A casual trying to get into the raiding scene

[Shug]

Not sure if this belongs here, but I want to reach as broad an audience as I can. So I'm a casual player, but only out of necessity. I work shift work which doesn't allow me to play on a set schedule like every Tuesday-Friday. Due to this, I haven't been able to get into a static and I've been playing since beta 3. I've tried this forums recruitment pages, and other popular forums as well, and only get 1 or 2 hits at best. So I do the roulettes, get my gear, and for what? At the most I get into a learning party that disbands after a few wipes only to do it again, over and over, never to get past the green and purple puddles of SephEx. Frustrating isn't even the word. I want to raid. I know my schedule is a problem or I would've had a static by now, but I also know that I can't be the only one in this situation. I've transfered servers, left FC's, and even sacrificed sleep ( I work 12 hours and have to wake at 2am when I'm working days). I've watched countless videos, completed the SSS for A5S, but after all that I am still no closer to ever getting in that place until it becomes irrelivant and goes to DF, which lets face it, may still never be cleared. So if you take the time to read this (and thank you if you did), and you are willing to let a filthy casual into your static, or you are in the same boat as I am and have the same desire to tackle the hardest content in the game with a group of people that will progress the same as you, drop me a line, give me suggestions, or just say hi. Thank you.

[raela]

Even if your schedule was more forgiving, finding one is a crap shoot, so I wish you the best of luck. Finding 7 other people that are serious, willing to improve, and can make it on time is the true end game..

[FunkYeahDragons]

Start adding players of similar mindsets to your friends list or an LS if you haven't done so already. I've been able to build up some Feast premades activity on Cactuar, far less popular than raiding, but it is exhausting. Most players (people, rather) will wait for someone else to take initiative so you're going to have to be doing that a lot with people.

[Ragnorak]

I wish you luck man. Its rough out there even for those with good schedules

[Bourne_Endeavor]

Have you tried the recruitment page on reddit? Unfortunately, your schedule is going to make it difficult. I wish you luck though mate.

[Laerune]

My advice is to form your own static, it might take some time, but this way you can make the raiding schedule fit your work schedule. You can try and ask a free company member, a linkshell member or a friend to introduce you to a raiding static, just know that finding and keeping a static via PF is harder then a FC. FC members are less likely to leave after few wipes and tend to plan more trial and error attempt for the following days, while with a PF group, majority of the time its a group of strangers who have no problem leaving after few wipes or kicking you out.

I wish you luck and hope that you find what you are looking for.

[starLivitation]

just a friendly type active fc of some sort, there is plenty of them. in odin there is the sleepy crew. i am sure there is others on other servers. look around. some FCs like to organize in-house activities and try to include everyone. that is what you need.

[Colt47]

To be frank the end game raiding content isn't really worth the time investment needed without having a static group. I'm in the same position as you are OP with not having enough flexibility to dedicate to a static and the fact is we'd have to basically give up so much on other resource gains to do raiding, such as getting gil for repairs etc, that it becomes an on and off sort of thing for raiding. Not to mention the game always wants us to tome grind and do casual raids like Void Ark to get materia.

[Ken_8O]

You've described yourself as a casual raider which isn't entirely accurate. A casual raider is someone who comes at raiding casually, not reading up or getting to know their class and role and winging it either with a static or not. Your problem is entirely time and scheduling. Unfortunately raiding requires a minimum of known time set aside to do content with a static. You can go random and do pug's in pf or df but your results will be what you described, sub-optimal. There really is no solution other than actually being able to commit to a time for a static.

[Vespar]

I wish the OP luck in getting a raid party.
Personally, I am a casual who has no interest in attempting hard raids because of the drama, and frustration I have experienced when I attempted raiding in the past. I made it through Bahamuts turns, and that was enough for me. When 3.0 hit, I swore raiding off altogether and have never been happier. I only did Bahamut because I wanted to see the end to 1.0's story.
I have no interest in getting BiS gear. Perhaps, I would like the new bird mounts at some point, but I'm willing to wait until the content becomes face-rollable, so I don't have to experience the whining or egos that I've seen in the past.

At any rate, good luck OP! I hope you find or can create a raid party!