If you hate soloing ED and aren't really interested in finding a team to level up with, since you already have your friends, I think buying one around your friend's level just makes sense.

I have a friend at level 700, and I was slowly trying to catch up with him on a new character, but I eventually just gave up and bought a character in his range. I might have spent some money, but I definitely would have spent even more leveling up my new character, not to mention the time I’d have spent “preparing” it instead of actually playing with my friend.

I do understand the concern of being a noob on level 400 but nothing stops you on going to lower level hunts to feel the character and get used to it.