How many League of Legends champions are there? – 2025 Update

How many League of Legends champions are there in the game? Find out the answer, updated to the latest 2025 season.

Totla Number of League of Legends Champions in 2025

Ever since its release back in 2009, Riot Games has been constantly pushing the boundaries of gameplay by releasing new champions every year. Although the number of releases per year has gone over time, players have been attracted by the unique designs of the new champions’ abilities and lores.

As of February 2025, League of Legends has released a total of 170 champions, marking a new milestone for the game developer as they are getting closer and closer to the 200 champion mark.

Which is the latest champion released in League of Legends?

The last champion to be added to the game was Mel Medarda, the second champion brought directly from Riot Games’ animated series, Arcane. Released on January 23, Mel is a mid lane champion that is mainly known for its ability to reflect enemies’ abilities, a new gameplay design to be introduced in the game.

A Look at recent Champion Releases

Before Mel Medarda, Riot Games also released her mother, Ambessa Medarda, towards the end of 2024. Unlike her daughter, Ambessa is considered a top lane champion with bruiser-like characteristics, as she’s able to offer good mobility and all-in potential.

Ambessa was one of the three champions released in 2024, alongside mid lane Aurora and ADC champion Smolder.

This marked a decrease in the number of champions released compared to 2023, which saw four champions land on Summoner’s Rift:

• Milio (Support) – a friendly enchanter from Ixtal, released on March 23, 2023.
• Naafiri (Assassin) – A Darkin mid lane who excels in all-ins and flanks. Released on July 19, 2023
• Briar (Jungler) – Released on September 14, 2023, she is a jungler known for her strong skirmishing potential.
• Hwei (Mage) – a mage with great long-range poke and an extensive kit. Released on December 5, 2023.

The evolution of the League of Legends champion roster

Back in 2009, League of Legends only had a total of 40 champions on release. In the first years of League, Riot Games quickly expanded its champion pool, bringing it to over 100 different characters by 2013. Past that mark, Riot has slowed down the number of releases, maintaining an average of 3-4 champions per year:

• 2009: 40 champions at launch
• 2011: Exceeded 75 champions
• 2013: Over 100 champions
• 2017: Over 130 champions
• 2020: Reached 150 champions
• 2025: Reached 170 champions

How Many More Champions Will Riot Games Release?

Riot Games has previously stated that while they don’t plan to slow down on champion releases, they are focusing more on quality and diversity rather than sheer numbers. To compensate for the lower number of champions released, Riot Games also works on champion reworks, as they look to make older champions come “back to life” by re-designing their kit, and even lore.

Viktor was the latest champion to receive a VGU (Visual and Gameplay Update). After a community vote, Shyvana should be the next rework and is expected to be released somewhere this year.

Why the champion pool matters in LoL

Having a wide choice of champions in League of Legends adds several layers of strategy to the game, making it more dynamic and constantly in evolution. While it may be an issue for players looking to learn the game, the big champion pool keeps it refreshing for all levels of play. Additionally, it opens up to more creative gameplay and combinations, which can be often seen in professional play.

In case you don’t know how to get started, we have compiled a list of the best League of Legends champions for beginners, which should help you in the learning process. If you’re already a more advanced player and want to increase your chances of winning in ranked, here are the best champions for the patch for each role:

• Best top laners
• Best junglers
• Best mid laner
• Best ADCs
• Best supports

FAQs

1. How often does Riot Games release new champions?

Riot typically releases 3 to 5 new champions per year, depending on their roadmap.

2. Which was the first champion in League of Legends?

A total of 40 champions were released at launch in 2009, including OG champions like Ashe, Garen, Ryze, and Annie. These are typically priced at 450 BE (Blue Essence) in the shop.

3. Will League of Legends stop adding new champions?

No, Riot Games has no plans to stop adding champions but has stated it might slow down releases to focus on balance and quality.