Hey Wolfwood, To answer your questions:

1. A
-because you are more likely to meet up with people you've played with in the past. A for the rank 20's thing, pretty much everyone on the server has a class they could rank with you plus i am sure there is still A LOT about the game you still need to learn!!\

2. As for a Linkshell my current LS is end-game based but we have another LS for anyone who wants it! its a LS full of a very good group of players who constantly do leves and behest and a lot of them are building multiple classes up at once so you won't have to worry about gimped SP. (also the main LS helps them all the time! just yesterday i went out with 3 of them to get them the new NM gear for rank 30) so if you like you can send me a tell in-game and i'll add you! the Linkshell is called Friends of SuTR (SuTR being my main) my IGN is Kaisersose Lionguard

hope to see you in-game!!