The thrill of landing that perfect skillshot, outsmarting your opponent, and watching your Nexus explode – these are all parts of the League of Legends experience that keep millions hooked. But before you're tearing up the ranked ladder, there's another climb: leveling your Summoner account. This guide will show you everything you need to know about earning experience, unlocking rewards, and getting ready for the big leagues.
At a glance:
- You gain experience (XP) by playing games and completing missions.
- Leveling up unlocks features like ranked play, Summoner Spells, and Champion Masteries.
- Your level determines the rewards you receive, including Champion Capsules and profile borders.
- Winning games, playing longer matches, and taking advantage of XP boosts will accelerate your progress.
- There's no level cap – keep playing to show off your dedication!
Why Level Up Your Summoner Account?
Leveling up in League of Legends isn't just about bragging rights (although those new profile borders are pretty cool). It's a crucial stepping stone toward accessing the full game experience.
- Ranked Play: Reaching level 30 is a prerequisite for entering the competitive world of ranked games. This is where you truly test your skills and climb the ladder.
- Unlocking Features: As you level, you unlock Summoner Spells (like Flash and Ignite), Champion Masteries, and other in-game features that give you an edge.
- Rewards, Rewards, Rewards: Every level grants a free reward, from Champion Capsules (giving you champions and Blue Essence) to unique profile customizations.
- Showing Off Your Dedication: With the uncapped leveling system, your level is a visual representation of your time and commitment to the game. How cool is that?
How to Earn League of Legends Experience
Let's get down to the nitty-gritty: how do you actually earn that sweet, sweet League of Legends experience? The core gameplay loop revolves around playing matches, but strategic choices can optimize your XP gains.
Playing Games
The most obvious way to gain experience is by playing games. Here's a breakdown:
- Game Modes: Most game modes grant experience, but Custom Games are the exception. So, if you're looking to level up, stick to Summoner's Rift (Normal and Ranked), ARAM, rotating game modes, and Co-op vs. AI.
- Game Length: The longer the game, the more experience you'll earn. If you're aiming for maximum XP, buckle up for those extended siege battles.
- Wins vs. Losses: Winning nets you significantly more experience than losing. That's right, tryhards rejoice! Wins on PVP Summoner's Rift give approximately 5.767 base XP plus 6.626 XP per minute of game length. Losing is (Time × 0.09 + 5.4)
- Co-op vs. AI: Playing against bots is a viable option, especially at lower levels. However, the experience gained is reduced as you level up. Consider alternating between bot games and PVP to maximize your XP efficiency.
- Levels 1-9: 100% XP
- Levels 10-19: 90% XP
- Levels 20-29: 80% XP (65% after 180 minutes each day)
- Levels 30+: 75% XP (55% after 180 minutes each day)
The Formula for Summoner's Rift Experience
Want to get really granular? Here are the formulas used to calculate experience gained on Summoner's Rift (as of November 17, 2017):
- Time: Total seconds elapsed during the game.
- If the game is won: Experience = (Time × 0.11 + 6.6)
- If the game is lost: Experience = (Time × 0.09 + 5.4)
So, a 30-minute win (1800 seconds) would net you approximately 204.6 XP.
Missions and Daily Play Rewards
Riot Games regularly introduces missions that reward you with experience upon completion. Starting at level 15, you'll receive a daily mission to win a matchmade game, granting a nice XP boost. Be sure to complete these whenever possible to accelerate your leveling. Also, Daily Play Rewards give bonus rewards for playing at least once a day on 7 different days.
Understanding Champion Experience (In-Game)
It's easy to get Summoner experience confused with Champion experience. While both are essential to the game, they relate to different aspects.
- Summoner Experience: Affects your out-of-game level, unlocking features and rewards for your account.
- Champion Experience: Affects your in-game level. This resets every match and is gained by killing minions, monsters, and champions while on the Rift.
Optimizing Your Leveling Strategy
Want to reach level 30 (or beyond!) as quickly as possible? Here are some tips to maximize your League of Legends experience gains:
- Play Regularly: Consistency is key. Even a few games a day will contribute to your overall progress.
- Focus on Winning: It seems obvious, but prioritize winning games. Coordinate with your team, play your best, and secure those victories.
- Complete Missions: Don't neglect those missions! They offer a significant XP boost.
- Consider XP Boosts: If you're willing to spend a little RP (Riot Points), XP boosts can significantly accelerate your leveling. There are two types:
- XP Boosts (Duration): Grant bonus XP for a set number of days.
- XP Boosts (Per Win): Grant bonus XP for each game won.
- Play With Friends: Partying up with friends can make the grind more enjoyable, and coordinated teams often have a higher win rate.
Rewards You'll Earn Along the Way
Leveling up isn't just about unlocking features; it's also about earning rewards. Here's a glimpse of what you can expect:
- Champion Capsules: These capsules contain Champion Shards and Blue Essence, both of which are essential for unlocking new champions.
- Blue Essence (BE): Used to unlock champions in the store. Accumulate enough BE, and you can expand your champion pool.
- Profile Borders: At certain level milestones, you'll unlock themed borders to display on your profile, friends list, lobby, and loading screen. These borders showcase your progress and dedication. The themes range from Runeterra regions to skin lines, so showcase your personal style!
- Masterwork Chest & Key: A Masterwork Chest & Key is rewarded for completing all Awakening missions.
- Bundles: New accounts have access to the Journey tab, which contains bundles that are starter packs for each role that contain 3 champions with skins, 14-day XP boost, a rune page and a summoner icon.
Common Questions About League of Legends Experience
Let's address some frequently asked questions about League of Legends experience and leveling up:
Q: How much experience do I need to reach level 30?
A: You'll need a variable number of games (typically between 300 and 400), as the XP required to reach level 30 varies based on win rate, game length, and mission completion.
Q: Is there a level cap in League of Legends?
A: No! The leveling system is uncapped, allowing you to progress indefinitely and showcase your dedication.
Q: What happens when I reach level 30?
A: Reaching level 30 unlocks ranked play, allowing you to compete against other players and climb the ladder. You'll also continue to earn rewards as you level beyond 30.
Q: Does playing with friends affect my experience gain?
A: Playing with friends doesn't directly affect your experience gain, but a coordinated team often has a higher win rate, leading to more XP overall.
Q: Are there any items or runes that boost experience gain?
A: No, there are no items or runes that directly boost Summoner experience gain. However, some champion abilities, item abilities, runes and buffs, may also scale with champion level (in-game).
Q: How does sharing a lane affect my experience?
A: If you are sharing the lane with other champions, you will gain less XP. The more champions there are, the more XP is shared between all allies. That is why you will notice that the bot lane is always a level or two behind compared to the mid lane or top lane. Managing your gold income and strategically using the available tools can certainly help mitigate this disadvantage.
Leveling Up After Level 30
The journey doesn't end at level 30. In fact, it's just the beginning! Riot Games introduced an uncapped leveling system to recognize and reward players for their continued dedication. As you level beyond 30, you'll continue to earn rewards, including:
- Champion Capsules: More chances to unlock those must-have champions.
- Profile Borders: New and more impressive borders to show off your achievements. Colors go back to the lowest color tier and scale back up at certain level milestones. Reset happens every 100 levels. First level progression starts at level 30 and changes at 50. After that, progression happens every 25 levels
The visual language is designed to scale with your progress, making you look increasingly impressive as you climb the levels.
Beyond Leveling: Mastering the League
While leveling your Summoner account is an important step, it's just one piece of the puzzle. To truly excel in League of Legends, you'll need to focus on other key aspects of the game:
Champion Mastery
Understanding your champion's abilities, strengths, and weaknesses is crucial for success. Practice different builds, learn matchups, and master your champion's mechanics.
Map Awareness and Vision Control
The map is your greatest ally. Pay attention to enemy movements, ward strategically, and control key objectives. Securing map control is a fundamental aspect that can dictate the outcome of a match.
Teamwork and Communication
League of Legends is a team game. Communicate effectively with your teammates, coordinate strategies, and work together to achieve victory. Utilizing the ping system effectively allows players to communicate with their team without needing to rely solely on voice chat.
Staying Up-to-Date with the Meta
The game is constantly evolving. Keep track of patch notes, meta trends, and champion viability to stay ahead of the curve. Meta trends are prevailing strategies, champion picks, and gameplay styles that dominate the current competitive environment. Analyzing patch notes is crucial as it offers valuable information on how champions are affected by changes in the game.
Level Up, Then Level Up Your Game
Leveling your Summoner account in League of Legends is a rewarding journey that unlocks new features, rewards, and opportunities. By understanding how to earn experience, optimizing your leveling strategy, and mastering the fundamentals of the game, you'll be well on your way to climbing the ranks and achieving your League of Legends goals. So, summoner, get out there, play some games, and level up your League of Legends experience!