So I've noticed that NPC characters tend to have much more hit points than player characters, and player characters generally tend to hit a lot harder (offensively).

I am not new to the game, technically. I've played off and on for the last 10 years at least, though never as dedicated as some others may have been. I believe the highest I ever ranked was around level 35, and that's only because I tagged along in a group with 2 other characters who knew what they were doing, and I just racked up the experience with them.

My main question is: Is there a way to rank up to 51 without the aid of others? Not because this is how I want to play the game, but because I figure this is a good way to learn the game. When you're just following some guy around as he kills NPC's to gather keys to open locked doors, picks up mysterious items that are necessary to gain access to areas or bypass gatekeepers, guardians, etc, it can get pretty confusing as text just scrolls up your mudclient at inhuman speeds.

I like Rangers because they can hide from the largest percentage of other players, and Assassins because they can see hidden and invis characters. I like mages because they can identify items and help my combat themed characters understand what to use.

After around level 25, I no longer know what areas to go to in order to rank on my own. It almost seems as the NPC characters begin to get too strong at those levels to take on by yourself without a group, or rather, the gear and weapons necessary to be tough at those ranks require a group to obtain them.

Is there a solo path in CF or do I just die a million lives before I finally become strong and wise?

If an expert is bored, could you possibly post some recommended areas to seek out every 5-10 levels starting at around level 30? I know there is a helpfile for this, but for some reason I always go to those areas and only find creatures too easy to kill or too hard to kill on my own.