I have leveled 12 classes to level 60 and geared them to 2100+ AP. I can't say I know every tricks about leveling and gearing up in BNS, but I do have a lot experiences. Now I am leveling and gearing up a dual blade without doing C2A, I can tell you gearing up after UE4 patch is harder. With so many dungeons being removed from F8, dungeons weapon upgrade path is pretty dead. Raid weapon upgrade path is the only way. The best new players can reach is probably grand celestial 9. After that, they need to spend thousands of golds to buy carry runs. The dailies quests are fewer. Low gear players joining heroic dungeons is not fun and boring even in easy mode. Accessory farming is just Sovereign core farming, a lot heroic and outlaw island farmings. After that, buy carry runs.
Mystic badge is probably is the easiest to get, after VT badge, buy carry run or farm circle of sundering and get raped by Master Hong. For new low gears players, I doubt they can even reach Master Hong. For soul badge, good luck to get liberty tokens. I don't even want to talk about soul, heart, pet aura, and talisman, good luck with farming sacred vials and Pet Pack.
Btw, I am not even talking about all the materials like elder scales, moonstone crystals, transformation stones... new players need to farm.
Anyway, I am afraid once the UE4 and C2A hype dead down, this game will dead with them. Before UE4, the gaming was having a slow death, now, we are seeing a flash explosion.