League of Legends champion mastery is a champion-specific progression system that tracks both your experience with a champion and how well you perform while playing them. You earn Mastery Points by completing eligible games, then use Marks of Mastery earned from high-performance milestones to unlock higher mastery levels.
The current system no longer stops at Mastery Level 7. Champion mastery is uncapped, Levels 1-10 have evolving crests, Level 10 permanently unlocks the champion's title, and Level 11 onward displays your actual mastery level on the crest. Mastery Levels 1-4 require points, Levels 5-9 require points plus one Mark per level, and Level 10+ requires another 11,000 Mastery Points plus two Marks for every level.
This guide covers how League of Legends champion mastery works, every mastery level requirement, Mastery Points, Marks of Mastery, grades, Season Milestones, eligible game modes, Mastery Score, rewards, the mastery emote and the major differences between the current system and the old Mastery 1-7 system.
League of Legends champion mastery at a glance
| Mastery feature | How it works |
|---|---|
| Mastery Points | Earned by completing eligible matchmade games with a champion |
| Mastery Levels 1-4 | Require Mastery Points only |
| Mastery Levels 5-9 | Require Mastery Points plus 1 Mark of Mastery per level |
| Mastery Level 10+ | Requires 11,000 additional MP plus 2 Marks per level |
| Marks of Mastery | Earned through grade-based Season Milestones |
| Highest mastery level | No maximum, mastery levels are uncapped |
| Mastery emote | Available from Mastery Level 4 |
| Champion title | Permanently unlocked at Mastery Level 10 |
| Season reset | Milestones reset, permanent Mastery Levels and points do not |
The important distinction is that Mastery Points represent long-term experience, while Marks of Mastery represent performance achievements. Once you reach the higher mastery levels, you need both.
How League of Legends champion mastery works
Every champion has an individual mastery progression track. Playing Ahri increases your Ahri mastery, for example, but it does not increase mastery on Lux, Yasuo or any other champion. An unplayed champion begins at Mastery Level 0, and playing your first eligible game starts that champion's progression.
Champion mastery becomes a combination of experience and demonstrated performance as you climb. Early levels only require Mastery Points, but Marks of Mastery become mandatory from Level 5 onward. Riot's official Champion Mastery Guide confirms that your permanent Mastery Level persists between seasons and years.
The system is designed as progression rather than a power mechanic. A higher Champion Mastery Level does not increase damage, unlock abilities or give your champion better stats. If you are learning League's other systems as well, our League of Legends guides cover mechanics, settings and progression beyond mastery.
This short explanation gives a useful visual overview of the modern mastery system before we break down each part in detail.
The main thing to remember is that simply grinding Mastery Points will not carry you through every level. Once Marks become a requirement, you also need the grades necessary to complete that champion's mastery milestones.
All League of Legends mastery levels and requirements
League of Legends mastery levels are unlimited. Mastery Levels 1 through 10 have distinct crest progression, while levels above 10 use the high-level crest with a numerical plate showing the player's actual level.
The Mastery Point requirement shown for each level is the additional amount needed for that step. It is not the total amount from a brand-new champion. The cumulative column below makes the difference easier to see.
| Mastery level | Requirement for that level | Cumulative MP | Marks required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 0 | Champion not yet played | 0 | None |
| Level 1 | Play the champion | 0 | None |
| Level 2 | 1,800 MP | 1,800 | None |
| Level 3 | 4,200 MP | 6,000 | None |
| Level 4 | 6,600 MP | 12,600 | None |
| Level 5 | 9,000 MP | 21,600 | 1 Mark |
| Level 6 | 10,000 MP | 31,600 | 1 Mark |
| Level 7 | 11,000 MP | 42,600 | 1 Mark |
| Level 8 | 11,000 MP | 53,600 | 1 Mark |
| Level 9 | 11,000 MP | 64,600 | 1 Mark |
| Level 10 | 11,000 MP | 75,600 | 2 Marks |
| Level 11+ | 11,000 MP per level | +11,000 per level | 2 Marks per level |
Once you satisfy both requirements, mastery level-ups happen automatically. You do not need to spend Blue Essence, use Hextech Crafting or manually redeem a token. A level-up is also accompanied by a mastery progression notification in the client.
Is Mastery Level 10 the maximum?
No. There is no maximum mastery level in LoL. Mastery Level 10 is a major milestone, but the League of Legends mastery system continues indefinitely.
After Level 10, every additional level requires another 11,000 Mastery Points and two Marks of Mastery. The visual crest no longer needs a completely new design for every level, so the player's actual level is displayed numerically instead.
What happens at Mastery Level 10?
Reaching Mastery Level 10 permanently unlocks that champion's unique champion title for your profile. For example, Aatrox's champion title is "The Darkin Blade." The title remains available even though your mastery can continue climbing beyond Level 10.
How many Mastery Points do you need after Level 10?
Level 10 requires a cumulative 75,600 Mastery Points when progressing from a new champion. From there, you can calculate the MP threshold for any higher level with 75,600 + 11,000 for every level above 10. Marks remain a separate requirement, so reaching the point threshold alone does not guarantee the next level.
How to get Mastery Points in LoL
You earn LoL Mastery Points for the champion you played when you finish an eligible matchmade game. The game does not award one fixed number of points every time, which is why two matches of similar length can produce different mastery gains.
Mastery Points are influenced by your individual performance, your team's performance, game length, whether your team wins or loses, your premade party size and other factors. Higher post-game grades generally mean more Mastery Points.
A useful simplified representation of the system is:
Mastery Point award = (individual performance + team performance) × premade bonus
That should not be treated as a public points calculator. Riot does not disclose every underlying performance weight, so there is no reliable formula that lets you enter KDA, CS and game time and predict an exact MP award before the post-game screen.
Premade Mastery Point bonuses
Playing with friends gives a small Mastery Point bonus. The percentage increases with the number of players in your premade group and reaches its maximum in a full five-player team.
| Premade size | Mastery Point bonus |
|---|---|
| Solo | No bonus |
| 2 players | +2% MP |
| 3 players | +4% MP |
| 4 players | +6% MP |
| 5 players | +10% MP |
The premade bonus can make long-term progression slightly faster, but it does not bypass grade requirements for Marks. Better coordination may still help you produce stronger games, especially as Riot expands team communication systems such as League of Legends Team Voice.
Do Mastery Points decay?
No. Mastery Points do not decay because you stop playing a champion. Your permanent mastery progression is designed to represent accumulated experience over time rather than a temporary competitive rating.
Champion updates and reworks do not normally wipe that progression either. If one of your mains receives a major gameplay update, your existing Mastery Points and Mastery Level remain tied to the champion.
Champion mastery grades explained
Post-game grades are central to League of Legends champion mastery because they affect both Mastery Point gains and your ability to complete Season Milestones. Riot evaluates your performance relative to players in your region using the same champion in the same position.
That position-specific comparison matters. An Annie mid performance is not evaluated exactly like Annie support, and a champion played in an unusual role is compared within the relevant champion-position combination.
The possible grades, from highest to lowest, are:
S+, S, S-, A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D and D-.
How is your champion mastery grade calculated?
Riot describes the system as percentile-based. Your performance across multiple relevant metrics is compared with other players in your region on that champion and position. A high grade therefore means your overall performance ranked highly within that comparison group.
This is also why there is no universal rule such as "10 kills equals an S." Kills, deaths, assists, farming, vision, objective participation and other gameplay metrics can all matter in context, but Riot does not publish an exact weighting formula that players can reliably manipulate.
Does MMR affect champion mastery grades?
Your matchmaking rating is not used as a direct mastery grading modifier. Mastery grading focuses on your performance relative to the relevant champion-position population rather than awarding a better grade simply because your hidden MMR is higher.
Champion mastery and competitive rank are therefore separate measurements. If you want to understand the Ranked ladder, LP and tiers instead, see our complete League of Legends ranks guide.
Marks of Mastery explained
Marks of Mastery are performance rewards that become necessary once you progress beyond the early League of Legends mastery levels. They replaced the old Mastery 6 and Mastery 7 token system introduced under the original version of champion mastery.
Mastery Levels 5-9 require one Mark for each level. Mastery Level 10 and every level after it require two Marks. Marks are earned by completing the Season Milestone track for the champion you are playing.
If you have enough Mastery Points for your next level but not enough Marks, your level simply waits. You continue accumulating Mastery Points in the meantime, so additional games and points are not lost.
Champion mastery milestones and grade requirements
Each champion has a performance-based milestone track. The first four milestones become progressively harder, followed by a repeatable bonus milestone that gives dedicated players a continued way to earn Marks of Mastery.
| Mastery milestone | Grade requirement | Reward |
|---|---|---|
| Milestone I | 1 game at A- or higher | 1 Mark of Mastery |
| Milestone II | 1 game at A- or higher | 1 Mark of Mastery |
| Milestone III | 1 game at S- or higher | 2 Marks of Mastery |
| Milestone IV | 1 game at S- or higher | 2 Marks of Mastery + Crest Highlighting VFX |
| Bonus Milestone | 2 games at S- or higher | 1 Mark of Mastery |
The bonus milestone repeats after the first four milestones, which is what makes unlimited champion mastery progression possible. Only qualifying graded performances progress these objectives.
The mastery track can be viewed from the champion's mastery information in the League client, where you can track the champion's current level, points, crest, Marks and milestone progress.
Do mastery milestones reset?
Yes. Season Milestones are the resettable part of champion mastery. Your long-term Mastery Points and permanent Mastery Level remain, while the milestone track resets so you can demonstrate strong performances again during a new season.
This distinction is important. Losing seasonal milestone progress does not mean that your Mastery Level has been reset.
Which game modes give Champion Mastery Points?
Mastery Points can be earned in matchmade League of Legends queues. This includes Summoner's Rift normal queues such as Swiftplay and Draft, Ranked Solo/Duo, Ranked Flex, ARAM and supported rotating game modes. Arena can also award Champion Mastery Points.
Season Milestones are more restrictive because they depend on post-game grades. A mode can therefore award Mastery Points without necessarily letting you progress an A- or S- milestone.
| League game mode | Mastery Points | Mastery Milestones |
|---|---|---|
| Summoner's Rift normal | Yes | Yes |
| Ranked Solo/Duo | Yes | Yes |
| Ranked Flex | Yes | Yes |
| ARAM | Yes | Yes |
| Arena | Yes | Only when relevant grading is available |
| Rotating matchmade modes | Yes when supported | Only in modes that award grades |
| Custom games | No standard mastery progression | No |
Can you earn mastery on champions you do not own?
Yes. Riot states that mastery progression can track on champions you do not own, which is particularly useful in ARAM when you are given a champion outside your normal collection. Some mastery presentation and unlock functionality can still depend on the champion being permanently unlocked on your account.
What is LoL Mastery Score?
Your LoL Mastery Score is an account-level measurement of your Champion Mastery progression across the roster. It should not be confused with the raw Mastery Points accumulated on an individual champion.
| Mastery term | What it measures |
|---|---|
| Mastery Points | Long-term progression earned on one specific champion |
| Mastery Level | The current mastery level reached on that champion |
| Marks of Mastery | Performance achievements used to unlock higher levels |
| Season Milestones | Grade-based seasonal objectives that award Marks |
| Mastery Score | Your broader account-wide mastery progression across champions |
The profile mastery view can also highlight your most-mastered champions and performance information. This makes Mastery Score useful for showing how broadly you have developed champion mastery rather than only how many points you have accumulated on a single main.
Mastery Points are not a precise playtime counter either. If your main goal is estimating total hours spent in League rather than champion-specific progression, our time spent on League of Legends guide covers that separately.
Where Champion Mastery appears in League
League of Legends champion mastery is visible in several parts of the client and game. It is not just a number hidden inside your Collection. Once you reach the relevant levels, other players can see parts of your progression before, during and after matches.
Champion Collection and profile
Your champions can display their mastery crests and progression information in the Collection. Your account profile also surfaces broader mastery information, including your strongest champion progression.
Loading screen
Champion Mastery appears on the champion information side of loading screen player cards. Players at Mastery Level 4 or higher can display their mastery level on the loading screen banner, while Mastery Points have also been returned to the loading screen presentation.
Mastery Emote
At Mastery Level 4 and above, you can flash your Champion Mastery Emote during a game. The default shortcut is Ctrl+6, while entering /masterybadge in chat also triggers it.
Completing Mastery Milestone IV adds Crest Highlighting, giving the mastery emote an additional visual effect. Riot also refreshed the mastery icons and their presentation after feedback on the original 2024 redesign.
Multi-kill announcements
At Mastery Level 4+, a mastery banner can appear beneath your in-game multi-kill announcement. The presentation groups mastery into broader tiers rather than displaying every uncapped numerical level: Level 4, Levels 5-9 and Level 10+.
Death Recap
The Death Recap can display the mastery level of players involved in your death once their champion has reached Mastery Level 4. Like multi-kill announcements, the Death Recap does not show every numerical level above 10.
Post-game lobby
The post-game experience is where you see the Mastery Points awarded from your match. League can also call out significant mastery achievements such as an S grade or a newly reached mastery level.
Champion Mastery Crests and animations
Mastery Crests are the visual representation of your mastery level. Levels 1-10 increase in complexity as you progress, while Level 11+ uses the highest-level crest together with your numerical Mastery Level.
The modern crest system originated with the Patch 14.10 mastery overhaul. Riot initially said the designs drew inspiration from Mount Targon, using the idea of climbing a mountain as a visual metaphor for pursuing greater mastery. The icons were later revised again to bring them closer to the feel of the older mastery emblems while retaining a new visual identity.
The video below shows the Champion Mastery animations across the mastery progression and is useful if you want to compare how each level looks in motion.
These mastery visuals are separate from your champion's cosmetic appearance. For information about cosmetic themes, pricing and releases, visit our League of Legends skins section.
Champion mastery and Battle Pass XP
Champion mastery can also contribute toward Battle Pass progression through mastery objectives. Riot moved mastery rewards toward the Battle Pass system rather than continuing to make Hextech Chests a direct reward from the mastery milestone track.
Specific Battle Pass XP objectives and values can change between Acts and seasons, so the permanent part of the system is more important for an evergreen mastery guide: completing milestones can feed into mastery-related missions, while Marks of Mastery remain the progression resource needed for higher Champion Mastery Levels.
This distinction also keeps mastery progression separate from direct spending. You do not need to buy RP to increase your Champion Mastery Level. If you are trying to track your account purchases instead, use our League of Legends money spent guide.
Champion Mastery vs Eternals
Champion Mastery and Eternals are related to champion progression, but they are not the same system. Champion Mastery measures broad experience and performance through points, levels, grades and Marks. Eternals are champion-specific stat trackers designed to record particular gameplay achievements.
Eternals were added as an additional progression and showcase system after Champion Mastery was already established. They can appear alongside mastery information in areas such as player cards, but owning or progressing Eternals is not required to earn Mastery Points, Marks or Champion Mastery Levels.
Does Champion Mastery mean you are good at a champion?
A high Champion Mastery Level demonstrates significant experience and, at higher levels, repeated performances strong enough to earn Marks of Mastery. It still should not be treated as a direct replacement for rank, MMR or a complete measurement of player skill.
Someone can accumulate a very high level by playing one champion for years, while another player may have fewer mastery levels but compete at a much higher rank. Mastery tells you something meaningful about champion experience, but not everything about how two players compare competitively.
The same distinction applies when discussing League's wider audience. Champion Mastery tracks individual champion progression, while our League of Legends player count page looks at the game's broader player base instead.
How to increase champion mastery faster
There is no legitimate shortcut that instantly grants League of Legends champion mastery. Efficient progression comes from concentrating games on the champion you want to level while also targeting the grades needed for Marks instead of focusing only on raw game volume.
- Focus your games on one champion. Mastery progression is champion-specific, so switching constantly spreads your points across the roster.
- Play eligible matchmade queues. You need a mode that awards Mastery Points.
- Use grade-enabled queues when you need Marks. Raw Mastery Points cannot unlock higher levels by themselves.
- Aim for complete performances. Strong CS with poor participation or a high KDA with weak overall impact does not guarantee an S grade.
- Understand your champion in your position. Your grade is compared against the relevant champion-position group.
- Play with friends when it makes sense. A five-player premade provides a 10% MP bonus.
- Check your next mastery milestone. If your bottleneck is an S- performance, more average games may increase MP without earning the Mark you need.
The best way to improve mastery progression is still to improve at the champion rather than chase one visible stat. The grading system deliberately uses multiple performance signals so that gameplay such as endlessly farming or padding a single metric does not become a reliable shortcut.
What happens if Champion Mastery is not updating?
If your points increase but your level does not, first check your Marks of Mastery. From Mastery Level 5 onward, having enough MP is only half of the requirement. Your points continue accumulating while you wait for the necessary Mark or Marks.
If an eligible completed game appears not to award progression at all, restart the League client and check the champion's mastery information again before assuming progress has been lost. Persistent client or progression problems may require the steps in our League of Legends troubleshooting section or help through the official League of Legends Support site.
What happened to old Champion Mastery Points?
Players who had accumulated mastery under the old system did not have their years of progression erased when the rework arrived. Existing mastery progress from before Patch 14.10 was converted into the new progression structure, with Marks granted in proportion to previous achievement.
This was important because the old system capped visible progression at Mastery Level 7 even though players could continue accumulating huge Mastery Point totals. The rework converted that historical investment into a system where mastery levels can keep increasing indefinitely.
How Champion Mastery changed over the years
The modern League of Legends mastery system is the result of several major revisions. Understanding that history is useful because many older guides, videos and forum posts still describe mechanics that no longer exist.
| Patch or period | Major Champion Mastery change |
|---|---|
| Patch 5.6 | Champion Mastery first launched on the Brazilian server |
| Patch 5.8 | Champion Mastery rolled out across the remaining servers |
| Patch 6.10 | Mastery Levels 6 and 7 and Mastery Tokens were introduced |
| Patch 10.5 | Eternals launched as an additional champion-specific progression system |
| Patch 14.10 | Mastery became uncapped, Marks of Mastery and milestones replaced the old Level 6/7 upgrade system |
| Patch 14.12 | The repeatable bonus milestone requirement was reduced after player feedback |
| Patch 14.16 | Mastery Points returned to the loading screen |
| 2025 season changes | Direct mastery chest rewards moved toward Battle Pass progression and milestone requirements were simplified |
| Patch 25.06 | Champion Mastery icons and effects were refreshed following feedback on the redesign |
| Patch 25.13 | Mastery Sets were removed, allowing mastery-related progression to focus on champions chosen by the player |
Riot explained the philosophy behind the largest rework in its Champion Mastery development update. The goals were to make mastery relevant to players regardless of rank or preferred mode, reward real accomplishment rather than pure grinding, and give players a progression path that never simply ends at Level 7.
Major future changes to mastery are likely to appear first in official League of Legends updates from Riot Games. RiftDaily also tracks these changes through our League of Legends patch notes, League updates and League of Legends news.
Old Champion Mastery 1-7 system vs the current system
The biggest source of confusion around LoL champion mastery is outdated information about Mastery Tokens, champion shards and Blue Essence. Those mechanics belonged to the original Mastery 1-7 system and are no longer how you level a champion.
| Feature | Old Mastery system | Current Mastery system |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum mastery level | Level 7 | Unlimited |
| Levels 1-4 | Mastery Points | Mastery Points |
| Higher-level requirement | Mastery Tokens and crafting | Mastery Points plus Marks of Mastery |
| Blue Essence | Could be required to upgrade Mastery 6 or 7 | No Blue Essence mastery level-up cost |
| Champion shard/permanent | Could be used in the Mastery 6/7 crafting recipe | Not required |
| S-grade tokens | Required for Mastery 6 and 7 | Removed |
| Levels 8-10 | Did not exist | Dedicated crest progression |
| Levels 11+ | Did not exist | Unlimited numerical levels |
| Performance system | Tokens from high grades | Season Milestones award Marks |
| Champion title | No permanent Level 10 reward | Permanently unlocked at Level 10 |
How the old Mastery 6 and 7 system worked
Under the previous system, Mastery Level 5 was reached through Mastery Points. Players then needed high grades to earn dedicated Mastery Tokens for Levels 6 and 7. Those tokens had to be combined through Hextech Crafting with Blue Essence, a matching champion shard or a champion permanent.
Mastery 6 required two appropriate tokens, while Mastery 7 required three. Mastery Level 7 was the endpoint even though Mastery Points continued to accumulate, which is why some longtime mains eventually displayed hundreds of thousands or even millions of points without gaining another visible mastery level.
What happened to the old mastery class titles?
The original mastery system also associated levels with generic class-based names. Assassins progressed through titles such as Rogue, Prowler and eventually Deathmaster, while other classes had their own Fighter, Mage, Marksman, Support and Tank title ladders.
Those old class-based mastery titles were retired as part of the modern redesign. The current Level 10 reward is more personal: it permanently unlocks the actual champion's title for your profile.
Frequently asked questions about League of Legends champion mastery
What is League of Legends champion mastery?
League of Legends champion mastery is a progression system for individual champions. You earn Mastery Points by playing eligible games and Marks of Mastery by completing grade-based milestones, with both resources used to increase your Champion Mastery Level.
What is the maximum mastery level in LoL?
There is no maximum mastery level in LoL. Levels are uncapped. Mastery Crests visually evolve through Level 10, then Level 11 and above display the player's actual numerical level.
How many Mastery Points do you need for Mastery Level 10?
Progressing from Level 9 to Mastery Level 10 requires another 11,000 Mastery Points and two Marks of Mastery. Starting from a brand-new champion, the cumulative MP threshold is 75,600.
How do you get Marks of Mastery?
Marks of Mastery come from champion Season Milestones. The first two milestones require an A- or better grade, Milestones III and IV require S- or better, and the repeatable bonus milestone requires two S- or better performances.
Can you lose Mastery Points?
Mastery Points do not decay from inactivity, and losing games does not subtract your existing mastery total. Eligible games can continue contributing to your long-term champion progression.
Does Champion Mastery reset every season?
No. Your permanent Champion Mastery Level and accumulated Mastery Points persist. The seasonal milestone track resets, which gives you another set of performance objectives and opportunities to earn Marks.
Can you earn champion mastery in ARAM?
Yes. ARAM awards Mastery Points and performance grades, so it can also progress Season Milestones and earn Marks of Mastery.
Do you need an S grade to level up Champion Mastery?
Not for every level. Early mastery levels only require Mastery Points, while the first two current milestones award Marks for A- or better performances. S- or higher grades become necessary for later milestones and the repeatable bonus milestone.
Does Champion Mastery affect MMR or rank?
No. Champion Mastery does not award LP, change your Ranked tier or directly increase hidden MMR. It is a separate progression system centered on experience and champion-specific performance.
Do you still need Blue Essence for Mastery Level 6 or 7?
No. The Blue Essence and Mastery Token crafting requirements belonged to the old system. Current mastery level-ups happen automatically when you have the required Mastery Points and Marks.
Can a champion rework reset your mastery?
No. Champion gameplay updates and reworks do not normally reset the permanent mastery progression you have already earned on that champion.
What is the difference between Mastery Points and Mastery Score?
Mastery Points are earned on an individual champion and push that champion toward higher Mastery Levels. Mastery Score is an account-wide view of your overall Champion Mastery progression across the roster.
Keep building your Champion Mastery
League of Legends champion mastery is now built for long-term progression rather than ending at Level 7. Mastery Levels 1-4 rely on Mastery Points, Levels 5-9 add one Mark of Mastery per level, and Level 10+ requires another 11,000 MP and two Marks for each new level.
The fastest path is not simply playing as many games as possible. Watch both sides of your progression: earn Mastery Points consistently, then focus on the A- and S- performances needed when Marks become your bottleneck. Your permanent mastery stays with the champion, while seasonal milestones give you fresh performance targets.
For more League systems and practical help, continue with our League of Legends guides. RiftDaily also follows relevant changes through our League patch notes, League updates and League of Legends news, so you can check those sections if Riot changes Champion Mastery again.
