In the world of League of Legends (LoL), where prestige skins and flashy emotes dominate the battlefield, Hextech Chests are one of the best free ways to unlock cosmetic content. Whether you’re hoping for a lucky Legendary skin or just farming Orange Essence, getting more chests means more chances to upgrade your collection — without spending a dime. But how do you consistently earn them?
Here’s a breakdown of how chests work in League of Legends and how you can maximize your chances of unlocking more of them.
How Chests Work: The Basics
Hextech Chests are earned by receiving an S-, S, or S+ grade in a match while using a champion you own. Alternatively, you can also get chests if you’re partied with a player who earns an S grade — but only if that player is using a champion you also own.
Each chest requires a key to open, which can be forged from key fragments dropped periodically based on your Honor level.
You can earn up to four chests per month, and each chest is tied to a specific champion. Once you earn a chest with a champion, you can’t get another chest with that same champ until the chest cool down resets or the season refreshes.
Tips to Get More Chests
1. Aim for High Grades
To earn chests, you need top-tier performance. S grades are based on a combination of:
- KDA (Kill/Death/Assist ratio)
- Vision score
- CS (Creep Score)
- Objective control
- Damage dealt and taken (relative to your role)
Play champions and roles you’re comfortable with and where you consistently perform well.
2. Play in Premade Parties
Playing with friends increases your odds. If a party member gets an S while using a champion you own, you get the chest. Queue up with skilled teammates or smurfing friends to farm chests more reliably.
3. Expand Your Champion Pool
You can only get a chest once per champion, so if you’re stuck with a narrow pool, you’ll quickly hit a wall. Unlock more champions to keep earning chests week after week. ARAMs and rotating game modes are great for trying out unfamiliar champions.
4. Track Your Chest Availability
Check which champions you’ve already earned a chest with by going to your champion collection — a small chest icon next to their name indicates if you’ve already received a chest for that champion. You can also see how many chests you can still earn that week.
5. Focus on Flexible Roles
Roles like jungle and support often have a higher chance of earning S grades, especially when controlling vision and objectives. If you’re good at shot-calling and map awareness, these roles might be your golden ticket.
Bonus: Buying Chests (If You Can’t Wait)
For players looking to skip the grind, Riot offers Hextech Chests for RP in the store. Bundles are often sold during events or alongside loot passes. While this isn’t a free method, it’s a shortcut to increase your loot pile fast.
Final Thoughts
Earning chests in League of Legends isn’t just about brute skill — it’s about strategy, consistency, and a bit of teamwork. Whether you’re a jungle main racking up S+ ratings or a support tagging along with a carry friend, knowing how the system works can give you an edge.
The next time you hit the Rift, don’t just play to win — play for the chest.
Written by:
Christian