Salted Flakes

[Rilifane]

I've also found that the FFXIV community has a lot of flaky individuals within it. My partner and I wanted to raid, though we'd prefer not to do stuff through the party finder in favour of a static we can bond with over time.

Generally speaking, it appears pretty difficult to find one if you're not in a static already. I used to raid in WoW and didn't have much trouble finding people to raid with who were punctual and reliable. Here, though? Even getting a group together for POTD or HOH can be very hit or miss. Which is a shame.

After three raid tiers of being in different statics and constantly filling in and helping out other statics I've noticed that many casual and midcore statics lack longevity (can't speak for hardcore because I've never been part of one). They stay together for maybe one raid tier and even then there are often switches. One or two people leaving often spells doom for a static if they don't get replaced within 1-2 weeks, kind of mirroring the "one person leaves, party disbands" in PF.
And the reasons why someone left weren't even lack of time, new work schedule, moving to a different place etc. but things like bottled up unhappiness, fairly minor disagreements that turned into a permanent dislike for someone, someone doing something and the static taking different sides, general immaturity and so on. Things that could get resolved by talking and just letting it go afterwards but it often escalated to a huge conflict, dooming the static. Almost as if either everything is always 100% sunshine and rainbows or static disbands.
Not something I've seen this frequently in other MMOs where statics would often stay together for multiple expansions with the occasional person leaving and getting replaced because of RL stuff. Not everyone always liked everyone but it wasn't a big deal either. There were disagreements but it wasn't generally a reason to leave.

I don't know if that's an EU or even Light thing but keeping a static together or finding one seems pretty difficult. The statics recruiting often give off the feeling that whoever is filling the spot next is never going to be as good and welcomed as their former member or they badmouth them collectively as if whatever happened was their fault alone. Both things that are a huge turn off for me.

[Nethereal]

I've noticed that many casual and midcore statics lack longevity (can't speak for hardcore because I've never been part of one).

Depends on what type of "hardcore" group you're with. Many people will group for week 1 clear and then disband after the first clear. Ultimate cohesiveness is very dependent on overall player skill, prog time, and what type of group you wanted to join.
I'm still in the same group I got my first tea clear with granted only 3 of the originals are in it, second tea clear we added two people to the original group. Ucob group we added 1 person from that group to the original group. Clear 12 lost 1 person from the original group and filled with someone's friend and now we're progging tea again.

It's very much trial by fire with static groups.