If you’ve spent weeks grinding solo story missions and resource runs in Arknights Endfield, you’ve almost certainly considered jumping into Arknights Endfield co op at some point. A lot of players hold off because they don’t know how the mode works, or they’re worried they’ll mess up runs for more experienced teammates. That’s totally fair, but co op is one of the most rewarding parts of the game, both for loot and for fun, once you know the basics. This guide covers every rule, tip, and hidden trick you need to run smooth, successful multiplayer sessions every time.
Core Arknights Endfield Co Op Rules You Need to Know Before Queuing
First, let’s get the basics out of the way so you don’t get caught off guard when you first load into the multiplayer lobby. Co op supports up to 3 players per squad, and you can either queue with random matchmade teammates or invite friends directly from your in-game friend list. Cross-play is fully supported between PC, iOS, and Android, so you don’t have to worry about platform restrictions if you play with friends on different devices.
One rule a lot of new players miss is that you can only join co op missions you’ve already completed solo first. That means you can’t jump into a high-level boss raid with your friends if you haven’t beaten that boss on your own first, even if your character level is high enough. It’s a small restriction, but it’s designed to make sure everyone in the lobby has at least basic familiarity with the mission’s layout and mechanics.
You also don’t have to fight over loot in co op, which is a huge relief for anyone who’s played shared-loot multiplayer games before. All drops are fully instanced, so the items you get have no connection to what your teammates pick up. That means you never have to race to grab a rare crafting material before someone else gets to it. If a teammate leaves mid-mission for any reason, the AI will take over their character, but it only operates at about 60% of a real player’s efficiency, so it’s always better to stick around until the run ends.
Best Team Compositions for Every Co Op Mission Type
You don’t need a perfectly optimized meta squad to clear most co op missions, but picking a balanced team will cut your clear time in half and drastically reduce your chance of failing the run. The core role split for 3-player squads is usually one tank, one DPS, and one support, but you can adjust that split based on the type of mission you’re running.
If you’re queuing with random teammates, always state what role you’re planning to play in the lobby chat before you ready up. A lot of failed runs happen because two players lock in DPS characters without checking if anyone picked a healer or tank first. You don’t have to stick strictly to the meta if you’re playing with friends you coordinate well with, but these compositions work for 9 out of 10 random queue runs.
Hidden Co Op Rewards Most Players Never Unlock
A lot of players assume co op is just for playing with friends, and that you don’t get any unique rewards for running multiplayer missions. That couldn’t be further from the truth, and you’re missing out on a ton of progression resources if you skip co op entirely.
First, there are co op exclusive operator skins that you can’t get from the gacha, event shops, or solo mission rewards. These skins are only available from weekly co op challenge missions, and they rotate every month, so you can’t go back and unlock them later if you miss the window. Most of these skins are for popular 5 and 6-star operators, so they’re well worth grinding for if you care about customizing your roster.
You also get double the drop rate for high-tier crafting materials in co op missions compared to solo runs. Materials needed to ascend 6-star operators to their maximum level drop twice as often in co op, which cuts the grind for maxing your favorite characters in half. If you’re trying to build a strong roster fast, running co op resource runs 3 times a week is the most efficient way to do it.
There’s also a weekly co op challenge track that gives 500 free Originium Prime if you clear all 3 weekly missions. That’s enough premium currency for half a 10-pull on the limited banner, and it only takes about 45 minutes to complete all 3 challenges. I missed out on 3 weeks of these rewards when I first started playing because I thought co op was just a casual side mode, and I kicked myself when I realized how much premium currency I’d left on the table.
Common Co Op Mistakes That Waste Your Time and Resources
Even if you know the basic rules, it’s easy to make small mistakes that ruin runs for you and your teammates. These are the most common errors I see new players make, and they’re all easy to avoid once you know what to look for.
The biggest mistake is bringing underleveled characters to high-difficulty missions. If your operator is 20 levels below the recommended level for the mission, you’ll get one-shot by even basic enemies, and your team will have to carry you the entire run. Most players will leave the lobby immediately if they see someone with a character 10 or more levels below the recommended threshold, so always level up your operators to match the mission requirement before queuing.
Another common mistake is ignoring chat pings from teammates. If someone is pinging a hidden enemy, a resource node, or a boss mechanic, they’re not spamming for fun—they’re trying to keep the team on track. You don’t have to type in chat if you don’t want to, but paying attention to pings will help you avoid ambushes and missed loot.
Don’t leave mid-mission even if you think the run is lost. Most co op missions let you revive downed teammates twice per run, so you can usually turn around even a bad run if you stick it out. You also get a 10-minute cooldown before you can queue for co op again if you leave early, so it’s not worth bailing even if you’re frustrated. If you really can’t finish the run, tell your teammates first so they can decide if they want to restart or try to finish with the AI replacement.
At the end of the day, Arknights Endfield co op doesn’t have to be intimidating. You don’t need a full squad of max-level 6-star operators to get value out of it, and even casual runs with friends can net you tons of great rewards you’d never get playing alone. Next time you log on, grab a couple of friends, pick a mission that matches your team’s level, and give it a shot. Chances are you’ll wonder why you waited so long to try it.