As someone without a group of buddies that play this game, it seems I have two choices. Either I raid with the 10+ completions crew and spend five minutes of every encounter arguing about different strategies and DPS values of Whisper vs. Izanagi's [b][i][u]or[/u][/i][/b] I get into a group that "knows what they are doing" but actually doesn't.
Am I blaming the player base? No. This many people cannot be all wrong at once. In my opinion, this game model really only works for a small group of people. Everyone else has to compromise to get things done. My compromise is that I either spend countless hour explaining every gun, mod, and mechanic to new players who will quit in about a month because the game has a horrible entry point with new light, or I will be forever locked in with chest thumping know-it-alls that have zero enjoyment while playing for some mystical piece of gear that will complete them.
Good times.
Edit 1: learned a lot from some of these responses. Thanks for the input.
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This is what directionless end game with arbitrary hoops gets you. 5% of the playerbase. A lot of the players who can scoot, shoot and loot? They quit. There isn't any difficulty to the raids, it's remembering a stupid pattern. Once you have it remember it's like riding a bike. And then they're as forgettable as riding a bike. The challenge isn't meaningful, the mechanics are nonsensicle. Not surprised the players who continue to struggle through them are at odds with most of each other. Bad game design. Just quit playing them. Don't watch "world first" paid advertisements.