For non-meta players: How?

i love this stupid game and i am more attached to the characters and lore and quests and the pretty scenery than anything else in the game. that being said, i feel like in order to progress through said quests, it seems IMPOSSIBLE to not play with “meta” teams. like i so badly want to just have a team of my babies but if i do that, i will spend way too long trying to get past certain combat scenarios.

how do you guys do it lol i want to be like you