How many people make it to the exploring levels with their first character? Sure, some may have hero'd their first character, but that's the exception.

Any low level mob will destroy a healer and transmuter. That makes them dependant on other players to level them up. Healers depend on the staff to empower their character. Healers and transmuters are support characters. Not the type of character to just get into the mix and start learning things. Their support role are extremely important to groups, and someone who doesn't know what they are doing will probably die a lot more.

Now, suppose you are a ranger or an assassin, and you have parry, dodge and shield block all by level 10 or 12, respectively, and you're able to go out and kick some butt in prescribed areas for newbies. Then you get a healer or transmuter to join YOU, and now you're able to kick a lot more butt. Which do you think would be more enjoyable to someone just trying things out for the first time? Getting raped by everything and everyone (for healers, sanctuary might save them / for transmuters, a/b/s saves them), or being capable of actually fighting mobs and doing something productive on your own?

Like I said, getting a feel for the game, and beginning to understand roleplay and religions, and the system, is much better than trying to dive head first into a support character.

As a healer or transmuter, you're going to get dragged all over the map, and never know where the fuck you are, too.

What fucking newbie knows ANYTHING about preps? Who the hell cares? I wasn't carrying around flasks of diminution or flight potions with my level 15 newbie ass storm giant warrior. You learn to carry those by actually dying to trip or bash.

Every class gets lore. Yes, it's a huge pain in the ass to practice it, but it can be done (and only needs to be done to 91%). No, I don't think a newbie would take the time to learn it. Healers don't get identify until like level 20. Transmuters don't get it until level 15. That's a long damn way for a newbie to make it. We're talking pure newbies. As in logging in for the first time ever.

I just don't think you're being very rational about what a new player truly is. Healers and transmuters and other various support characters are great as a second character. Because on the second character around, you have a lot better chance of actually making it near the hero levels. But then I think you're turning into the old Yhorian, and you just want to fucking debate everyone, because everyone else is a moron in your own mind, and they have no fucking clue what they're talking about... Even though it's really you who is making no sense.