Riot to change the prices of all LoL champions to cater to new players

All League of Legends champions will undergo a change in their sale price in patch 13.5, according to Riot Games. By changing both the blue essence and RP values for all champions, Riot aims at easing the acquisition of champions for new players coming to League. The new prices will not only be based on the date of release for champions, but also on the level of skills required to master them.

Riot described their existing pricing model as “a bit archaic,” explaining how it is not in line with how they feel players should acquire their champions in 2023. Jordan “BarackProbama” Checkman and August Browning clarified that the new pricing structure will still be connected with the age of the champion, but will no longer be tied to the release of a new playable character. Instead, the prices will change based on how many seasons the champion has “seen.”

“We plan to keep the existing flow of new champions having an initially higher price point and being discounted after a week,” the Rioters said, ”with an additional discount after two seasons where they’ll be placed in a tier based on the data we see with new and returning players.”

All new prices and exceptions

The lowest price will start at 450 BE / 260 RP and will be for those champions that have an “approachable kit” like Malphite, Miss Fortune, and Yuumi. After those there will be champions that are a bit “more complex” than the lower tier, but still approachable for interested players. These champions will cost 1350 BE / 585 RP, and among them players will see Yasuo, Lucian, and Sett. Third tiered champions will cost 3150 BE / 790 RP. In this tier fall champions like LeBlanc, Shaco, and Yorick, which are deemed to have “have steeper learning curves to climb before one sees consistent success with them” according to Riot. 

Fourth tier, knowing “only perfection and beauty are allowed at this tier,” players can assume only the Virtuoso Jhin will be sold at 4444 BE / 880 RP—or maybe not. 

The majority of champions will be in the shop for 4800 BE / 880 RP. The higher tiers are linked to the champion’s release, with the highest one being sold at 7800 BE / 975 RP during the same week of their delivery in the client. Below that will sit all those champions that have come out in the past two seasons at 6300 BE / 975 RP.  The last category of champions will be moved to one of the first five tiers once they reach their third season in the game. 

The majority of the champions will see their prices reduced,”but like any good system, there are some small exceptions,” said Riot. Specifically, four champions will have their prices increased as Riot’s data suggests new players are less likely to find success with them. Singed, Kayle, Twisted Fate, and Ryze will cost 4800 BE, while their RP prices will be kept at 260. This is to ensure that players who want easier access to them still have it, according to Riot. 

Champion updates and bundles

Riot will also adjust the prices of other champions in the future keeping in account possible Visual/Gameplay Updates like Fiddlesticks, Core Gameplay Updates like Aurelion Sol, or Midscope updates like Syndra. While it is possible that these updates will increase the price of past champions, Riot will try to avoid that. In cases where a price increase is unavoidable, they aim to communicate the inflation “early enough” so players are made aware of it. 

In addition to these price changes, Riot is going to add new champion bundles that will cover a variety of gameplay roles within each tier. The new bundles should be “even more cost effective” for all those players looking to expand their champions’ collection.  

Overall, the changes to the BE/RP costs of champions in League will result in a reduction of 140,606 BE and 14,905 RP for all players to spend. These changes will go live in all regions with patch 13.5.