What's a good NA server to make a new character on?

[Swordsman]

If you want to do the endgame content you may as well pick a server in the Aether cluster.

That's where 90% of the high-end party finder groups get listed. If you don't live on Aether you'll be server-hopping over to it for all your high-end content anyway, and not being from there removes your access to retainers (the main way to make money in-game) for as long as you're away from your home server.

This. Just stick to Aether DC if you want to get things done.