Champion Roster
League of Legends has one of the largest playable rosters in any competitive game. Over 170 unique champions, each with their own abilities, playstyle, and identity. If you're a new player staring at the champion select screen for the first time, that number is genuinely intimidating.
But here's the thing most veteran players will tell you: you don't need to learn all of them. The players who climb fastest in ranked are the ones who master a small pool of 3-5 champions and learn every matchup inside out. Knowing what every champion does is helpful, but you'll pick that up naturally over hundreds of games.
Still, knowing the full roster — how it's organized, how it's grown, and what's new — helps a lot in draft and in-game decision making.
Champion Count by Year: The Full Growth Timeline
Riot released champions at a breakneck pace in the early years. In 2010 and 2011, a new champion dropped almost every two weeks. That pace has slowed dramatically — now it's 3-5 per year — but each new release is far more polished, with unique mechanics and deeper gameplay identity.
Why did releases slow down? In the early years, champions were simpler — point-and-click abilities, straightforward kits. Modern champions like Hwei (10 abilities), Aphelios (5 weapons), and Viego (possessing dead enemies) take significantly more development time. Riot also invests heavily in champion reworks now, essentially rebuilding older champions from scratch.
The full year-by-year breakdown:
| Year | Total Champions | New Releases | Notable Releases |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 40 | 40 (launch) | Annie, Ashe, Ryze, Twisted Fate |
| 2010 | 63 | 23 | Caitlyn, Irelia, Lee Sin, Vayne |
| 2011 | 87 | 24 | Ahri, Fizz, Graves, Riven, Xerath |
| 2012 | 108 | 21 | Darius, Draven, Kha'Zix, Thresh, Zed |
| 2013 | 117 | 9 | Jinx, Lucian, Yasuo, Zac |
| 2014 | 123 | 6 | Braum, Gnar, Azir |
| 2015 | 128 | 5 | Bard, Ekko, Kindred |
| 2016 | 134 | 6 | Jhin, Aurelion Sol, Camille |
| 2017 | 139 | 5 | Kayn, Ornn, Xayah & Rakan |
| 2018 | 143 | 4 | Kai'Sa, Pyke, Neeko |
| 2019 | 148 | 5 | Senna, Aphelios, Qiyana |
| 2020 | 154 | 6 | Sett, Lillia, Yone, Samira |
| 2021 | 157 | 4 | Gwen, Akshan, Vex |
| 2022 | 162 | 5 | Zeri, Renata, Bel'Veth, K'Sante |
| 2023 | 166 | 4 | Milio, Naafiri, Briar, Hwei |
| 2024 | 169 | 3 | Smolder, Aurora, Ambessa |
| 2025 | 172+ | 3+ | Mel, Yunara, Zaahen and more |
Champions by Role
Every champion fills a specific role on the team, though many can flex between positions depending on the meta. Here's how the roster breaks down by primary role:
These numbers are approximate because the meta constantly shifts which champions are viable where. Pantheon can go top, mid, jungle, or support. Brand works as both mid and support. Viego jungles but occasionally shows up mid. The lines between roles are blurrier than ever in Season 16.
Season 16 role shifts: With the new Role Quest system, some champions are moving positions. Top laners who benefit from level 20 (like Jax and Darius) are stronger than ever. ADCs with the seventh item slot are scaling harder. The meta is still settling — check back as it evolves.
Champions by Class
Riot organizes champions into gameplay classes that describe their combat identity. Understanding these classes helps you build balanced team compositions and know what to expect from enemies in champ select.
Most Recent Champion Releases
The newest additions to the League of Legends roster. Riot now focuses on giving each champion a truly unique mechanical identity rather than rushing out quantity.
| Champion | Role | Release Year | Signature Mechanic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mel | Mid | 2025 | Light/Shadow stance switching — two forms, two playstyles |
| Ambessa | Top | 2024 | Dash-heavy bruiser from Arcane, energy-based combos |
| Aurora | Mid/Top | 2024 | Bunny hop mobility, spirit realm zone control |
| Smolder | Bot | 2024 | Infinite-scaling dragon ADC, abilities grow with stacks |
| Hwei | Mid | 2023 | 10-ability painter mage — 3 subjects × 3 spells + ultimate |
| Briar | Jungle | 2023 | Self-frenzying vampire, loses control for power |
| Naafiri | Mid | 2023 | Pack-hunting assassin with companion dogs |
| Milio | Support | 2023 | Fire-based enchanter, long-range shields and heals |
Fun fact: Hwei holds the record for the most abilities of any champion in the game with 10 unique spells. His kit is organized like an artist's palette — three "subjects" (Disaster, Serenity, Torment) each with three spells, plus his ultimate. He's one of the hardest champions to master but incredibly rewarding when you do.
How Many Champions Do You Need for Ranked?
To queue for ranked games in League of Legends, you need to own at least 20 champions. This ensures you always have enough options even after bans (10 total) and picks from both teams.
Here's the math: 10 bans + 9 other picks = 19 champions unavailable. You need at least 20 so you're guaranteed to have at least one champion available. In practice, you'll want more than 20 so you have actual choices.
With the free champion rotation giving you access to 16 champions each week, plus the Blue Essence you earn from leveling up, hitting 20 owned champions typically happens around level 25-30. New accounts start with a few champions for free and earn enough BE through the early levels to buy more.
Skip the Champion Grind
Our smurf accounts come loaded with 40,000+ Blue Essence — enough to unlock 6-10 champions immediately. Level 30, ranked-ready, all regions.
How Many Champions Should You Main?
This is one of the most debated topics in the League community, and the answer depends on your goals:
For climbing ranked (the meta answer):
- 2-3 champions in your main role
- 1-2 in your secondary role
- That's it. Resist the urge to play everything.
For one-tricking:
- 1 champion, every game, dodge if banned
- One-tricks consistently reach higher ranks than players who spread across many champions
- The downside: you become predictable and bannable in high elo
For having fun:
- Play whatever you want in normals and ARAM
- Trying new champions is part of the experience
- Just don't bring your first-time Azir into ranked
The 3-champion rule: Most coaches and high-elo players recommend mastering exactly 3 champions for your main role. This gives you enough flexibility to handle bans and bad matchups while still building deep game knowledge. Players who try to "main" 10+ champions almost always plateau because they never develop true mastery of any of them.
Champion Reworks: Old Champions Made New
Riot doesn't just add new champions — they rebuild older ones whose kits feel outdated. These Visual and Gameplay Updates (VGUs) essentially create a brand new champion while keeping the original's identity and theme.
Major reworks in recent years:
| Champion | Rework Year | What Changed |
|---|---|---|
| Skarner | 2024 | Complete rebuild — new crystal scorpion fantasy, entirely new kit |
| Aurelion Sol | 2023 | Stars replaced with stacking Stardust mechanic, became a scaling mage |
| Udyr | 2022 | Visual overhaul + modernized stance-switching gameplay |
| Dr. Mundo | 2021 | Updated visuals and abilities while keeping the "goes where he pleases" identity |
| Volibear | 2020 | Transformed from generic bear into a demigod of storms |
| Fiddlesticks | 2020 | Became a genuine horror champion with terrifying ambush gameplay |
Riot also does smaller-scale Art and Sustainability Updates (ASUs) that refresh a champion's visuals without changing gameplay. Recent ASUs include Teemo, Lee Sin, and Ahri.
Free Champions: What's Available Without Paying?
Each week, 16 champions are available on the free rotation. This rotation changes every Tuesday and is a great way to try champions before buying them.
Additional free access:
- ARAM: All champions are free to play in ARAM mode, regardless of ownership
- New player rotation: Players under level 10 get an expanded free rotation with beginner-friendly champions
- Champion shards: You can get champion shards from leveling up, which let you unlock champions at a discount (60% of the normal BE cost)
The most cost-efficient way to build your champion pool is to use champion shards from level-up capsules. Disenchant shards you don't want, and use the ones you do want to unlock champions at a reduced price.
The Original 40: League's Launch Roster
When League of Legends launched on October 27, 2009, it shipped with 40 playable champions. Many of these original 40 are still popular today, though most have received significant visual and gameplay updates over the years.
The original launch roster included: Alistar, Amumu, Anivia, Annie, Ashe, Blitzcrank, Cho'Gath, Corki, Dr. Mundo, Evelynn, Fiddlesticks, Gangplank, Heimerdinger, Janna, Jax, Karthus, Kassadin, Kayle, Malphite, Master Yi, Morgana, Nasus, Nunu, Ryze, Shaco, Singed, Sion, Sivir, Soraka, Taric, Teemo, Tristana, Trundle, Twisted Fate, Twitch, Veigar, Warwick, Zilean, and two others.
Of these, champions like Ashe, Annie, and Master Yi remain popular picks for new players due to their straightforward kits. Others like Twisted Fate, Jax, and Morgana have remained competitively relevant across all 16 seasons.
Will Riot Ever Stop Making Champions?
Riot has confirmed they'll continue releasing new champions indefinitely, but at the slower pace of 3-5 per year. The focus has shifted toward quality over quantity — each new champion needs to bring something mechanically unique to the game.
The bigger question is whether the roster will ever feel "too big." With 172+ champions, new players already face a steep learning curve just understanding what every champion does. Riot addresses this through:
- Champion spotlights and tutorials for new releases
- The free rotation letting players try before they buy
- ARAM as a low-pressure way to experience random champions
- Champion reworks keeping older champions feeling fresh
The roster will likely hit 200 champions within the next 5-7 years at the current pace. Whether that's a problem or a feature depends on who you ask.
Frequently Asked Questions
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*Want to jump straight into ranked with your favorite champions? Our LoL smurfs come loaded with 40,000+ Blue Essence so you can unlock who you need from day one. Check out our complete season history to see how the game has evolved alongside its growing roster.*
