League of Legends Honor System Guide

Long ago, back in 2012, League of Legends introduced the Honor System. It was created to encourage a more friendly and positive atmosphere in the game. To support this goal, the developers began rewarding players for good and respectful behavior.

In this guide, I’ll do my best to explain the Honor System in a clear and detailed way — how it works, what rewards you can earn, and more. Let’s dive in!

How Does the Honor System Progress?

The Honor System consists of six levels, with four of them being considered core levels, starting from Honor 2. Players can climb through the ranks by receiving honors from teammates and participating in matchmade games. However, the number of honors received does not directly determine your progress.

At the beginning of each season, players are reset to Honor level 2 if their previous level was higher. From there, they must work their way up to level 5 again. Each level contains three checkpoints that grant rewards, along with a bonus reward when advancing to the next level.

Honor levels 1 and 0 are considered reduced levels, given to players who have received penalties. These levels provide significantly fewer rewards, and Honor 0 is also referred to as "dishonorable."

If your Honor level is low (1 or 0), especially if you’ve reached "dishonorable" (Honor 0), the consequences in League of Legends can be quite noticeable:

• Reward restrictions — you won’t receive Honor capsules, key fragments, or other in-game bonuses tied to Honor progression.
• Event lockouts — access to certain events, experimental modes, or in-game missions may be restricted.
• Ranked rewards unavailable — even if you complete the entire season, you won’t receive ranked rewards like the season’s loading screen border or skin if you’re at Honor 0 or 1.
• Slower recovery — to regain access to rewards, you’ll need to play consistently with good behavior over time, avoiding reports and penalties to prove you’ve changed.
• Loss of trust from teammates — players may notice you aren’t receiving honors and could treat you with caution or suspicion.

These levels are somewhat similar to League of Legends Champion Mastery — the better you play on a champion, the higher your mastery level, and the better the rewards you receive.

In a way, having a low Honor level is like carrying a mark of shame. Riot uses the Honor System not just to ban toxic behavior, but to encourage positive interactions by limiting rewards and recognition for those who don’t play nice. And since Riot is fairly generous with Honor rewards, most players don’t want to miss out on those bonuses.

Respect Earned: Choosing Who to Honor

Before entering the post-game lobby, each player has 40 seconds to honor one of their teammates in one of three categories. This is a way to show appreciation for good gameplay and assign a fitting title to a teammate. The feature is only available in matchmade games, including Co-op vs AI.

Stayed Cool Calm under pressure, mentally unshakable. “Stayed Cool” is for the player who kept their composure and helped maintain a positive atmosphere throughout the game. Every team needs someone who can light the spark, push forward, and never give up — that’s what "Stayed Cool" is all about.

Great Shotcalling Leadership and strategy. “Great Shotcalling” goes to the teammate who took charge and led the team — whether to a glorious victory or a respectable loss. This honor often goes to players with strong IGL-like instincts. Every captain finds a way to rally their team no matter the odds. If you’re getting this honor often, maybe you’re a born leader and the heart of your squad.

GG <3 Team player, friendly presence. “GG <3” is for someone who brought good vibes to the game, even if they didn’t make flashy plays. It’s that one friend who might not carry the team, but always makes the match more enjoyable. A wholesome pick for a wholesome teammate.

If a player receives three honors in a single game, it gets highlighted for the entire lobby. And when everyone on the team honors someone, the team gets a small boost to their overall Honor progress.

Honor rewards

And of course, as I mentioned at the beginning of this blog, the Honor System comes with its own set of rewards. The higher your Honor level, the more valuable the rewards become. Here’s what you can earn for being a friendly and positive player:

Mastery Chest Champion Mastery chests are awarded for good performance, but their availability is tied to your Honor level. They can be earned at any Honor level.

Key FragmentsKey fragments are used in the Hextech Crafting system and are periodically granted to players with Honor level 1 or higher, as long as they continue actively playing. There is a monthly cap — no more than 12 fragments within a 4-week period. The number of fragments earned is not shown in the client.

Honor OrbAt Honor levels 3, 4, and 5, reaching a checkpoint rewards you with an Honor Orb — a sphere that contains key fragments and champion shards. You can find more details about its contents further below.

Honor CapsuleUpon reaching Honor levels 3, 4, or 5, players receive an Honor Capsule. These contain key fragments, ward skins, emotes, champion shards, and exclusive Honor-themed items that can't be obtained elsewhere.

Loading Screen FlairStarting from Honor level 3, you can temporarily display an Honor icon during the match loading screen. To unlock it, you’ll need either two honors from a premade group or one from a solo teammate. The appearance of the icon depends on your current Honor level.

Levels, Checkpoints

Be kind and enjoy the game

Riot Games has done everything they can to make the community as friendly as possible. This helps newcomers feel welcome and makes it easier for experienced players to be patient with others' mistakes. The rewards are nice and easy to earn, serving as an extra bit of motivation that makes the game even more enjoyable. But even beyond the rewards — stay kind, have fun, and support each other. Good luck, have fun!