For people in smaller guilds to band together to raid. Are they still a thing?
There are Communities that do raiding. But I think most raids are still formed around a core guild that raids together and just PUGs some slots. If you perform well, you ask what times they regularly raid, friend the raid officers, and get them to look for you on raid nights, or you look for them.
But personally, without the guild and off-time together, they just don’t feel as close knit. So while I take people from outside the guild on my raids, they typically end up either joining the guild or drifting away.
Ah back in the day I was in an amazing raiding alliance. It is a shame they are no longer a thing.