What do you look for in your FC when you consider joining a new one?

Hello, so this is a bit of a long winded post but I'm asking it to try and figure out how to go about making my FC. I'm looking to make an FC but want to collect opinions on what people like in their FCs, in their FC names, tags. Do you want it social, raiding, role playing, ect. Do you want the name to be funny, cute, professional, ect. I'm interested in knowing as much detail as you're willing to provide.

First off, I already know some of you are likely going to say something along the lines of, "You do you, make an FC you like". while I most certainly am going to do just that, I also want to take into account how others feel about it. Ideally my FC I want is something I want those that join to be happy with and not just for myself. Hence why I want to know what other people look for.

What are some things you look for in an FC? What are some dos and don'ts you have for me. Any advice that would cause you to leave or just outright not join at all if you saw in the FC name, tag, profile, house, ect? Including member count. Any specific kind of themes you look for when you join an FC? Do you care if they have discord. Does voice chat entice you or scare you away?

I am perfectly okay with you nit picking as much detail about an FC as you're willing to give me.

Honestly a really big hurdle I have is coming up with an FC name. Every time I find a name I like, someone else among my friends goes, "ehhh….". FC leaders, how did you determine coming up with your name? Have you ever had any members request it to be changed or did they turn out satisfied with it?

Do you other FC leaders have any stories about the history of how you created yours you would like to share? I'm willing to listen.

As long as the fc keeps the exp buffs up, I don’t care what they do.

The one thing I look for in an FC is one that participates in the same level of content I want to do and actively throws up invitations to members, regardless if they know how to clear the said fight (assuming they're showing interest in learning).

for example, my FC:

leader: "hey anyone wanna come clear Titania ex"
player: "i havent got past phase x"
leader: "dont worry about it, come anyway"

Our whole FC teaches one another and its a pretty great thing. On weekends, we sub for each others statics to help people get their weekly clear. I guess my point is that an FC that fosters a culture of helping one another get through tough content really forges a bond (it did for me at least) and now I never want to leave.

For me, it's all about the socialization and sense of community. There is nothing worse than being in an FC and no one chats or says anything. I've had pretty bad luck in this area where I've joined an FC and it's very quiet socially or you ask for help and it's like talking to a brick wall.

The whole point for me is to have people to engage with and enjoy the game with. Otherwise, I would just stick to playing solo.

This is sort of my checklist.

are they helpful and polite? Yes

Do they chat it up in game? Yes

Do they like to talk about the story and lore? Yes

Do they answer questions? Yes

Does a small group spend more time in discord than chat never inviting the rest of the members to join in? No

Are 20 people online and you ask if anyone wants to do roulette and you get nothing but silence? No

Is the leader a power mad narcissistic twit that lords over the FC like they are his/her/xyr personal minions? NO

As to the name of our FC [The Eventide Accord] We actually started the group I play with in EQ2 where you have more defined lines of good and evil in the classes for example I played a necro while my BFF played a druid. So eventide where day meets night the name was meant to symbolize good and evil working for a common cause. So we just carried that name to here because it was familiar. To be honest I have been trying to think of a new name lately since our current one doesn't really fit this genre. I'm leaning toward a magical guild name like in anime fairy tail something in that style.

People who ACTUALLY do content and actually make it a point to welcome new players. I can't count on my fingers how many times I've left an FC cause I'm met with silence like I stepped on a trap in deep dungeon. You can't do older content by yourself, so if you're going to add new players expect them to want to do the old raids. DO IT WITH THEM PLEASE!@!! THat is why I and many other leave FCs. Stop begging people to join but don't play with them. D: Rant off.

Well I am not in a Free Company at the moment as personally I do not see much reason to be in one - no housing on world yet and all.

However I did briefly join a FC but left as soon as I found out what their promotion rules were I left it - basically you got promoted for handing over Gil and we are talking of amounts from 500,000 to 3,000,000 for the ranks they created. So this is a massive thing for newly created characters on that world. Now this was they say to build up funds for FC housing when it became available but it just struck me wrong that you only got promoted by handing over vast quantities of Gil and trusted that the leader would not do a runner with it all.

I guess as I am concentrating on gathering and crafting rather than combat classes I do not fit the normal criteria but on another world I was in a great FC that ran events regularly from ARR content through to what was then the current stuff so everyone was helped out. Too often not it is current end game only that focus is on.

What I like about the FC I am in is that the people are friendly, we joke around with each other and have conversations about game and real life, always people are willing to help clear content (old and new), they welcomed me and we welcome new comers, and people are willing to give advice about all sorts of game related things.

My number one thing about being in FC is that people be kind to each other and others who are not in the FC. I also appreciate vet players who are willing to go back and do the super old content to help out the new people, or the return people starting a new character.

I have been trying out so many FCs and I think after the 8th, I might have found one I like. Here are what I am looking for and not looking for:

Want:
1. More than 4 active members on when I am on. I play during US prime time, you know pretty much right after work and before bed. So, if you say you have active members and on a NA server and it turns out like 3 to 4 others are only on during prime time, I am out.
2. Must be inclusive. If you invite someone to join in the FC, include them in things. There have been times I was told that people will run things with me and then no one joins. I would ask "Hey, anyone want to run roulettes with me?" And I get "I already did them." or "No, I am going to craft and might do them later." or just silence. Also, I have asked if anyone would like to schedule some time on the weekend one day to work on the new Extremes. All I got in response was "I don't think anyone outside their static with another FC will join you."
3. Focus on things I like. I will admit that I don't have crafting leveled, but seriously, how hard is it to find people that enjoy raids, roulettes/leveling alts, completing FATEs for the shared fates, and help new members. I have been in FCs that do not want to anything as a FC other than maps.

Things I dislike:
1. Clicks. It is fine if there is one that is mainly for the static, but if people are being ignored because of this, then that is a big red flag.
2. No way to communicate except in FC chat. Is it really that hard to have a discord to chat? If someone is willing to try out to see if they get along with members in the FC, then use a means that they can chat before they have to server transfer.
3. Elitist. Seriously, save that for your savage raid if you are like that. No one has to be perfect in the 4 man dungeons or the normal primals and raids. If you are going to be that toxic, then I cannot play with you.

For me it's important to have social interaction. It doesn't need to be every second or anything, but if I say hello or good morning in DC chat and people are online I expect someone to say hello back.

Building on the chat and getting to know people so that I look forward to logging in and helping people out.

Also to me an fc should feel like a team. We're all playing the same game so let's work together and have fun, ya know?

As an example when I first joined my current FC, it was during a more quiet phase of stormblood. There weren't a ton of people online, but my fc leader took the time to notice when I would be crafting and throw up a buff. He noticed when I was pugging the crap out of tsukuyomi and gave me a custom rank for a bit.

It's the little things to welcome new members and it shows. We've grown since then and try to pass this along to new members and get to know them and make them feel like a part of the team.

To me nothing is more alienating than joining a group and be met with silence.