Dangling on low LP is always stressful and unpredictable, especially if you’ve lost a few games in a row and hit the dreaded 0 LP mark.
With changes to the demotion and promotion system, it can be challenging to keep track of the rules and how many games one can lose before being demoted to the lower competitive tier.
Once you start losing games at 0 lp, two different scenarios can unfold depending on your current ranked tier.
Losing at 0 LP explained
Demoting between tiers
If you’re currently facing demotion to a different tier of the same division (i.e. Bronze III -> Bronze IV), you will get demoted to the lower tier after losing only one ranked game at 0 LP.
This rule applies to every ranked division except Master, Grandmaster, and Challenger, which have a different ranked structure.
If you’ve just climbed up to the next tier within a division, you will be granted a small amount of LP to ensure you don’t instantly demote after losing a single game at 0 LP.
Demoting between divisions
In a different scenario, if you’re about to be demoted on 0 LP from one division to another (for example, Gold IV -> Silver I), you can lose several games before being demoted to the lower division.
The number of games you’re allowed to lose before demoting depends on your hidden MMR.
Demotion shield
Since you cannot know your account’s exact MMR and how close you’re to demotion, Riot invented the demotion shield to help players understand how many games they can lose before they get demoted to a lower division.
If you’re on 0 LP and risking demotion to a different division, a demotion shield will appear under your ranked banner in your profile section.
On the other hand,
if you don’t have a demotion shield on your profile, you’re in luck as your MMR is good enough for your current rank, and you don’t risk demotion.
Based on your current MMR, the demotion shield can be:
- Yellow – You’re losing too many games and approaching demotion
- Red – You can only lose 1 or 2 more games before getting immediately demoted
Losing at 0 LP in the highest elo
The highest tiers of competitive play, Master, Grandmaster, and Challenger, have a separate ranked ladder called the Apex ladder, where promotions and demotions work slightly differently.
All players are placed on a single LP ladder, and movements between these three divisions are frequent.
Losing at 0 LP in Master
Theoretically, Master is the only Apex-ranked tier in which you can hit 0 LP. Once you reach Master, you’re granted a 3-defeat demotion shield, after which you’ll be demoted normally once you lose a game at 0 LP.
Grandmaster demotion
Grandmaster players get demoted after falling below 200 LP in their region or losing more LP than the lowest-ranked Grandmaster player.
Challenger demotion
Much like Grandmaster, Challenger players get demoted after falling under a certain LP margin which is 500, or if they lose more LP than the lowest-ranked Challenger player.