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The difference between Friend and Roster Friends - Lost Ark

Friend and Roster Friends mean two different things in Lost Ark.

Sam Chandler

May 16, 2022 9:30 PM

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When you first load up Lost Ark and start adding friends, you may notice two different friends lists: Friend and Roster Friends. The use of these two lists is not immediately clear and it could take a while to work out the benefits of using both. The short of it is that Roster Friends should be used for your close friends and regular teammates. Let’s dive into the differences and meanings of the two.

Difference between Friend and Roster Friends

When you go to add another player in Lost Ark, you will need to decide whether to add them to the Friend list or the Roster Friends list – an important step in playing co-op. These two lists are different, and you could be excused for using them interchangeably. However, this is what each one means:

• Friend: The Friend list is for individual characters or “toons”. If you add someone to this list, you will only see them online when they are using the character you added here.
• Roster Friends: The Roster Friends list tracks a player’s whole account. Adding a character here will instead link a friend’s account, showing their main character whenever they’re offline. When they are online, it will change to whichever character they are using.

A good rule of thumb is to add random people as a Friend. This will add just one character to the list, allowing you to see them whenever they come online on that specific character. You should add close friends and regular players as a Roster Friend, as doing this will allow you to see them no matter which character they are playing.

Alternatively, you can add everyone you meet to the normal Friend list and then start grouping the characters. You can create categories by using the Add a Group button at the bottom of the page. One idea is to create groups based on playstyles, like DPS and healer, that way you can see what characters are online if you need someone for a tough raid.

Learning the differences and meaning of Friend and Roster Friend in Lost Ark can be tough for newcomers or those unfamiliar with MMOs. However, this system is easy to use once you understand it. Got a good suggestion on how to use the Friend and Roster Friends lists effectively? Leave your recommendations in the Chatty thread below. For more on the game, check out our Lost Ark page.

Sam Chandler

Guides Editor

Hailing from the land down under, Sam Chandler brings a bit of the southern hemisphere flair to his work. After bouncing round a few universities, securing a bachelor degree, and entering the video game industry, he's found his new family here at Shacknews as a Guides Editor. There's nothing he loves more than crafting a guide that will help someone. If you need help with a guide, or notice something not quite right, you can message him on X: @SamuelChandler