League of Legends, Riot Games’ iconic multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), has captivated millions since its release in 2009. With over 160 champions and a growing roster, the game’s complexity doesn’t just stem from strategy and teamwork — a huge part of it comes from its massive library of champion abilities. But how many abilities are actually in League of Legends? The answer is more layered than you might expect:
The Basic Math: Counting the Core Abilities
Each champion in League of Legends has a standard kit of five abilities:
- Passive (P)
- Three Basic Abilities (Q, W, E)
- Ultimate (R)
With 168 champions as of early 2025, a simple calculation gives us:
168 champions × 5 abilities = 840 core abilities
But that’s just the beginning.
Beyond the Basics: Transformations and Alternate Forms
Some champions break the mold. Take Elise, Nidalee, Jayce, and Karma — they have alternate forms or stances, each with its own set of abilities. For example:
- Elise has both human and spider forms, each with Q, W, and E.
- Aphelios rotates between 5 different weapons, each with unique mechanics.
- Sylas can steal ultimates from enemies, meaning his R has potentially over 160 variations.
Accounting for champions like these, Riot’s total number of unique abilities stretches well beyond 1,000, depending on how you count modular variations.
Special Interactions and Scaling Complexity
Many abilities scale based on factors like champion level, items, or even other abilities. Others interact dynamically with the environment or with enemy champions’ actions. For instance:
- Senna’s passive stacks with souls, fundamentally altering her playstyle.
- Zoe can pick up and use summoner spells dropped by enemies.
- Viego can possess other champions, gaining access to their abilities temporarily.
Do these “borrowed” or context-sensitive abilities count? From a gameplay standpoint — absolutely.
Items, Summoner Spells, and Runes
While champion abilities form the foundation, players also use:
- Summoner Spells (e.g., Flash, Ignite): 12+
- Active Item Abilities (like Goredrinker, Hextech Rocketbelt): ~30+
- Keystone Runes with active effects (e.g., Predator, Glacial Augment)
These add another 50–70 abilities that all players must master or understand.
Total Estimate: Over 1,200 Distinct Interactions
When factoring in:
- Standard champion kits
- Alternate forms
- Conditional mechanics (like Aphelios and Sylas)
- Summoner spells, items, and runes
…the number of unique, actionable abilities and effects in League easily exceeds 1,200. And with new champions released every few months, that number is only growing.
Why It Matters
The sheer volume of abilities is part of what makes League of Legends endlessly replayable — and difficult to master. It also poses major challenges for developers at Riot Games, who must constantly balance a game with thousands of moving parts.
Whether you’re a newcomer struggling to remember what every button does or a seasoned pro optimizing builds and cooldowns, one thing is clear: League isn’t just a game of mechanics — it’s a game of mastering a living, breathing encyclopedia of abilities.
Written by:
Christian