>What kind of character would you suggest
>be best at exploring to find these things? To go to area
>explores, etc.

Honestly? Try to build a character with connections. Maybe that means joining a cabal, since that pretty much gives you "instant" connections. Especially a goody cabal, where people are motivated to help out their cabal mates.

Or, maybe that means not "picking a side" but instead being 1) useful and 2) friends with everybody. Like a neutral herald bard, healer or transmuter. Maybe send a note to all saying, basically, "I'm available to help anybody explore, any time, and you get to keep the gear. I just want your knowledge."

Most importantly: LOG EVERYTHING. Like, every session. I don't actually practice what I preach in this respect, but I always eventually regret it. That way, if you want to know stats on some weird piece of equipment that you may or may not have identified at some time in the past, you just search through your log files and voila! There's the stats!