Blue Essence and RP in League of Legends Explained

League of Legends has two main currencies: Blue Essence (BE), earned by playing, and Riot Points (RP), bought with real money. Champions can be unlocked with either, but skins and most other cosmetics need RP. Riot changed both sides of the system in 2025 — champion BE prices were halved in March 2025, and most free BE now comes through the battle pass rather than level-up capsules. This guide explains what each currency does in 2026, where BE comes from now, and how to build a champion roster without spending money.

What is Blue Essence?

Blue Essence is League's free currency. You can't buy it with money; you earn it by playing. Its main use is unlocking champions. Since the 2025 season changes, BE reaches your wallet mainly through:

• The free battle pass. Riot moved most BE rewards onto the season pass track in 2025, then raised the amount of BE on the free track after player feedback.
• New-account levelling. Capsules for levelling up still help brand-new accounts on the way to level 30, but most level-up rewards after level 30 were removed in 2025.
• Champion shards. Shards from capsules and chests can be disenchanted into BE or used to unlock a champion at a discount.
• Events and missions. Limited-time events and missions often include BE or champion shards.

The old daily First Win of the Day BE bonus is gone: since 2025 that mission awards battle-pass XP instead. BE also buys items in the periodic Blue Essence Emporium, where Riot sells chromas, icons and other cosmetics for BE.

What is RP (Riot Points)?

Riot Points are League's premium currency, bought with real money in fixed bundles; prices vary by region. What RP buys:

• Skins — from cheaper older skins to Legendary and Ultimate skins with new animations and voice lines. Many standard skins cost 1,350 RP.
• Champions — 260 to 975 RP depending on the champion's price tier.
• Chromas, icons, emotes and ward skins.
• Premium battle passes and bundles.

RP doesn't buy gameplay power. No item, rune or stat is locked behind it; you pay for cosmetics or for unlocking champions faster.

Champion prices in 2026

On 5 March 2025 Riot halved champion BE prices across the board. The tiers since then:

Price tier	Blue Essence	Riot Points	Typical champions
Starter-friendly	225 BE	260 RP	Simple champions that have been out for years
Moderate	675 BE	585 RP	Slightly more complex kits
Advanced	1,575 BE	790 RP	Steeper learning curves or specialised kits
Standard	2,400 BE	880 RP	Most of the roster
New releases	3,150 BE	975 RP	New and recent champions

New champions drop to a lower tier after they've been out for a while. Check the in-client store for a specific champion's current price.

Blue Essence vs RP: Key Differences

Feature	Blue Essence (BE)	Riot Points (RP)
How you get it	Playing: battle pass, missions, shards	Buying with real money
Unlocks champions	Yes — 225 to 3,150 BE	Yes — 260 to 975 RP
Unlocks skins	Rarely (some cosmetics in the BE Emporium)	Yes
Buys premium passes	No	Yes
Affects gameplay	No	No
Best used for	Building your champion pool for free	Cosmetics and faster champion access

The simple mental model: BE is your champion budget earned by playing; RP is your cosmetics budget bought with money. A free-to-play player can unlock every champion given time, but not most skins.

How to Unlock Champions Efficiently

New accounts get a rotation of free champions each week plus a few starters, and ranked needs 20 owned champions, so the first goal is a small, useful pool.

Use shards before buying outright. Unlocking a champion from a shard costs less BE than buying it directly, so check your loot before spending.

Prioritise your mains. A roster of 15 champions you understand beats 50 you've never played. Our guide to the best LoL champions for beginners is a good shortlist.

Fill out with cheaper champions. The 225 and 675 BE tiers include many simple, strong picks, which makes reaching 20 champions much faster than it used to be.

BE and RP don't convert. They are separate economies. If you'd rather start with a full roster, League of Legends accounts on BuyAccount list their champion count and Blue Essence, so you can see exactly what you get; our guide to what a LoL account is worth shows how champions and BE affect price.

How to Earn Blue Essence Faster

• Progress the free pass every season. It is now the largest steady source of BE.
• Do the missions. Event and weekly missions often include BE or shards.
• Disenchant shards you'll never use for champions you already own or don't want.
• Watch for the Blue Essence Emporium so you know what you're saving for.
• Keep a clean Honor record. Honor progress brings its own rewards.

Once your pool is set, the next step is ranked; see how to climb in League of Legends.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you unlock champions completely for free?

Yes. Every champion can be unlocked with Blue Essence. After Riot halved BE prices in March 2025, champions cost between 225 and 3,150 BE, so building a full roster takes far less time than it used to.

How do you get Blue Essence in 2026?

Mostly from the free battle pass, plus missions, events and disenchanting champion shards. Since 2025, levelling past 30 no longer gives a champion capsule each level, and First Win of the Day gives pass XP rather than BE.

Can you buy Blue Essence with real money?

No. RP and BE are separate, and you can't convert one into the other.

Do you need RP to be competitive in ranked?

No. RP buys cosmetics and convenience, not performance. Ranked needs level 30 and 20 champions, both of which you can reach without spending.

Whether you're saving BE for your next champion or want a head start, understanding the currencies helps you spend well. For a second account with a champion pool already built, explore LoL smurf accounts on BuyAccount, and if you have an account to sell, see our seller application.