How to Abuse the Level 20 Cap in Top Lane (Season 16 Guide)

For nearly 15 years, the rules of League of Legends were absolute: Level 18 is the cap. If you saw a Level 18 Kassadin destroy your team, you knew that was his peak. He literally couldn't get stronger.

Well, in Season 16, Riot decided to throw the rulebook into a woodchipper.

Top Laners can now reach Level 20.

This isn't just a "neat gimmick" for patch notes. This is the single most game-breaking change for split-pushers in the history of the game. I've been testing this extensively, and let me tell you: a Level 20 champion fighting Level 15 bot laners feels illegal. It feels like you're hacking.

But getting there isn't automatic. Most players I see in Emerald are playing normally and hitting Level 18 right as the Nexus explodes. They are missing the point.

To abuse Level 20, you need to change how you play the game fundamentally.

The Math Behind the Madness

Calculating the value of Level 20 is absurd.

• Base Stats: You gain an extra level of HP, Armor, AD, and Attack Speed. That's roughly 600-800 gold of stats for free.
• Skill Point: You get a 20th skill point, meaning you can fully maximize your entire kit. No more choosing between maxing E or W last.
• The XP Bonus: Once you unlock the cap via the "Duelist's Oath" quest, your XP gain from solo lane minions increases by 10%.

This XP bonus is the key. You aren't just unlocking a higher ceiling; you are accelerating towards it.

The "Level 20 Rush" Strategy

You can't group. You just can't. If you are grouping for a Cloud Drake at 22 minutes, you are griefing yourself.

1. The Proxy Singed Mindset (on Every Champ)

You need to catch every wave. If the wave is crashing into your Tier 2, you need to be there. If the wave is at their Tier 2, you need to be proxying it. Any second you spend walking in the River is a second you aren't gaining XP. I've been playing Tryndamere and literally muting my team. They ping "Assist Me" at Dragon? Ignored. I am taking the enemy Krugs and two waves of minions.

2. Stealing Jungle Camps is Mandatory

Lane minions aren't enough. You need to cannibalize the jungle.

• Friendly Jungle: If your jungler is on the other side of the map, take his Gromp. He might flame you. Mute him. You need the XP.
• Enemy Jungle: This is better. Taking enemy Krugs denies them gold AND accelerates your Level 20.

The Champions That Break the Game

Some champions scale linearly. Others scale exponentially. You want the exponential ones.

Nasus (The Raid Boss)

Level 20 Nasus is a raid boss. His Q cooldown with typical Ability Haste builds effectively becomes zero.

• The Strat: Stack. Ignore team. Hit Level 20. Two-shot towers. Win.

Kayle (The Exodia)

Everyone fears Level 16 Kayle. But Level 20 Kayle? Her waves deal true damage, and her attack speed cap is effectively removed with the new items.

• The Strat: It's a race against time. If you hit 20, you win. If you lose before then, you failed.

Jax (The Helicopter)

Level 20 Jax has so much base HP and Armor that ADCs literally cannot kill him before he kills them. He jumps on you, and you die.

Why You Will Get Flamed (And Why You Should Ignore It)

"Top Diff. Never groups."

You will see this typed in chat. A lot. Your teammates in Gold don't understand the win condition. They want you to coinflip a 5v5 teamfight. But when you emerge from Top Lane at 28 minutes being 4 levels higher than the enemy Mid laner, they will shut up.

The pressure you create by threatening Level 20 forces the enemy team to send 3 people to stop you. That is how you win games. Not by grouping, but by being an existential threat.

Practice Being Selfish

It feels unnatural to be this selfish. We are trained to "help the team." You need to unlearn that.

The best place to practice this "1v9 Selfish Style" is on a Smurf Account. Grab a fresh Level 30 account. Lock in Tryndamere. Mute all. And just farm. See how fast you can hit Level 20. Optimize your pathing.

Once you realize how powerful it is to be 4 levels up on everyone, you will never play "team player" Top Lane again.

Get your fresh Top Lane smurf here.