Thankfully EQ is more than sufficient for my EQ cravings. EQ2 always saddens me. I really loved that game. I played EQ from day 1 and I experienced some irreplaceable moments with people I stay in touch with to this day but I felt EQ2 had the opportunity to be the better game. I still think their Housing / decorum in addition to their Auction House is still the best out there. I like their classes and races and didn't even mind the art style. I actually preferred it comparatively to WoW more comic / cartoon / animated style (though it's true to their style). However, the years under Ponytail, regardless if it's his fault or not, just took the game to depths that it can never climb out. The ability bloat is atrocious and frustrating. Their progression system is mindless and mundane. You grind instanced dungeon x,y,z... stock pile currency a or b, and purchase the same item everyone else owns.
I hope you have a good time, honestly but any time I see someone start up EQ2, I feel their frustration for them and dread the wall they'll hit in a matter of a month or so. I don't think i've been disappointed more than any game. Maybe because I rode the wave, I was there for the frustration of opening day, the Hartsman good times, and the Ponytail downfall.
I had hopes Holly or someone would address some of the core issues... at least the ability bloat but it's not going to happen. Seriously, I be the community would more than understand if they skipped the next expansion and devoted their time to address their top 3-5 core issues but it's probably too little, too late.