I've been playing it for some time, though I play it solo for the most part. It's difficult to coordinate sessions for this game in particular, because everyone has to have a character of the same level or else it becomes unbalanced. So, I found that you pretty much have to create a new character for each group of friends you wish to play with. The exception is if you and your friends manage to reach maps together, at that point you can probably keep playing even if someone is a somewhat higher level than the others.
I have a Summoner Witch in the Hardcore league. I'm using a build based on zombies and spectres that has proven to be the most successful for me over the years. I use a fairly safe approach and mostly farm Act 4 areas and low-tier maps. My plan is to eventually expand towards weapon-based builds once I've collected enough items to help them survive. I do not use any trading services since I think it's more enjoyable to find and craft my own equipment, even though it puts me at a disadvantage.
My profile:
https://www.pathofexile.com/account/view-profile/Nillo