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Hey fellas, was hoping I could get some advice on finding a static or fc to get into savage/extreme/ultimates with because my ventures so far have just led me to social guilds, or fcs that'd want me to transfer off my server. My tastes would fall into the midcore style of things, but even then, finding a place has been difficult. Any advice would be appreciated.
You should look only for a static not an fc for savage/extreme/ultimate, fcs do not really do any hard content and are basically social guilds. Also try to advertise yourself everywhere you can advertise (recruitment discords of your data center, the recruitment reddit, recruitment channels on big discords etc).
Statics? Got plenty of options luckily.
First, most obvious (and best imo) place is the PF, there are always statics advirseing or people looking to join one. This is is by far the most convenient, the one thing I could see this being a negative is if things potentially fall out before you even join the static, you could risk coming across the person(s) you were speaking with and oh boy does that sound awkward.
Second option is Reddit. This may seem obvious so forgive me, Reddit itself allows you to anonymously (at least to whoever you're chatting with) arrange details, so if things don't work out you can just back out and never think about it again, but you also need to remember its bloody Reddit, so expect to meet some truly awful unfun people before you get anywhere.
Thirdly is Discord. The only positive thing I can see is the sheer amount of people in servers, so you potentially could get in a static faster. But Christ almighty, I've been using discord on and off since it bloody launched, and almost every single big server I have joined have been full of just the worst people you could imagine, and it killed any sense of enjoyment I got out of being there. Oh, and don't think that you can get away without other people knowing your in game name, I've joined a few large 14 servers in the past, and every single one demanded you send your in game name to them or stay in a home screen where the only one you can message is a goddamn bot. Maybe not the most annoying thing to some, but to someone who uses different usernames for all their online accounts this is infuriating.
So please, just stay away from big discords, its not worth it.
And as for FC's, just don't, every FC I've been in has splintered or dissolved because of some creepy member or group in it, if you want to socialize in game join a few hunt LS's. Hunt LS's allow some chatting amongst members while doing things like scouting or spawning, potentially even just casual chatting, but that wildy depends on the LS.
Mid-core is easy, since most people in this game fall in that category. As others have said: Just look for people recruiting for their group. I see plenty on Primal PF. Alternatively you can spend a lot of time networking and build you own. I find building a team after a new expansion is announced is key to getting people who are here to stick around (ie: not here in the new patch rush and will soon disappear again.)
Others have given great advice on where you can look for groups. The next step is to present yourself above other applicants.
First step will be to unhide your logs. This is your resume. It will catalogue all of your achievements and present them to anyone who sees it. I've interacted with many players and groups over the years, and every single one I've seen that didn't vet their applicants has failed to clear the current tier. The only way to ensure that everyone in the group is competent is to test their competency, and if you can't demonstrate that then you're going to have a hard time finding a decent group.
If your logs aren't great then head over to the balance and practice your rotation against a training dummy until it's effortless. You want to be able to execute your rotation without thinking. Extremes and the first couple savage fights this tier are incredibly accessible through PF. Watch a guide, join a learning party, and start clearing. There's a good chance that someone else is breaking the TOS and will upload the logs. Keep in touch with people who do well. Building a network of raiders will make it easier to find people to substitute and can help you find groups with availabilities. Every single time I'm looking to fill vacancies in my own group I reach out to players I've raided with in the past before posting publicly.
Work on the opening message you send recruiters. This is your cover letter. If it's full of spelling and grammatical mistakes they're going to see that you're not putting any effort into it. Include a link to your logs and briefly explain what they'll find there. Mention the time blocks that you'll be available every week. Ideally they will match the group's raid times, but some groups are willing to change them for exceptional applicants. Explain your goals for the tier. Are you looking to clear eventually, or clear by week 8, or push hard for week 1? Do you want a group for the current tier, or for longer? Is the next Ultimate in 5.5 something you are planning to do? Are you looking for completion, or gear, or parse runs? If you've got experience playing with the same jobs that the group you're applying for has then mention it and explain how it'll make you a benefit to the group.
If a group offers you a trial spend a couple days practicing the fight. This is like an interview so you'll want to be prepared. Ask them what strats they use in case they are going to make you learn an unconventional strat. If they're progging further than you've cleared, let them know and learn everything you can about that fight in advance. They may be interested in how you perform in an unfamiliar environment, but if you know the fight conceptually it'll make it easier for you.
Make sure that your microphone and Discord settings are all working in advance. Listen to what your mic is picking up. If there is background noise or you're using speakers then set up push to talk. Log on early and make sure your client is fully updated on the day of the trial. If you're late then there's a good chance they'll go with another applicant. Follow the group's lead on comms. If they're cracking jokes then try to join in. If they're fully focused during pulls then avoid non-essential comms. If you see something that needs relaying do it calmly and efficiently. Try to coordinate your CDs with the group. Showing that you care about overall group performance will set you apart from players who don't see anything outside their own rotation. Someone who dominates comms is just as off-putting as someone who never speaks. Matching the group's personality is just as important as performance outside of some top level HC groups.
You should be trialing them as much as they're trialing you. Ask for a copy of the logs after you finish for the night and make sure that you're happy with what you see. If you join then you're likely going to be with the group for at least several weeks. Be willing to walk away if there are personality conflicts. Any problems you notice on your first night will still be there for the weeks that follow. Many people join the very first group that offers them a place, overlook their early concerns, then later either stop raiding or leave the group. Raiding with a group that you don't align with is emotionally exhausting, and it's a lot easier to find another group than to force yourself to attend raid nights.
Good luck.