compareable to say freeport or paineel. it also takes alot for a new pick to spawn! Akanon sucks for sure, but steamfont is VERY quick for the first few levels.

[@Flea_ip]

@@TBCNexus Yeah the newbie yard could be a little bit better. It's hilariously ironic that it's such a popular starting zone and the newbie yard is kinda bad. It's just sparse I guess, but the spawns are very fast, so maybe that sort of balances it out.

[@Subvaries]

Dark elf master race.

[@jameswalker4397]

I disagree about Freeport. I liked.the new layout once I got used to it.

[@jsmitty0073]

I am a big dark elf fan myself as well

[@TBCNexus]

easily the best city in EQ!

[@MoldyWater989]

Hell yea man keep it up with the videos they're very entertaining -449

[@abalamdepaimon6891]

Kelethin all the way. best city music, once you spent 30min of human brain power you are able to navigate around the tree city, can level to high teens with Crushbone, the CB belts and pads are fun little run adventures to Kaladim for exp and first feelings of money. You can adventure into Unrest or kill sisters in Lfay, or wander into Mistmoore for some vampiric hunting. You rate Neriak S tier when the Noobie area is pretty much same if not worse then Gfay, Lavastorm has almost no one hunting in for a reason. Perhaps near Najena zoneline some people are exping, but way too dangerous to just roam around. And Najena is a bad dungeon unless you know what you are doing and hunt in a precise spot. If you go in as a groups and fight the entry mobs and think it's a nice dungeon, you will get destroyed by the level range of mobs and finding the tentacle mobs 5min in.

[@deathknizzle]

It is weird to rank freeport and neriak differently, they border the same areas

[@TBCNexus]

Neriak is awesomeFreeport is great easy one of the best but the actual city is awful!

[@deathknizzle]

@@TBCNexus hah. Man, when i start at lvl 1 i immediately get my shirt and then attack my guildmaster. Instant teleport to noob area for free. If i’m a melee, no need to go back in the city till 5 other than to sell. Casters have to go inside for spells. On my monk on yelinak, I may not go back to town till 10+.

[@williamlebrun1810]

Rivervale FIRST ALWAYS S TEIR

[@demris15]

Have to agree… I rarely play a halfling, but Rivervale was always a great spot. Newbie yard rocks and you are a short run to the action.

[@scottnicholas4435]

I agree!!

[@Merknilash]

Oggok is a decent city but feerrott is the worst starting zone and it’s not even close

[@markbay9275]

Ak-Anon is a disaster! Agreed!

[@deathknizzle]

How about leveling areas

[@TBCNexus]

I’ve made some videos looking at different zones , some of my favourites, some obscure and some that are simply better for levelling!

[@michaelluciano1980]

Neriak is amazing but gets old running to shadow night guild rt!

[@Zendien]

My list would be pretty different. Freeport is my top starter but I have to agree that I wish it was the old Freeport. New one is just terribly ugly. Ak'anon, Halas, Rivervale and Qeynos/SFG are my other highly ranked. I guess the trend here is "not too busy, not too far" with too far being basically Odus :P I just don't think you can beat Freeport due to it's central location. Just wish it wasn't so crowded early on :)

[@bobbym2654]

FP is by far the best starting zone if your looking to rush leveling. With the revamp of Nro/Sro. Its IMO the fastest 1 to 18 you can do. Its always my go to and plan my character around getting to or starting near those zones.

[@TBCNexus]

yeah freeport is great for that early levelling (the insta respawn skel and then orc make for fast kills without having to chase mobs) then into NRo for the Undead ruins which also have a very fast respawn. im fairly sure that Steamfont is a quicker 1-4 because of the kobold camps and nektulos is really good 4-8.. at 14 you can push into SolA and nothing is faster.

[@bobbym2654]

@@TBCNexus Yah every TLP i roll on is Nro newbie area to Nro UD ruins, then orcs in Sro spawn instantly. Easiest 1-18. Sol A is solid till i think 32 or Unrest if you can get FP broken till 26+. Even though i told myself I wasnt going to play another TLP. Im sure ill be on Yelinak lol

[@boot-strapper]

Kelethin is the best hands down.

[@jucarcan]

Where is Surefall Glade? Surely, it is F tier. Edit: I missed it at the end there.

[@TBCNexus]

I didn’t forget about the boring ranger town!

[@scottnicholas4435]

Surefall can’t be so much lower than qeynos. You silly :)

[@TBCNexus]

Yeah , surefall is just doesn’t have anything going on in it apart from the archery course! The only time I’ve ever gone to surefall is on the way to vox !

[@scottnicholas4435]

@@TBCNexus ya it is boring! But nice safe newbie area easy way to get some leather armor and a dedicated port is nice (for good or neutral or invis baddies) And close to some rare spawn mobs is nice. I’ve gotten a fish one a couple times late at night just by porting over and checking for him

[@prodesu8607]

Idk feels like you're going by functionality rather than saying what your opinion is alot of the time.

[@TBCNexus]

functionality does way quite heavily in my opinion for sure, grobb and its water is not functional and i dont enjoy it. i like a compact city, that feels busy, easy to navigate and has a good newbie zone! (other then the too brown, too empty freeport!)

[@Gannigur]

Def biased to Aknon.. you shouldve reviewed it last.