In League of Legends, SP, or Split Points, are a form of in-game currency earned exclusively by playing ranked games. While many players focus on earning LP (League Points) to climb the competitive ladder, SP serves a different, but equally important, purpose: it’s your key to unlocking exclusive cosmetic rewards like skins, emotes, and chromas each ranked season.
The Evolution of Ranked Rewards
For many years, League of Legends’ ranked reward system was a simple, end-of-season affair. Players had to climb to at least Gold rank to earn the coveted Victorious skin, with all other rewards distributed at the end of the year based on a player’s highest rank. This system often led to “ranked anxiety,” where players would stop playing once they hit their desired rank to avoid demotion.
In recent years, Riot Games overhauled this system, introducing a more continuous, “split-based” approach. Now, the ranked year is divided into multiple splits, and each split offers its own set of rewards tied to a new currency: Split Points. This change was designed to reward consistent play and keep the ranked ladder active throughout the entire year, rather than just at the start and end.
The Mechanics of Earning SP
Earning SP is a simple and automatic process; you don’t need to complete special quests or challenges. As long as you are playing a ranked game in an active split, you will be accumulating points.
- Wins and Losses: You gain SP for every ranked game you play, regardless of the outcome. Winning a game typically grants you 10 SP, while a loss awards 6 SP. This ensures that even on a losing streak, you’re still making progress toward your rewards.
- Faster Progress: While both wins and losses give you points, a higher win rate will naturally accelerate your progress, allowing you to reach reward milestones more quickly.
- Honor and Eligibility: There’s one important requirement to be aware of: you must maintain a minimum Honor Level to be eligible for rewards. This encourages good sportsmanship and behavior in the community.
You can easily monitor your SP progress in the client’s Ranked tab on your profile. This section shows your current total SP and highlights the upcoming rewards you’re working toward, giving you a clear goal to strive for.
A Look at the Rewards
The rewards tied to SP are a core part of the ranked experience and often include highly sought-after cosmetic items.
- Victorious Skins: The most iconic reward is the Victorious skin. Under the new system, any player can now earn the base skin by simply winning 15 ranked games during the split, a significant change from the old Gold-rank requirement. However, players who achieve higher ranks still receive extra rewards.
- Chromas: The prestige of the Victorious skin now comes from its chromas, which are awarded based on your final rank at the end of the split. The higher your rank, the more chromas you’ll receive, allowing you to show off your competitive skill.
- Other Cosmetics: As you hit various SP milestones, you’ll also unlock a variety of other items, including emotes, icons, ward skins, and profile banners. These smaller rewards provide a consistent sense of accomplishment and progression throughout the split.
In summary, Split Points have transformed the ranked experience in League of Legends from a single-goal grind into a continuous journey of progression and rewards. By simply queuing up and playing, you’re not just climbing the ladder; you’re also earning exclusive cosmetics that celebrate your dedication and progress in each split.
Written by:
Christian