How to Use Blue Essence Efficiently: Best Champions to Unlock First for Ranked

You just bought a smurf account and you're staring at 40,000 Blue Essence. Now what? Do you unlock every champion you've ever wanted to try, or do you actually think about what you need for ranked? I've seen way too many players waste their BE on champions they'll never play, then struggle in ranked because they don't have the right picks. Let me save you from that mistake.

What Even Is Blue Essence?

Blue Essence is basically LoL's currency for unlocking champions. You earn it by leveling up (those champion capsules), disenchanting champion shards you don't want, completing missions, and getting that first win of the day bonus.

Here's the thing—if you're buying a smurf account, you're probably getting 20k-50k BE included. That's actually a lot, but it's also not unlimited. You need at least 20 champions to play ranked, and if you're smart about it, you can build a solid pool for around 25,000-30,000 BE. But I've watched players blow through 50k BE on champions they think look cool, then realize they can't actually play ranked effectively.

Champion Prices: What's Actually Worth It?

Champions cost different amounts, and honestly, the price doesn't always match how good they are. Some 450 BE champions are still played in Challenger, while some 6300 BE champions are basically unplayable right now.

The 450 BE Champions (Dirt Cheap)

These are your starter champions. Garen, Ashe, Annie, Master Yi, Soraka—you know the ones. They're simple, they're cheap, and honestly, some of them are still really good. Garen top is still viable in high ranks. Annie mid is still a solid pick.

My advice? Unlock maybe 5-8 of these, but don't go crazy. They're cheap for a reason—they're basic. You want a few for learning, but you'll outgrow most of them quickly. Save your BE for champions that actually matter.

The 1350 BE Champions (Sweet Spot)

This is where the value is. Ahri, Jinx, Thresh, Yasuo, Warwick—these champions are actually good, they're not too expensive, and they're viable at basically every rank.

I'd unlock 8-12 of these. They're the backbone of a good champion pool. Not too cheap that they're basic, not too expensive that you're broke. This tier has some of the best champions in the game, and they're affordable.

The 3150 BE Champions (The Good Stuff)

Now we're getting into the champions people actually want to play. Zed, Vayne, Lee Sin, Riven—these are the flashy, high-skill champions that make montages. They're more expensive, but they're also more rewarding to master.

Unlock 5-10 of these based on what roles you actually play. Don't unlock Zed if you never play mid. Don't unlock Vayne if you hate ADC. These are investments—make sure you'll actually use them.

The 4800 BE Champions (Niche But Cool)

Jhin, Taliyah, Kled, Ivern—these are the weird ones. They have unique playstyles, they're often niche picks, and they're expensive.

Only unlock these if you're actually interested in them. Jhin is amazing if you like his playstyle, but if you prefer traditional ADCs, just get Jinx or Caitlyn instead. Don't waste 4800 BE on a champion you'll play twice and never touch again.

The 6300 BE Champions (The Expensive Ones)

These are the newest champions and often the most meta-relevant. They're also the most expensive.

Here's my take: unless a champion is absolutely broken in the meta right now, wait for the price to drop. Riot usually reduces prices after a few months. But if you really want to play the newest champion and it's strong, go for it. Just know you're paying a premium for being early.

What Champions Should You Actually Unlock?

This depends on what role you play, but let me give you a realistic breakdown. I'm assuming you're not trying to be a five-role flex god—pick 2-3 roles and focus on those.

Top Lane: Start Simple, Then Branch Out

If you're learning top lane, start with Garen (450 BE). He's simple, he's tanky, and you'll actually learn the fundamentals instead of getting destroyed trying to play Riven. Once you understand top lane, grab Darius (4800 BE) if you want to bully people, or Jax (1350 BE) if you want to scale and split push.

For a complete top lane pool, you want: Garen, Malphite (both 450 BE), Jax, Tryndamere (both 1350 BE), and maybe Sett (6300 BE) if you want a strong teamfighter. That's about 12,000-15,000 BE total, and you'll have options for different situations.

Jungle: Cheap and Effective

Jungle is actually the cheapest role to build a pool for. Master Yi, Amumu, and Warwick are all 450 BE, and they're all solid. Master Yi scales like crazy, Amumu has one of the best teamfight ultimates in the game, and Warwick is great for learning how to gank.

Once you're comfortable, add Udyr (3150 BE) for farming, Jarvan IV (4800 BE) for ganking, or Kha'Zix (6300 BE) if you want to carry. You can build a good jungle pool for only 10,000-15,000 BE, which is way cheaper than other roles.

Mid Lane: Mages and Assassins

Mid lane has two main playstyles: mages and assassins. Start with Annie (450 BE) to learn mages—she's simple and teaches you positioning. Then grab Ahri (1350 BE) because she's safe, versatile, and good at basically every rank.

If you want to learn assassins, Yasuo (1350 BE) is popular but hard. Veigar (1350 BE) is a mage that scales infinitely and is easier to play. Lux (3150 BE) is safe with good range. Zed (4800 BE) is the classic assassin but requires serious skill.

A solid mid pool will cost you 12,000-18,000 BE depending on how many assassins you want to learn.

ADC: The Expensive Role

ADC is unfortunately one of the more expensive roles. Ashe (450 BE) is great for learning, but most good ADCs cost more. Jinx (3150 BE) is a hyper carry that scales incredibly well. Caitlyn (4800 BE) is a lane bully with great range.

Sivir (1350 BE) is cheap and has utility. Vayne (4800 BE) is a high-skill hyper carry. Jhin (6300 BE) has a unique playstyle and is always strong.

ADC pools are expensive—expect to spend 15,000-20,000 BE for a solid selection. But honestly, you can get by with just Ashe, Jinx, and Caitlyn if you're on a budget.

Support: Cheap and Versatile

Support is actually pretty affordable. Soraka (450 BE) is a simple enchanter that teaches you how to heal and position. Leona (4800 BE) is a tank engage support—expensive but worth it if you like playing aggressive. Thresh (1350 BE) is the classic support, versatile but hard to master.

Janna (1350 BE) is great for disengage. Nautilus (4800 BE) is another tank engage option. Brand (3150 BE) is a mage support if you want to do damage instead of just supporting.

You can build a good support pool for 12,000-18,000 BE, and you'll have options for different team compositions.

How to Actually Spend Your Blue Essence Wisely

Here's the thing—most players try to unlock champions for every role. That's a waste. You're not going to be good at all five roles, and you don't need to be. Pick 2-3 roles you actually enjoy and focus on those.

If you main top and jungle, build 8-10 champions for top and 6-8 for jungle. Maybe grab 3-4 supports in case you get autofilled. Skip mid and ADC entirely if you never play them. This saves you 20,000-30,000 BE and lets you actually master the roles you care about.

Start Cheap, Upgrade When You're Better

Don't blow all your BE on expensive champions right away. Start with cheaper options (450-1350 BE) to learn the fundamentals. Once you understand how the role works, then invest in the more expensive, higher-skill champions.

I've seen players unlock Zed, Riven, and Vayne immediately, then get destroyed because they don't understand the basics. Learn with Annie, Garen, and Ashe first. Once you're comfortable, then spend the big BE on the flashy champions.

Should You Follow the Meta?

The meta changes constantly. A champion that's broken today might be useless next patch. My advice? Mix meta picks with comfort picks.

If a champion is absolutely broken right now and you're good at them, unlock them. But also have 2-3 champions you're comfortable on regardless of meta. Those are your fallback picks when your meta champion gets nerfed or banned.

Use Champion Shards for Discounts

When you level up, you get champion shards. You can use these to unlock champions at a discount (saves you 20-40% BE), or you can disenchant them for immediate BE.

Here's the strategy: if you get a shard for a champion you actually want (especially expensive ones like 4800+ BE), use the shard. It saves you a ton of BE. If you get a shard for a champion you don't care about, disenchant it for BE to unlock something you do want.

For example, if you get a Jhin shard and you want to play ADC, use it—you'll save 2520 BE. But if you get an Ivern shard and you never jungle, just disenchant it.

Common Mistakes (Don't Do These)

Mistake 1: Unlocking Every 450 BE Champion

I get it—they're cheap, so why not unlock them all? Because you won't play most of them, and you're wasting BE that could go toward better champions. Unlock 5-8 essential ones, then focus on 1350-3150 BE champions that are actually good.

Mistake 2: Trying to Play Every Role

You can't be good at everything. If you spread your BE across all five roles, you'll have shallow pools everywhere and won't master anything. Pick 2-3 roles, build deep pools for those, and accept that you'll be bad at the other roles. That's fine—you can dodge or play safe when autofilled.

Mistake 3: Only Unlocking Expensive Champions

Expensive doesn't mean better. Some of the best champions in the game cost 1350 BE. Don't wait until you have 50,000 BE to start playing ranked—unlock a mix of cheap and expensive champions, learn the basics, then expand your pool as you improve.

Mistake 4: Ignoring Champion Shards

Champion shards give you discounts. If you're not using them, you're wasting BE. Check what shards you have before unlocking a champion—you might save thousands of BE by using a shard instead of buying directly.

Realistic Budget Plans

If You Have 20,000 BE

You can build a solid pool for 2 roles with this. Get 8 cheap champions (450 BE), 8 mid-tier ones (1350 BE), and 4 more expensive ones (3150 BE). That's about 27,000 BE total (slightly over budget, but worth it). You'll have 20 champions covering 2-3 roles, which is enough to start ranked and actually be competitive.

If You Have 30,000 BE

Now we're talking. With 30k BE, you can build deeper pools. Get fewer cheap champions (6 instead of 8), more mid-tier ones (10), some expensive ones (6 at 3150 BE), and a couple premium picks (2 at 4800 BE). That's about 45,000 BE total, so you'll need a bit more, but you'll have 24 champions with better quality overall.

If You Have 50,000+ BE

With 50k+ BE, you can basically unlock whatever you want. Build comprehensive pools for 3-4 roles, grab meta champions, and have flexibility. This is what most of our smurf accounts come with—enough BE to build a competitive pool immediately without worrying about budget.

The Bottom Line

Here's what actually matters: focus on 2-3 roles, start with cheaper champions to learn, then upgrade as you get better. Use champion shards for discounts. Don't try to unlock everything—you'll waste BE and never master anything.

For your first 20 champions, aim for: 5-8 for your main role, 4-6 for your secondary role, 2-4 for a third role, and 2-4 flex picks. That'll cost you around 25,000-30,000 BE and give you a solid foundation.

The easiest way to skip all this planning? Buy a smurf account that already has 40,000-50,000 BE included. You can unlock your ideal champion pool immediately and start playing ranked without the grind. Our LoL smurf accounts come with plenty of BE, instant delivery, and lifetime warranty. Check out our NA accounts and OCE accounts if you want region-specific options. Got questions? Hit up our FAQs or contact us.