Habuza, get a microphone (if you dont have one) and ventrillo, search the forums for the lagwars vent and jump on.
im usually on around 9pm EST, hit me up and i'll play some with you, we can also get some others involved as well.
This will significantly reduce your learning curve.
also... standard equipment:
If you are a general (Oak, erebus, queen, sedna, occulus) always get monks as your starting gear.
Assassins usually get: Banded Armor & scaled helm.
(FYI HP stacking is better than armor stacking in most cases)
Other gear that you should pay attention to for most demi's: Nimoths armor, unbreakable boots, hauberk*, vlemish (first big helm for most maps except leviathan), plenor (your second best helm in most cases, although it should be your first on leviathan), narmoths,
Favor items: the standard are Blood of the Fallen, swift anklet
Generals: Cloak of the Night, Horn of Battle, Ring of Diving Might
Assassins: Blade of the Serpent (hard to use unless experienced), poisoned dagger, staff of renewal & heavens wrath.
Check out this site as well:
http://www.demigoddb.com/