How does a player like me raid?

Great! I'll apply when I get to level 46. Thanks much!

Need to join one of the big ones (or the only 1?) or be satisfied with table scraps. Not saying that is a good or a bad thing it just seems the way it is for now with the small amount of targets in the classic world.

I'm patient. I just want to have that opportunity to get gear. I know I have to wait and put in my time.

Open invite raiding would be great but in its current accelerated format on TLP its just not likely to happen, there is too much loot scarcity and demand, especially on Ragefire at present.

You best option is to find one of those guilds that is raiding and joining them. Most such guilds start players off on a trial or recruit basis to gauge how often they play and how often they join others for raids etc...During that period you will typically get loot that might otherwise rot or that full members already have. Don't be discouraged by this, alot of rot loot is still good upgrades, and only a handful of the other loot in Classic is great past Classic.

Another option would be to join a smaller more tight knit guild that's trying to build for quality over quantity with an expectation to raid 1-2 expansions behind, while the opportunity to be of more value in this guild is there and develop stronger bonds, the downside is that up until instanced raids, these guilds typically remain 1-2 eras behind all others guilds for raid content. After instanced content begins though if you have a good group of players that organize and play well together actively, these guilds can do quite well. In fact more than a few of this type are active on Live servers today, where the alpha guilds largely folded up and are gone.

Wait, stop me if you've heard this one before.....

YOU play Everquest eight (8) hours a day, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
YOU play Everquest most of the day Saturday and Sunday.
YOU don't consider yourself hardcore?
Wow....I'm in awe at the sheer level of denial.

I mean....unless you are one of those disproportionate number of Doctors, Lawyers, and Engineers I keep hearing about. They have oodles of time on their hands.

If "Classis" raiding doesn't pan out for you, move to live. The fallout of Ragefire has left many guilds short on raid members.

So true.

Well to be fair, I really don't even know what "hardcore" means which is why I don't consider myself it. I just know that I play about 8 hours a day on average and am a fairly competent player. There isn't any "denial" as you put it.

Well actually you can play 60 hours a week and be casual then you have some ROI (live normal server) guys that play less 10 hours a week that are way more hardcore than the 60 hour a week guy.

So you ask how can you play 60 hours a week and be casual, I'll tell you how sir!

First at 60 hours a week and he's not even 46 yet - Not really a super hardcore player he doesn't structure his play time much he just logs in and enjoys the game. Really he's spending a lot of time casually playing the game.

Lets take me, I am on a lot when EQ is my main game I have had times where I play 40+ hours a week and wasn't hardcore I honestly would log in to chat with my online friends and go mess around.

To me the main difference between playing hardcore and playing casually is how structured and determined your gameplay is, the OP even wants to approach raiding with a casual mentality "if its up ill try for it but I really don't care about loot it'd be nice to get though"

The 10 hour a week ROI player "ok Sunday raids are going to take me 5 hours then on Friday after everyone goes to bed at 11pm I have 3 hours and I am going to spend that time getting the last powar aug I need Fred, Tom and Bob are going to group with me to help me and Saturday I have 2 hours after lunch before the BBQ where I'm going to do the new anni quest."

Structured gameplay with no effing around = hardcore

TL;DR Casual vs Hardcore is not always a time commitment thing to me, Hardcore is more about effective use of your time where casual is about going in and enjoying the game without much of a plan.

Some guilds are in a state of denial over the raiding situation. I hear oocs' of "Join RumpRangers, a group of dedicated friendly players. We plan to start raiding shortly"

I ask myself "Raid what? Freeport?"

Until we get some additional content (which can look a lot like existing content), we are in for a rough ride.

Hardcore vs casual.

I have 6 clerics lvl 103-105. I raid with 5 different guilds over 2 servers. I've used 1, 2, even 3 clerics in a raid in multiple groups. I log into EQ roughly 20 hrs a week, and am a member of 3 different guilds ranking from leader, first officer, and peon. I have considered planting 2 more 105 clerics in other guilds on my server, but worry I might be stretching myself a bit thin. I scour these forums and the internet constantly looking for ways to be better.

I am not a raider on Ragefire.
I am casual.

You are either willing to do whatever it takes, or you are not.

Explain what this means. Whatever it takes. Whatever it takes to do.....what? To raid?

I play 8 hours a day and am leveling up my classes. I don't play across multiple servers. I don't have 5 characters at the max level. I'm not in multiple guilds.

My original post was wondering if I will have any chance at raiding if I don't join the top 4 guilds on the server.

Like ...I don't fully understand what you mean.

Time spent in game does not tell you if a person is hardcore or casual, it's what they do with the time they have the makes the determination..

I know people who spend a hundred plus hours a week in EQ that I would consider casual, why?

because they tend to just log in to chat with friends, do some roleplaying, farm grey cons for TS supplies or try and complete some obscure quest that have an iron ration as a reward...if they ding a level they are surprised.

A hardcore person is someone who logs in and wants to immediately start grinding exp or race to a dungeon to farm gear they need to get to that next level, they spend no time socializing or doing quests that do not provide a valuable reward. ..and they may only log in a hour a day, but they are what I consider Hardcore..

By this definition then I'm hardcore...atleast in EQ. I started late so I feel like I'm in a rush to get to 50 so I can raid some before Kunark releases. So from the point I login until the time I logout, I'm in Lguk trying to get a group for xp to get that next level.

lower guk in your 40's is the wrong zone to be in if you want to level fast, it's to overcamped even with the instances and the spawn timer is much to long for good efficient exp. .. there goes my hardcore side showing again!

Alright, I like you already....just because you use the term. 'go mess around'.
But...

It is easier to max lvl in full time guild, but as a solo player or even a box duo, non-raid guild ( and/or non 12 account mage army), non exploit player...you can be hardcore and not 50 if you're on rmtRF. You didn't even find out if he has any poopsocks? Unless you come directly over from a raid guild with the intent to hit the ground running/use the above methods and more to flash yourself to 50..yeah you can still be 46.

But i'm glad you brought this up....
As a raider...do explain how Live's top raid guilds like Realm, can down most if not all all raid content within days of launch (or like ROI, 70% of it all in 1 day)...playing 10 hours a week?

Gather around and listen up casuals....and learn about symbiotic relationships.
But be warned....it might upset you, like when you found out you've been eating pink slime.

So what place is good for 40's? The hole? What level can i start getting groups there?

L guk, Sol B , Hole, Ocean of Tears Elite goblins. All load balanced zones and will get you through the 40's pretty quick.

My point was that the difference between hardcore and casual isn't hours played, or even effort put in. The only thing holding you back from raiding on Rage or anywhere is how far your willing to go. Are you prepared to join guilds that act a certain way? Are you prepared to level as quickly as possible regardless of who you must step over? Or are you willing to hold out till a better choice comes along? If you act exactly like they do, then you will probably find a spot in one. It's up to you.

I put tons of effort into being a raid cleric, but since I'm not willing to cross a line on Ragefire, I can't raid there.

You seriously dont need any special software to figure out when mobs is up. Just need leaders or scouts or full timers who pays atttention to spawn timers. There is to much paranoia going on.

And if you wanna raid, get 50 and join a guild. if your online times is real and you arent anoying you will be an asset to any raiding guild.