Spent another 2 days, trying to gather parties and run low level instances. I have completed The Boondocs, The Vault and Wrath of the beastman.
Population is generally low, but a bit higher in the very beginning because people tend to try this game and quit.
If you look at achievements, then you'll see that only 7% of players reach 10 level and only 3% of players reach 20 level.
Sometimes I was assisted by high-level player. Sometimes I have assembled group of other people. At the end of day 2, I tried solo "story mode".
If you don't like hardcore gameplay, then you need low-level dungeons only to complete story quests. I think that easiest way to complete them is to find high level help.
If you hardcore and like to overcome difficulties with same buddies, but you came alone. Then you'll be lucky if you find 2 other players. None of them will be specced as pure healer. Though, mages get healing spells too.
Finding a party of same levels is not optimal strategy anyway. There are dungeon-only resources needed to craft final piece of dungeon-related set.
This is the only reason to group for dungeon. Note that rare resources drop only if party size >= 3 player.
All dungeons can be passed alone in "story mode". You will be asked at entrance.
More than that, you'll get same loot as in "dungeon mode". Only difference is quantity. 1 item per player per boss.
With proper skill, you can farm items in story mode and sell them for gold. This is more profitable than crafting.
Crafting is mostly boring and leveling it takes much more time than leveling character. I have to admit that you get better gear from crafting than from questing.
In the same time, crafted items are generally worse than dungeon loot. Keep in mind that you can get dungeon loot solo and it will probably be more interesting than digging or growing plants.
I was specced as tank, but it seems it was bad idea. Best class for low level dungeons is ranger.
You are faster than mobs and than bosses which attack in melee. The only problem are archers and mages.
If you spend attribute points in ranged combat, then you'll get better defense against ranged attacks. This way, you'll need to kill enemy mages first, then archers, then melee.
Other way is to level mage. He can heal himself and good in ranged combat. Order of killing enemy mobs is archers, mages and then melee.
Best professions to level are Alchemy and Cooking. You'll always need consumables.
You need Foraging to gather resources for Alchemy. Cooking mostly requires Farming, but there are some recipes requiring Skinning and Fishing.