League of Legends has spent fifteen years polishing how it teaches new players, and it shows. The tutorial is short, the first bot games feel good, and the smaller download gets you playing sooner. The shop is the catch: RP bundles never quite match item prices, and the most eye-catching skins are sold by random draw.
The first hour, minute by minute
- 00:00
Riot account and client
Create a Riot account, choose the EUW server and install the Riot Client. The PC download is around 16 GB.
- 00:15
Vanguard and a restart
Riot's Vanguard anti-cheat installs alongside the game and needs a PC restart. Windows 11 PCs must have TPM 2.0 switched on.
- 00:25
Tutorial
Three short tutorial parts cover moving, abilities, minions and towers, then a guided match on Summoner's Rift.
- 00:40
First match against bots
A co-op match against AI opponents. It is shorter and more forgiving than a full match with real players.
- 00:50
The store and the pass
The client shows the current act pass and featured skins on the home screen. You can close them and nothing is required.
- 01:00
Where you stand
Swiftplay and normal matches are open. Ranked needs account level 30, 20 champions owned and 10 normal games finished.
What the first hour gets right
The tutorial is short and confident. It teaches the lane, the minions and the towers, then hands you a real match against bots that feels like the real game. Swiftplay, a shorter mode, means your first matches with people don't have to eat a whole evening.
Champions are unlocked with Blue Essence, which you earn just by playing, and Riot cut those prices in 2025. A new player builds a useful roster within a couple of weeks without spending.
Where it trips you up
The install has more steps than it should. Vanguard runs at system level and needs a restart, and on Windows 11 it will not start without TPM 2.0 turned on. Most modern PCs have it, but checking a firmware setting is not how anyone wants to start a game.
Ranked is some way off: level 30, 20 champions and 10 finished normal games. That is fair, and it keeps new players out of the deep end.
Money: RP, passes and the Sanctum
Everything in the shop is priced in RP. The bundles are the classic trap: the act pass costs 1,650 RP, but the nearest bundles are 1,380 RP and 2,800 RP, so you either buy two bundles or buy far more than you need. The cheapest way to the pass is 1,380 RP plus 575 RP, about £14.75, with 305 RP left over.
The Sanctum is where care is needed. Its top skins are sold by random pull at 400 RP each, with a 0.5% chance of the top tier per pull and a guarantee only at the 80th pull. That guarantee alone is 32,000 RP, well over £200. Riot publishes the rates, which is to its credit, but we'd leave the Sanctum alone.
Who should play it
Anyone curious about MOBAs who wants the gentler start of the two big ones, and players who like a steady stream of new cosmetics and events. Set a budget before you open the store, and use a spending limit if a child plays.
What we liked, what we didn't
Worth your hour
- A short, confident tutorial and quick first matches
- Every champion earnable with Blue Essence, now cheaper than before
- Free pass track and free chests every act
- Smaller download than most rivals
Watch out for
- Vanguard needs a restart and TPM 2.0 on Windows 11
- RP bundles are sized to leave leftovers
- Premium skins sold by random draw with a 0.5% top rate
- Ranked is a long way off for new accounts
What League of Legends really costs
Free, or included in the price
- The whole game and every mode
- Every champion, unlocked with Blue Essence from play
- A free pass track each act
- Up to 10 free chests per act from the free track and Honor
Price list (UK, VAT included)
| Item | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| 575 RP | £4.50 | Smallest bundle |
| 1,380 RP | £10.25 | |
| 2,800 RP | £19.99 | |
| 4,500 RP | £31.50 | |
| 6,500 RP | £44.99 | |
| 13,500 RP | £88.99 | Larger bundles go up to 60,200 RP for £385 |
| Act pass | 1,650 RP | About £14.75 via 1,380 + 575 RP. Six acts a year |
| Sanctum pull | 400 RP | Random skin draw; guaranteed top skin at pull 80, which is 32,000 RP |
League sells randomised items through the Sanctum and seasonal orbs. Riot publishes the rates: on each Sanctum banner the top tier is 0.5% per pull, with a guaranteed top-tier skin by the 80th pull. Chests can also be earned free. All of it is cosmetic.
Our month-one advice
Play free for the first month: earn Blue Essence, unlock a handful of champions and use the free pass track. If you then want the act pass, buy 1,380 RP and 575 RP rather than the 2,800 RP bundle. RP prices come from the EUW price list; the client shows the final figure before you pay.
Prices checked 24 September 2026 on the official UK stores. They change with sales and currency updates, so the store checkout price is the one that counts.
How to pay for League of Legends in the UK · Set a spending limit first
Questions people ask
How much is RP in the UK?
On the EUW server the smallest bundle is 575 RP for £4.50 and the next is 1,380 RP for £10.25. Larger bundles run up to 60,200 RP. The client shows the final price before you pay.
Do I need to pay to unlock champions?
No. Every champion can be unlocked with Blue Essence, which you earn by playing. RP is only needed if you want to skip the wait or buy cosmetics.
What is the Sanctum?
A store section that sells top-tier skins by random pull at 400 RP each. Riot publishes the rates: 0.5% for the top tier, guaranteed by the 80th pull.
Can I limit a child's spending in League of Legends?
Riot's terms make a parent responsible for a minor's purchases. The simplest control is to keep payment methods off the child's Riot account and approve purchases yourself; our spending controls guide covers the wider set-up.
Sources
- Riot Games support: minimum and recommended system requirements
- Riot Games support: Season 3 Act I event and pass prices
- Riot Games support: The Sanctum rates and guarantees
- League of Legends Wiki: RP price list by region
- League of Legends Wiki: ranked requirements
- PEGI rating search
- Riot Games terms of service
