returning player, a couple of questions

[fortykru]

Hello, I recently decided to return to AC after about two years away from it. I couldn't migrate my account from microsoft. That actually works out okay for me, as I was never really able to play a mage succesfully in AC. I played an axer to ~60 and an archer ~40. This time around I was hoping to put together an OG, or maybe an Opal mage. The question I have is largely regarding how to go about this under the current circumstances of the game. Previously, there had been a few spots that you could immediately start draining at. Ks'ing was less of a concern because few of the players would singularly be able to drain/harm a Lugian, or Tusker at the beginning of BSD. So I guess what I would like to know is this:

Is there a safe, reasonable place where I can wall drain through ~30 levels without depending on others for presence?

Barring that (distasteful though it may be) are there macro options such as the old meeting hall mana pools? Without breaking the CoC or ToS. I know that unattended combat macro's are a bannable offense, but buffbots are not. I'm not sure where that would land on the scale.

Or, is it now possible to specialize later in the game? i.e. could i roll a 4 school/mana c mage and specialize at a later level? That would at least allow me to hunt solo, painful though it would be at those levels :P

Thank you very kindly in advance for any input. I hope to be back in the swing of things in the next couple of days.

[meridian59gar]

There are easy quests put in to level you up to about 50 in a single day. After that there's a string of well known macro/fellow XP locations that will get you to 100+ in no time. After that, it's Caul macroing for several months until you can graduate to Withereds and the new uber stuff for the best macroing. Once you get to 200+, you're pretty much invincible anywhere, so you can finally stop macroing and hang around at the clan mansion talking to people and leading quests. You can still macro if you like, but there's no real reason to gain XP at that point. If you don't plan on PvP, there was no real reason to in the first place, but, hey, whatcha gonna do?

[fortykru]

Sorry to be an absolute noob, but do you know of any decent sites with write-ups for some further info?

[Jothony SC]

Ok, I gotta ask.

Meridian, could you plz give some specific info about these quests/hunting spots that will "level you up to about 50 in a single day" ?
I've only been playing for 3 and 1/2 years now, I haven't learned about them yet.

Thanks.

[Gyes]

Maggie's is a great site - www.thejackcat.com

You might also be interested in checking out the new player's guide and quest guides on my site (http://www.paladinsofasheron.com/AC/gyes_guide.htm and http://www.paladinsofasheron.com/AC/Quests/quest_guides.htm)