How to Get an S Ranking in League of Legends

Getting an S rank in League of Legends is the key to earning mastery tokens, unlocking higher mastery levels, and showing off your champion mastery. This guide breaks down exactly what the game looks at when assigning your grade and gives you a step-by-step plan to consistently earn S and S+ ranks in your matches.

What You’ll Need

• A League of Legends account (level 30+ for ranked, but S ranks work in all modes)
• A champion you are comfortable with (mechanics matter less than consistency)
• Basic knowledge of your role’s duties (farming, objectives, vision)
• Wards and trinket upgrades (you’ll use them a lot)

Step-by-Step

1. Play a champion you know well. The grading system compares your performance to other players on the same champion in the same role. If you pick a champion you have 20 games on, you’ll naturally perform better than someone first-timing it. Stick to 2-3 champions per role to build consistent habits.
2. Focus on farm, not just kills. CS (creep score) is one of the heaviest weighted factors. Aim for at least 7-8 CS per minute. That means 70-80 minions by 10 minutes, 140-160 by 20. If you’re behind in kills, farming keeps your grade high. Practice last-hitting in the practice tool if you’re below 6 CS/min.
3. Keep your death count low. Dying more than 3-4 times in a 30-minute game usually kills your S rank, even if you have 15 kills. Play safe when you don’t know where the enemy jungler is. Buy control wards and place them in river bushes to avoid ganks.
4. Maximize your kill participation. The system loves high kill participation (KP). That means being present for kills across the map, not just in your lane. Rotate to dragon and Rift Herald fights. If you’re a mid laner, roam bot and top. If you’re support, set up picks with vision and engage.
5. Ward aggressively and often. Vision score is a major factor, especially for supports and junglers. Place wards in high-traffic areas (river, enemy jungle entrances) and clear enemy wards with control wards or Oracle Lens. Aim for a vision score of at least 1.5x the game time in minutes (e.g., 45 vision score at 30 minutes).
6. Take objectives and towers. The grading system rewards map impact. Help take dragon, Baron, Rift Herald, and towers. Even if you’re a laner, push your lane after killing your opponent instead of just recalling. A single tower plate or a dragon assist boosts your score.
7. Play the whole game well, not just the early game. The grade is calculated over the entire match. A strong early game followed by a terrible mid-game (feeding, dying to ganks) will drop your rank. Keep farming and warding even when you’re ahead. Don’t throw your lead by overextending.
8. Win the game. While you can get an S on a loss, it’s much easier on a win. Winning games usually means more objectives, higher KP, and better overall stats. Focus on closing out the game efficiently once you’re ahead. Group with your team for Baron and sieges.
9. Check your grade after each game. After the match, look at the post-game screen. It shows your grade and the stats that contributed. If you got an A+, note what was missing (CS? vision? deaths?) and work on that next game.
10. Play normal or ARAM for practice. S ranks count in all modes for mastery tokens, but the grading curve differs. In ARAM, it’s easier to get high kills but harder to farm. In Summoner’s Rift, focus on the steps above. Use normals to practice a champion until you can consistently hit 7 CS/min and low deaths.

Common Mistakes

• Chasing kills and dying. A 10/8/5 score is worse than a 6/1/10 score for S ranks. Deaths hurt more than kills help.
• Ignoring CS after laning phase. Many players stop farming after 15 minutes. Keep catching side waves and jungle camps to maintain your CS/min.
• Not upgrading trinket. The free yellow trinket only holds one ward. Upgrade it at level 9 to hold two, and switch to Oracle Lens if you’re a jungler or support to clear vision.
• Playing too passively. Having zero deaths but also zero kill participation gives you a low grade. You need to be involved in fights and objectives.
• Forgetting about vision after laning. Vision score matters all game. Keep placing wards, not just in the first 10 minutes.

Tips

• Play off-meta champions. The grading curve compares you to others on the same champion. If you play a less popular champion (like Yorick or Aurelion Sol), the average stats might be lower, making it easier to exceed them.
• Use your champion’s strengths. If you’re playing a split-pusher, push towers. If you’re playing a teamfighter, group for objectives. The system rewards doing your champion’s job well.
• Track your own stats. Use third-party sites (like OP.GG or League of Graphs) to see your average CS, vision, and KP per champion. Compare them to the average and improve where you’re below.
• Play when you’re not tilted. A calm mind makes better decisions. If you’re on a losing streak, take a break. S ranks come from consistent, focused play.

Troubleshooting

If you’re doing everything right and still getting A+ or A, here’s what to check:

• Check your CS per minute. If you’re at 6 CS/min, that’s likely the issue. Go into the practice tool and last-hit for 10 minutes without abilities. Aim for 80+ CS.
• Check your vision score. If you’re below 1.5x game time, you need to ward more. Buy control wards on every recall if you have spare gold.
• Check your kill participation. If you have 5 kills but your team has 30, your KP is low. Rotate more to fights.
• Are you dying too much? If you have 5+ deaths, that’s a huge negative. Play safer, position behind your tanks, and don’t face-check bushes.
• Is your game too short? A 15-minute surrender win might not give you enough time to accumulate stats. The system still grades you, but longer games tend to have more data.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I get an S rank in ARAM? Yes, ARAM games give S ranks and count for mastery tokens, but the grading curve is different. Kills are higher, but CS is lower, so focus on damage and KDA.
2. Do I need to win to get an S? No, you can get an S on a loss, but it’s rare. Winning helps because you’ll have more objectives and better stats overall.
3. How many S ranks do I need for mastery 7? You need two S ranks (or S+) on a champion to get mastery level 7, after having mastery 6 with two S- ranks.
4. Does the role matter for grading? Yes, the system compares you to others in the same role on that champion. A support S rank is different from a mid laner S rank.
5. Can I get an S rank in a normal game? Yes, normal games count for S ranks and mastery tokens, just like ranked games. The only difference is the matchmaking quality.
6. Why did I get an A+ with 20 kills? Likely because your CS was low, you died too many times, or your vision score was poor. Kills alone don’t guarantee an S.

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