Leader

A leader, also known as group leader (in a group) or raid leader (in a raid) is a player that's promoted to the leader of a raid or group through the game system. Usually identified by a small crown icon near their portrait. Their purpose is to command the other players and often distribute loot through master loot.

Many players in the role of a leader will however not care to act like one. This is especially the case in PuGs and BGs, where players are placed in groups or raids by the game system rather than manually creating them. As groups or raids will always automatically promote a player as leader, many leaders become so purely by random. Given how PuGs and BGs often don't require any leaders, the promoted leader will act just like a "normal player". It is however fairly common that a player, whether the system has promoted him/her to a leader, possess some experience to guide other players in difficult situations and thus becomes a "real" leader. As such, the role of a leader (by game mechanics) is often completely disregarded.