Now that gear won't melt, there's nothing to worry about with exploring. I used to not want to solo explore because there was the odd chance some random mob (ie, High Lord) would have a breath attack you didn't expect and melt all your gear. Now, the worst that will happen is you will die. Don't worry about dying. You're going to die, quite a lot, and it can suck but especially when you're new the MORE you die the FASTER you will learn. People tend to remember the dumb things they do more than the smart things they do so, unless you're an emperor who is fully geared with insane stuff, don't sweat dying.


Corlaan is right. Do as much as you can exploring. Lore as many things as you can. Keep a list of each area and what you found in it and who had it and its stats. If the item looks like it might be uber elite, try wearing it in combat. Then, once you've taken that path as far as it goes, watch other players. Note what gear they have that progs. Don't expect to be 'uber elite' in 6 months. You're competing with people who've played for 10 years. So, don't let stuff like dying bother you.