Try a major defense coupled with minor offense or utility shapeshifter. You will have survivability because of your defensive forms and also some offense, as well as detects like hidden and acute vision if you go utility or just raw power if you go offense.

Shifters have no real skill or spell spamming requirement so you can just keep ranking and you would be very unlucky to not get at least one regeneration form which will save your life a lot of the time.

As a defense major you will be wanted as a groupmate for being the tank so ranking should not be an issue and at hero you will then be good at solo exploring but, better than that, you will be actively encouraged to explore with others because of your abilities.

If you go gnome, then you can get some crazy mana and hps but the exp cost will slow ranking a little but being neutral allows you more grouping opportunities so maybe a neutral human with no exp penalty will allow you to rank quick and really start to learn.

-----Abernyte