Very conflicted new player needs a push in the right direction

[Calyanare]

1. MRD is probably the easiest to level, since once you unlock dungeons you'll get into them immediately.
2. Nobody is in the lower level zones because most people don't bother leveling alt classes. Sad but true.
3. The battle system doesn't get faster (PGL/MNK gets some skills to reduce GCD, but you can't get to the more-standard 1.5s even then). It does get a little less repetitive once you have a few more skills (but this takes quite a long time with some classes, like CNJ).

Also, you can edit posts to surpass the character limit.