I'll throw out that most everyone including the vets feel noobish at times. I have played for years like you've said but I still get those "Ah, Hah!" moments all the time when I watch someone do something or am shown where or how something works. Some of it is truly luck, but a lot of it is, simply not giving up and asking all the time(Just shy of being overly annoying to people). You don't have to ask mr pk person. Elves, Storm Giants, most high level people with a title who don't sound evil will normally help you answer any question that comes to your mind except the obvious game mechanics which is available through noob channel. Once you have the answers to the more basic questions then you will have your foundation to continually build on and that is building blocks for a chance at making a good char.

Oh, and groups.. sorry you'll get that because a lot of people are spending the lower levels training their skills that they will or want to have high in % for pk and later in levels. Sometimes though, you'll get a group and gain a bunch of levels at once so it really is hit or miss. As before, always talking is the best thing you can do for groups because many may not see you to ask you.

The other thing I often forget is that sometimes it isn't about how good at pk, or what kind of gear, or how many times you get your butt whooped, but about the way the experience left you feeling. As example, I had a Banditking once upon a time with 1 pk and he was my favorite thief, go figure.