Despite being over 10 years old, League of Legends remains incredibly popular, demonstrating the continuous influx of new players who create accounts and join the game.

Today, we will delve into the realm of League of Legends ranks, a topic that may be unfamiliar to new players seeking improvement in the game. Riot Games has devised a ranking system for League of Legends, and we will investigate how players can ascend through the various tiers, often referred to as elo hell.

LoL Ranks: What is League of Legends “Ranked”?

The term “Ranked” in League of Legends, or LoL, signifies the game’s ranking system, which is among the limited game modes offered. League of Legends has various game modes, including normals and ranked modes. Once players reach level 30 in the game, they gain access to ranked mode, where they have the opportunity to earn LP (League Points) through ranked games.

The ranks of LoL players will remain unaffected if they opt to play normal games or ARAM.

What Ranks Exist in League of Legends?

In League of Legends, there are presently ten ranks. Each rank is identified by a unique name, border, and icon. This system allows players to easily distinguish their skill level, as individuals within the same rank and tier are expected to possess comparable proficiency in the game.

From the lowest to the highest rung of the ladder, League of Legends encompasses ten distinct ranks.

• Iron
• Bronze
• Silver
• Gold
• Platinum
• Emerald
• Diamond
• Master
• Grandmaster
• Challenger

League of Legends: New Emerald Rank in Season 13 Split 2

In Season 13 Split 2, Riot implemented the Emerald Rank into League of Legends. However, the question arises: why introduce a new rank? This decision was influenced by the developers’ dissatisfaction with the existing rank distribution within the game. Initially, the intention was for the player base to be evenly spread across Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum ranks.

Originally, Bronze and Silver were meant to serve as the battleground for below-average and average players, while Gold and Platinum were designed for above-average players to compete against each other. However, in recent seasons, a significant number of above-average players found themselves trapped in the Silver rank. The introduction of the new rank aims to rectify this issue and restore a more balanced distribution of ranks.

When Was Iron Rank Introduced To League?

When beginners begin playing League of Legends, they typically find themselves in the lowest tier known as Iron. Riot Games introduced this tier in 2018, just before Ranked Season 9. The purpose of adding the Iron tier was to help players have a clearer sense of their progress when they first start playing the game.

If you’re a beginner in the game, it’s highly likely that you’ll spend some time in the Iron rank, but don’t let it discourage you. This is the stage where you discover which playing style suits you the most.

Simultaneously, with the introduction of the Iron tier in League of Legends, Riot Games introduced a fresh rank for players who managed to climb out of the lower elos, encompassing everything below Diamond. In 2018, the inclusion of Grandmaster aimed to effectively distinguish between Master and Challenger players, as the skill gap between these two ranks frequently proved to be significant.

In 2023, Riot revealed the introduction of the Emerald rank, positioned between the Platinum and Diamond ranks.

What Is LoL Challenger?

The Challenger rank in League of Legends stands as the pinnacle of achievement, encompassing the elite 300 or 200 players in every region. To attain the Challenger rank, players must successfully progress through the nine preceding tiers in the game.

Climbing the eight tiers to reach Challenger can often feel like being trapped in elo hell, given the challenging grind and frustrating defeats. A large portion of players find themselves unable to reach Challenger and instead get stuck in the highly populated Silver or Gold ranks.

To pursue a professional career, aspiring players must navigate the elo ladder. In order to catch the attention of a reputable team and secure a spot in their academy or even the LEC/LCS roster, one must achieve a ranking among the top 300 or 200 players within their region.

How Do Ranks In League of Legends Work?

After gaining an understanding of the different Ranks available in League of Legends, let’s delve deeper into how these Ranks operate within the Riot MOBA.

How Do Tiers and Divisions Work In LoL?

As previously stated, League of Legends consists of nine tiers. Each tier in LoL is further categorized into four divisions, with each division denoted by a Roman numeral IV to I.

Once players reach level 30, they have the opportunity to attain any ranking. However, before being eligible to participate in ranked ladder matches, they must first accumulate a substantial amount of game knowledge by playing a significant number of games.

So, how exactly can you progress through the ranks and divisions in League of Legends? In Season 11, Riot Games has made some changes to the process. Now, players no longer need to win 3 out of 5 games to move between divisions. This alteration implies that players have a greater opportunity to climb the ranks, but it also comes with an increased risk of demotion.

At the beginning of the 2023 League of Legends season, the process of transitioning between tiers has been modified. Previously, players were required to partake in a best-of-five series, but now they will only need to engage in a best-of-three series.

How To Get Your First Rank In LoL?

It should be noted that reaching level 30 and opting for ranked play on a League of Legends account does not automatically place players in Iron IV, which is the lowest tier and division in the game.

On the other hand, every player is required to participate in provisional ranked games, commonly referred to as placement matches, to determine their official LoL rank. Consequently, skilled players might find themselves placed in Silver II directly after completing their placement matches, bypassing the Iron or Bronze tiers entirely.

It is crucial for players, particularly those who wish to reach the diamond tier without grinding through each rank, to prioritize their placement matches when beginning to play ranked games.

What is LP?

LP stands for League Points and is required to progress between ranks. Winning games earns you LP, while losing games results in a loss of LP. The quantity of LP gained is determined by your or your opponents’ MMR, which will be explained shortly.

While playing, your goal should be to accumulate as many victories as possible in order to earn LP and strive towards reaching 100 LP. Once you reach 100 LP, you will have the opportunity to participate in a promotion series. Moving between divisions within a tier requires a best-of-three series, while progressing between ranks necessitates a best-of-five series.

To sum it up, imagine you’re in Platinum I and have just reached the crucial 100 LP mark. At this point, you enter a promotion series, where you must win 3 games to advance to the Diamond IV tier. However, if you happen to lose during this series, your LP plummets back to 0 and you have to start the climb anew from Platinum IV.

What is MMR?

Your matchmaking rating, referred to as A, is a number assigned by Riot based on your skill level. It determines the amount of LP you gain when you defeat opponents with a higher MMR than yours, while having a lower MMR.

A player’s Matchmaking Rating (MMR) is determined by their individual skill level. Consequently, achieving consecutive victories will elevate their MMR, resulting in them being matched with players of similar skill. Therefore, even if you are ranked Silver II, possessing a high MMR might lead to playing alongside or against individuals in Gold III.

What Does Elo Refer to in League of Legends?

The term “Elo” pertains to the elo ranking system that was utilized prior to the adoption of the current League system. Initially developed for games like chess, the elo system effectively determines players’ skill levels.

Currently, the term “elo” has become interchangeable with your League of Legends rank. Therefore, if someone inquires about your “elo,” they are specifically inquiring about your standing within the League of Legends community.

How do LoL Ranks Work in Master, Grandmaster and Challenger?

After progressing through divisions until the Diamond tier, players will notice a significant change once they reach the Master tier. In contrast to the previous divisions, Master tier does not consist of divisions anymore. Consequently, players in this tier will experience a distinct ranking system that revolves around advancing through their LP.

After successfully winning your promotion series and advancing to the Master tier, you will continue to accumulate LP. As your LP increases, you will progress further up the ranked ladder, moving from Master to Grandmaster and ultimately reaching Challenger.

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Every day, the system is reset, and players with higher LP gains have the ability to displace those with lower LP in their position. This process enhances transparency at the top skill tiers of League of Legends.

In addition, there is a limit to the number of players allowed in both Challenger and Grandmaster tiers. To illustrate, the EUW Challenger tier accommodates the top 300 players from the region, whereas Grandmaster tier can accommodate up to 700 players.

If you have dedicated enough time to reach the Master, Grandmaster, or even Challenger ranks, it is important for you to have opponents to compete against. Since these ranks have a limited number of players, Riot has introduced LP Decay. LP Decay means that if you go too many days without playing a match in that specific queue, you will automatically lose LP.

How are LoL Players Distributed Between the Different Ranks?

Based on op.gg, approximately 21% of all Ranked players are located in each of the three tiers above Iron. However, the higher tiers, such as Challenger, which are typically occupied by esports players, have a significantly smaller percentage of players. As of now, the average player is positioned in Gold IV.

The following represents the percentage breakdowns of the League of Legends player base:

Based on the statistics, Riot has undeniably achieved their objectives for Split 2. Previously, only the top 15% of players reached Platinum and higher ranks, but now these tiers encompass the top 30% of players!

Just to clarify, your beloved Platinum rank is not being devalued. The redistribution has simply resulted in the average player being placed slightly higher by one or two divisions, not an entire Ranked tier. So, you still need to demonstrate your worthiness in order to achieve your desired rank.

LoL Ranks: The Differences Between Ranked Solo/Duo and Ranked Flex

In League of Legends, there are various ways to derive pleasure from climbing up the ranks. You have the option to embark on a solo queue adventure, where you play individually and get teamed up with four other players. Alternatively, you can opt for the duo queue experience alongside a friend. It is quite common for support and ADC duos to join forces and queue up together.

Besides Solo and Duo Queue, there is another method to earn a ranking. Flex queue offers a positional rank, where players can team up with four friends. However, finding that many League players among our acquaintances can be quite challenging.

Starting from , players with Master MMR and above are no longer permitted to duo queue. This change was enacted to promote fairness in ranked games, recognizing the significance of communication in League of Legends matches. Consequently, high elo players can now only participate in solo queue matches.

Leaving Dodging and going AFK in Ranked

If you leave or go AFK in ranked games, it can have serious consequences for you. When you play ranked, you and your teammates aim to climb the elo ladder in League of Legends. However, going AFK makes this goal quite challenging for your team. As a result, Riot has implemented harsh penalties for those who repeatedly engage in this behavior.

In order to address inactivity during gameplay, Riot introduced a system of different penalties. Tier 0 applies to players with no previous instances of being away from the game, while the most severe tier is Tier 7, which results in players being prohibited from joining queues. This means they will be unable to initiate games in MOBA queues and will experience a 15-minute delay in joining the queue for five consecutive games.

Players who exhibit good behavior will receive rewards and have the opportunity to showcase their reformation. For instance, if a player has been placed in one of the lower tiers due to being AFK (Away From Keyboard), they can work diligently to climb out of that tier. Conversely, if players fail to reform, they will remain in their current tier and face additional punishments corresponding to that tier if they engage in another AFK match.

Dodging the queue can be quite bothersome, especially at higher ranks where the player base is smaller compared to Gold or Silver tiers. As a result, Riot has incorporated penalties for those who repeatedly dodge games.

Moving up a tier is achieved with every dodge, but exceeding three dodges in a day results in a 12-hour lockout from the queue. It takes precisely 12 hours for the dodge tiers to reset by 1.

What is a Ranked Season in LoL?

League of Legends consists of various seasons, wherein each year commences with fresh modifications to the map, item store, and champions. Additionally, at the start of every ranked season in League of Legends, players’ rankings are reset to 0, requiring them to participate in placement games once again to ascertain their position. However, it is worth noting that players who ranked in higher tiers typically find themselves automatically placed in the Diamond tier.

At the start of every season, typically in January, each player begins with a clean slate of 0 LP and 0 MMR, progressing through the elo ladder anew.

In contrast to previous years, where a League of Legends ranked season spanned the entire year and concluded in November, the upcoming 2023 season will be divided into two splits. This exciting change not only promises players additional rewards but also serves as a strong incentive for them to actively participate throughout the entire season.

Do You Get Rewards at the End of a LoL Ranked Season?

Riot indeed distributes ranked rewards at the conclusion of each season. Starting from LoL Season 13, all players will be granted the victorious skin as their end-of-ranked reward. The chromas for Gold and higher ranks will remain available. Thanks to the introduction of meaningful ranked splits, players can now acquire two victorious skins within a year. As a Split 1 reward, Victorious Anivia has already been distributed.

Riot previously rewarded players who reached the Challenger tier with physical gifts, but they have now discontinued this practice. In the past, players received personalized jackets displaying their summoner name and rank. However, they will now only receive a victorious skin chroma, leaving them content with this new form of recognition.

Do TFT and Wild Rift Also Use the Same LoL Tiers?

Riot Games has developed two additional games, namely Teamfight Tactics and Wild Rift, which feature ranking systems akin to that of League of Legends. Similarly, in Wild Rift, players are required to participate in promotion series in order to advance their ranks.

LP and MMR in TFT are determined by a player’s position in the top 8 of each match. Winning or losing LP is contingent upon this placement. Additionally, higher MMR is gained based on these rankings. This means that even if you are a Gold II TFT player and manage to win four consecutive rounds, you may still face off against Platinum II players who have experienced some losses.

The division system in Wild Rift differs from that of League of Legends. Instead of divisions, Wild Rift uses marks to indicate progression. Additionally, Wild Rift has introduced a new tier called the Emerald tier, placed between Platinum and Diamond. Could this tier also be implemented in League of Legends in the future?