Blue Essence is League of Legends’ primary free-to-play currency, earned by playing the game rather than spending real money. It is the main resource for unlocking champions and a handful of other in-game options. If you are new to LoL, just returned after a break, or simply have a pile of Blue Essence sitting on your account without a clear plan, this guide covers everything.
What Is Blue Essence?
Blue Essence (BE) is League of Legends’ earned currency, obtained through leveling up your account, completing missions, and disenchanting champion shards from Hextech Chests and Capsules. It exists so players can unlock game content without spending real money.
In practice, Blue Essence serves two main purposes:
- Permanently unlocking champions
- Purchasing additional rune pages
How to Earn Blue Essence
There are several ways to accumulate Blue Essence in LoL:
1. Leveling Up Your Account
Every time you gain an account level, you receive a level capsule containing champion shards and, depending on the level milestone, direct Blue Essence. Capsules become more generous after level 30.
2. Disenchanting Champion Shards
When you receive a champion shard from a Hextech Chest or Capsule, you can disenchant it to convert it into Blue Essence. The amount varies based on the champion’s original price:
| Champion Price | BE When Disenchanted |
|---|---|
| 450 BE | 90 BE |
| 1,350 BE | 270 BE |
| 3,150 BE | 630 BE |
| 4,800 BE | 960 BE |
| 6,300 BE | 1,260 BE |
| 7,800 BE | 1,560 BE |
3. Missions and Events
Riot Games distributes Blue Essence regularly through:
- Daily and weekly missions
- Seasonal event reward tracks
- Honor reward capsules
- First win of the day bonuses (during certain periods)
4. Selling Back Extra Rune Pages
If you have purchased additional rune pages with Blue Essence that you no longer use, you can sell them back for BE.
What Can You Spend Blue Essence On?
Unlocking Champions
This is the primary use of Blue Essence. Every champion in LoL can be purchased with BE:
| Price in BE | Champions |
|---|---|
| 450 | Oldest and simplest champions (Ashe, Annie, Garen, etc.) |
| 1,350 | Second cheapest category |
| 3,150 | Mid-difficulty champions |
| 4,800 | Majority of the roster |
| 6,300 | Most recent champions at release |
| 7,800 | Newest releases (reduced to 6,300 after a few weeks) |
You can also activate champion shards by spending a reduced amount of Blue Essence. Instead of buying from scratch, you use the shard plus a discounted amount of BE to permanently unlock the champion:
- A shard for a 6,300 BE champion + 1,890 BE = champion permanently unlocked
Purchasing Additional Rune Pages
LoL provides 2 free rune pages for all players. You can purchase additional pages for 6,300 BE each, allowing you to save more rune configurations simultaneously.
Is it worth it? It depends on how often you switch builds between games. Players who main one or two champions with fixed builds rarely need more than 2 pages. Players who play many different champions with specific rune setups will find extra pages valuable.
Temporary Name Change (During Select Periods)
During specific events, Riot allows name changes using Blue Essence. This is not always available but occurs periodically through the client.
Should You Save Your Blue Essence?
Yes, especially if you do not yet own all the champions you want to play. The free champion rotation changes every week, so if you want permanent access to a champion you enjoy, unlocking with BE is the free path to doing that.
After you own all the champions you regularly play, Blue Essence loses most of its practical utility. Most mid-to-long-term players accumulate BE with nowhere to spend it.
Does Blue Essence Reset?
No. Blue Essence accumulates indefinitely and does not expire between seasons. You can save BE for months and it will still be available whenever you need it.
Unlike Riot Points (purchased with real money), BE does not expire and has no accumulation cap.
Blue Essence vs Riot Points: What Is the Difference?
| Feature | Blue Essence | Riot Points |
|---|---|---|
| How to obtain | By playing | Real money purchase |
| Can buy champions | Yes | Yes |
| Can buy skins | No | Yes |
| Can buy cosmetics (most) | No | Yes |
| Expires | No | No |
Blue Essence covers champions. For skins, chromas, emotes, and most other cosmetics, Riot Points are required.
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Pro Tips: Earning Blue Essence Faster
- Do not let champion shards sit idle: shards you do not plan to activate should be disenchanted for BE immediately. Holding onto unwanted shards is holding onto potential Blue Essence for no reason.
- Complete weekly missions: bonus win missions and seasonal event tracks are the fastest way to accumulate BE beyond normal level XP.
- Activate champions with a shard rather than buying from scratch: when you have the shard for a champion you want, activating it costs less BE than purchasing without a shard. Always wait for the shard when possible before spending full BE.
FAQ: Blue Essence in LoL
- How do I see how much Blue Essence I have? The amount is displayed in the top right corner of the LoL client screen, next to the blue coin icon.
- Can I transfer Blue Essence to another player? No. Blue Essence is account-bound and cannot be transferred, gifted, or traded.
- How do I disenchant a champion shard? Go to Loot in the client, find the champion shard, and select the Disenchant option. Confirm the action to receive the corresponding Blue Essence.
League of Legends and related marks are trademarks of Riot Games. Used for informational and educational purposes only.
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