Heyas,
I returned to AO a couple of weeks ago, and actually getting good noob info on Shadowlands and Keepers has been difficult. So, I scribbled down some info I wish I had when I started off, and hope this will save you some time and mindgrinding.
I started from scratch with no starting funds. This is how I started.
Breed; Solitus or Atrox would be the Keeper choice. Your main skill will be 2h edged I assume. That skill is based on str/sta, so I picked Atrox, since those abilities are green.
Faction; Faction does not matter at all at lower level, its just a hinderance. So neutral was my choice (startingpoint Jobe),- access to all gardens and all chat channels. You might want to make a choice of faction later on, since you definately want a token board later.
Geography; Download "Spheremap" to enhance your GUI planetmap,- helps alot when new to SL...
Level 1-10; If you want a flying start, you need a little help. Ask on the channels if someone can pick up a low QL Gentlemans sword from one of the Nascense Gardens. With it, you'll be rocking the training area. At level 9, do the Drake quests in the training area. Why level 9? Well, you can run faster, kill faster and still use your teleport bracer. At level 10 its perk- time. Aura of Revival, no question about it. At level 10, buy a Sundance suit armor from the NPC in training area, exit Jobe and head for Borealis, and browse mission terminals for 2 x Concrete Cushions (+16 str/sta) at QL10. Download Clicksaver for easy missionbrowsing. These Cushions will be great for later.
Level 10-20; Exit Jobe and enter the Nascense Bridge area. Kill some mobs around that area to get some Thrak and Aban Insignias (Garden keys), enter one of them, and save. Standing on the bridge, you will have Aban stone to the right, and Thrak stone to the left. Enter one of them or both to find an upgrade for your sword. Preferably higher QL Gentlemans sword. Once better equipped, head outside to the "bridge area" again and head north. Run passed the Spirit ruins until you come to a small lake with some spiders and malas. Kill them until you hit 20.
Level 20-40; New perk at level 20. I chose Reaver,- very nice special with good dmg. Now, where to go xp? Now you need to find the Cripplers static dungeon. Enter Thrak garden, find the stone that lets you exit to Frontier Outskirts. Turn around and head up the hill behind the statue, and zone. The Cripplers are down into the cave to the left. Get a team (very easy, always people here). Here you will find different "patterns" as loot,- it will supply you with cash enough for some decent upgrades and new nanos. Follow your team around and level,- you'll learn the basics of where to go fast. New perk at level 30,- step 2 of Aura of Revival. Head back to the garden and upgrade. Go back, and kill some more Cripplers. If well upgraded you'll do much better and faster solo this time. Do Cripplers until level 40. New perk, you need to start working towards Bio Shield level 3 ( Bio cocoon special), one point in Bio shielding.
Level 40-50; Time to get a new weapon. Now you have to go to Rubi Ka, to a place called Temple of the Three Winds. From Jobe Platform enter the "Rome Green" wompa. Once in Rome, take the road left, and again take the first left, and talk to the Cultist standing by some boxes in the alley. Give him 1000 credits, and he will give you a portal key wich will take you to the Temple entrance in Greater Tir County. What you need now is a Frost Scythe. Deathless Legionaires drop them inside the Temple. If you are familiar with the temple, you'll know where to go,- if not, join a team, always lots of teams here, and follow them around to familiarize yourself with the place, cause you're gonna spend some time here. If you can't self equip it now, go to town and get some implant upgrades or a trader wrangle. Now you'll be doing neat damage. At level 50, new perk,- Aura of Revival step 3.
Level 50-60; Its up to you really. I did the Garden keys quests and explored alot. You can either do that, or just stay at the Temple. Have in mind that you can not enter the temple if you are above level 60, so be sure to get everything of interest from the temple before dingin 61. Things you want from the temple:
-Stygian Desolator (will be your weapon for the next 60-70 levels)
-Withered Flesh (shoulderpad with dmg absorb and mods)
-Barrow Strength (shoulderpad with +dmg special and mods)
-2 x Notum Rings (not too important, but has nice mods)
-Exarch robe (nice armor mods, and works as a key to Inner Sanctum later on)
-5 x Dark Memories (NCU upgrades wich give +40 nano each, and you need that nano)
-Circuit Board (NCU belt with 5 slots)
-Various gizmos of less importance.
At level 50 I went back to the mission terminals, and "blitzed" missions for better armor. Str/sta armor as high as I could fit into with buffs, implants and those Cushions you got earlier (+27 enforer buff, +20 doc buff, +16 from Cushions and +12 self-buff). If you've acumulated alot of money, you can buy a complete suit of some kind instead. Getting all the items listed above is not obligatory, you'll do fine without them. It will take time to get it, but its most definately worth it.
At ding 60 its perk time again. Here I removed my Reaver perk, and added 2 points in Bio Shielding to get the Bio Cocoon special. This one is a lifesaver,- 800 dmg absorb.
If you at level 60 got everything above, you can head straight for the Hecklers in various areas in Nascense. You can easily solo these one by one for 20000 xp a kill. Lots of minor Heckler spawns around wich people never go to. Hecklers will drop ingots, wich will give you loads of credits. In the span from 60-100 I made more than 20 mill.
Skills; You do whatever you want to do with the skills and stats, but here is how I spent my points.
Str - max every level
Agi - 100 at first, but has to be raised later.
Sta - max every level
Int - 100 at first, but has to be raised later.
Sen - 100
Psy - 100 at first, but has to be raised later.
Body dev - max every level
Nano pool - 150 at lvl 60
2h edged - max every level
Melee init - max every level
Evade ClsC - max every level
First Aid - maxed to use the highest stims possible at all times.
Run Speed - You'll be doing ALOT of running. I'm upping this max every level until 350 at first...
As for the other skills, I have them raised when needed. Don't max all your nano skills, but try to stay peaked, and use the highest nanos you can at all times.
What I did here is proably not the very best way to go, but you'll get an ok start...
Happy hunting