League of Legends stands out as an immensely popular competitive game that continuously captivates its vast player community with thrilling challenges. For those aspiring to embark on their own journey within the world of League of Legends, it is essential to familiarize oneself with the ranks system. This guide will provide you with all the necessary information regarding the different ranks in League of Legends.
League of Legends, a popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game, has gained immense popularity in the esports industry. The League of Legends World Championship, which took place last year, attracted a staggering 5.15 million viewers. However, have you ever wondered how professional players reached the high ranks they are at today?
League of Legends features an intricate ranking system that enables players to showcase their skills and compete against other skilled players globally. If you’re looking to begin your journey of climbing the ranks, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it.
How League of Legends Ranks Work
In League of Legends, there are nine tiers in the ranked mode, and each tier is divided into four divisions. By earning League Points (LP), players can progress through these tiers and aim to reach the highest rank, where the world’s top players reside.
In the game of League of Legends, players can accumulate LP (League Points) by achieving victories in matches. However, it is important to note that LP can also be lost if a player experiences defeat
In League of Legends, the number of LP points you earn or lose is based on your matchmaking ranking (MMR). Riot Games keeps this MMR hidden and it is determined by various factors, such as your overall performance in matches and the outcomes of those matches. If you manage to defeat a team with a higher MMR than yours, you will earn a higher amount of LP points.
How to unlock LoL ranked matches
In order to participate in ranked games in League of Legends, players must meet certain requirements. They need to reach a player level of 30 or higher and possess a minimum of 20 distinct champions. These criteria are set in place to allow new players ample time to familiarize themselves with the game mechanics before entering a more competitive and intense gaming environment.
When you first start playing ranked games in League of Legends, you won’t have a rank yet. To determine your initial rank, the game will require you to play five ranked placement games. These games don’t have to be played all at once, and you can take your time with them.
Your starting rank will be adjusted based on your wins and losses in these placement matches. After completing the placement games, you will be informed of your starting rank and can begin earning or losing LP (League Points) like other players.
Riot Games has gained a reputation for being cautious when assigning initial ranks in League of Legends. Therefore, if you find yourself placed in a lower division, don’t be too hard on yourself. Instead, use this opportunity to improve your skills and strive to climb up the ranks like a true champion.
What Are the Ranks in League of Legends?
We mentioned nine ranks a bit earlier. These are the ranks in order:
- Iron
- Bronze
- Silver
- Gold
- Platinum
- Diamond
- Master
- Grandmaster
- Challenger
In the League of Legends ranking system, there are multiple tiers with four divisions each, except for the highest rank called Master. To progress within a rank, players must earn 100 LP (League Points) to move up to the next division. However, once they reach 100 LP in the top division of their current tier, they will be promoted to the bottom division of the next rank.
After achieving the ranks of Master, Grandmaster, and Challenger in League of Legends, LP (League Points) will still be earned, but it will solely determine your position within the rank. To attain the Master rank, you must win your Diamond promotion matches and accumulate 100 LP.
In order to reach Grandmaster, you need to have at least 200 LP and possess more LP than the lowest-ranked Grandmaster player in your region. To achieve the prestigious Challenger rank, you must accumulate 500 LP and surpass the player ranked at the bottom of the Challenger tier in your region.
Based on the data provided by Riot, the majority of League of Legends (LoL) players are found in the Bronze, Silver, and Gold ranks. As you climb higher in the ranks, the number of players decreases significantly.
With an average of 8 million players participating in the game daily, it is estimated that only around 1,500 players are actively competing in the prestigious Challenger rank. Achieving this level of expertise is undoubtedly a remarkable accomplishment, so let’s dive into the game and start working hard to attain it!
In order to increase your chances of climbing the ranks in League of Legends, it is highly recommended to play with a team. By doing so, you can benefit from improved communication and strategy, as well as practice with fellow players.
To enhance your skills, it is advisable to choose a champion and a specific role that you feel comfortable with and concentrate on improving in that area.
Current LoL rank distribution
All the players ranked in League of Legends are included in this system. In the past, the majority of players were concentrated in the lower ranks, but with the addition of the Emerald rank, most players now fall in the middle range. According to Esports Tales, here is the present distribution of League of Legends ranks.
| Rank | Player Percentage |
| Iron | 7.48% |
| Bronze | 20.6% |
| Silver | 19.4% |
| Gold | 19.6% |
| Platinum | 16.1% |
| Emerald | 12.2% |
| Diamond | 2.75% |
| Master | 0.49% |
| Grandmaster | 0.044% |
| Challenger | 0.019% |
What is LoL MMR?
The concept of MMR in League of Legends is intentionally complex and vague. MMR, which stands for Matchmaking Ranking, is used by Riot to assess a player’s true skill level in the game, regardless of their current rank.
It plays a crucial role in determining the amount of LP a player gains or loses from a ranked match. If a player receives higher LP gains, it suggests that the game views them as more skilled than their current rank and is attempting to push them towards the rank it believes they should be at.
Determining your MMR in League of Legends is a mystery as Riot Games has not provided any explanation. However, if you notice that you are earning a significant amount of LP after a victory and losing only a small amount after a defeat, it is possible that your current rank is lower than where you truly belong.
What is LoL rank decay?
This information may only apply to players who have reached the highest ranks in League of Legends, but it’s still important to know because we all aspire to reach those ranks eventually, right? Once you achieve the Apex Tiers, such as Diamond and above, there is a possibility that your account will start to decay, meaning you will lose LP (League Points), if you remain inactive for an extended period of time.
If you do not play League of Legends for a specific period, you will start losing 50 LP every day until you login and participate in another game. To prevent LP decay, players can accumulate active days by playing multiple games. The decay rates for each rank vary accordingly.
| Rank | Banked days per match | Max. banked days | Initial days before decay | LP lost on decay |
| Diamond | 7 | 28 | 28 | 50 |
| Master | 1 | 14 | 14 | 75 |
| Grandmaster | 1 | 14 | 14 | 75 |
| Challenger | 1 | 14 | 14 | 75 |
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I found this article very helpful in understanding the importance of playing with a team and choosing a specific role in League of Legends. It also provided valuable information about the current rank distribution and the concept of MMR. I now have a better understanding of how the game ranks and evaluates players.
I agree that playing with a team can greatly improve your chances in League of Legends. It’s also interesting to see the current rank distribution and learn about MMR and rank decay.
I found this article to be very informative and helpful in understanding the ranking system in League of Legends. It’s interesting to see how the ranks are divided and how players can progress through them. I’m excited to start my journey and climb up the ranks!
Playing with a team in League of Legends is definitely beneficial for improving communication and strategy. It’s also interesting to see the current rank distribution and understand MMR and rank decay. Overall, this article provides helpful information for players looking to climb the ranks.
I agree that playing with a team can greatly improve your chances in League of Legends. It’s also interesting to see the current rank distribution and learn about MMR and rank decay. Great article!