LP Decay and How to Avoid It
LP decay punishes inactivity at high ranks. This guide explains
how decay works at Diamond, Master, Grandmaster, and Challenger,
and how to protect your progress without burning out.
How LP Decay Works
LP decay is a system that removes LP from accounts that do not
play ranked games for a certain period. Decay is designed to
keep the top of the ladder active and prevent players from
camping a high rank. At Diamond, Master, Grandmaster, and
Challenger, inactivity results in LP loss. Iron through
Platinum do not decay. The higher your rank, the stricter the
decay rules. In Diamond and Master, you have banked days that
accumulate. When your banked days run out, you start losing LP
each day. The banked day system is forgiving: you gain a
banked day each time you play a game, up to a cap. This means
you do not need to play every single day to avoid decay, but
you do need to play regularly enough to keep your bank above
zero.
Diamond and Master Decay
In Diamond and Master, you accrue banked days that protect you
from decay. You can store a maximum number of days, which
gives you the flexibility to take breaks without losing LP
immediately. If you let the bank fall to zero, you lose LP
each day until you play again or drop to a lower tier. The
amount of LP lost per day is fixed and does not depend on your
MMR. Decay stops once you fall to the lowest tier of Diamond,
so you cannot decay below Diamond IV. This means decay is
primarily a problem for high-elo players and not a concern for
players below Diamond. Master decay is similar to Diamond
decay but with stricter timing. The exact number of banked
days and daily LP loss can change between seasons, so check
the current official patch notes for the exact values.
Grandmaster and Challenger Decay
Grandmaster and Challenger have the strictest decay rules
because these tiers are limited to the top players on the
server. The number of Grandmaster and Challenger slots is
limited, and inactive players are removed to make room for
active players climbing up. In these tiers, you must play
frequently to maintain your position. If you stop playing, you
lose a large amount of LP daily and can drop out of the tier
quickly. The competition is fierce because the player pool is
small and everyone near the top is active. This is why
professional and high-elo streamers often play many games each
day during the season. If you reach Grandmaster or Challenger,
plan your schedule to keep playing regularly or accept that
you will decay. The exact decay rules for these tiers change
frequently, so always verify the current rules on the official
League of Legends website.
How to Avoid Decay
The easiest way to avoid decay is to play one ranked game
every few days and check your banked days. If you are going on
vacation or taking a break, play a few games beforehand to
fill your bank. Decay does not happen during preseason or
off-season periods in the same way, but the rules change each
season, so do not assume you are safe. Remember that decay
only affects LP, not MMR, which means even if you decay from
Diamond II to Diamond IV, your MMR stays roughly the same.
When you return and win games, you will climb back quickly
because your LP gains will be large until your rank catches up
to your MMR. If you are worried about decay, the LP Calculator
can help you plan a comeback by estimating how many games you
need to recover lost LP. The key is to stay active and not let
your banked days reach zero.