Path to become a League of Legends pro-player (2019)

Being an esports pro-player is something that most people aspire to become when playing Lol (League of Legends) but in reality only a handful of them actually manage to achieve their goals. If you are one of these players, that so badly craves for a chance to play at a pro-level, I have to tell you, there's no better time than now, to start your career!

The year has just started and with it, a new season of opportunities for a player like you. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that everyone can be pro, if that was the case you wouldn't be reading this... But I am not saying that it's impossible either! If you believe you got what it takes to play at a pro-level and all you need is some guidance on where to start and what to do, then this guide is for you. Expect an extremely hard and crushing road ahead, good luck!

#1 A good start

League of Legends (LoL), the King of the MOBAs. It's definitely one of those games that you either love it or hate it, but you can't deny the fact that it is the most played MOBA ever, with around +80 million players, more joining every month. It's also one of the most competitive games out there, where becoming a pro-player is nothing but a dream to most people.

Let's put it this way... in order to be considered a pro-player and be able to compete at the Pro-Leagues, you will have to meet the requirements established by Riot Games, which are: being ranked at least Diamond 3 and being +17 years old. There's no other way around it. According to statistics that you can find on the forums and other websites such as reddit, unranked smurfs... only 2.8% of the whole player base is Diamond or above. And not even half of those are pros.

But don't give up just yet though. If you are reading this, it's because you believe that you are one of those that will be able to beat the odds. I wish you nothing but the best of luck and I will tell you exactly what's the right path for you to take in order to succeed.

So, how does one become pro in League of Legends?

The answer to that is quite simple... the Challenger Series!

The Challenger Series is the only path t League of Legends Championship Series (LCS). You have a long road ahead, to actually compete at the Challenger Series is not an easy task. But when you're there, you're there! Nobody will be able to take that away from you. You are playing on the first stage of Pro-level Competition. Win or Lose the Challenger Series, that will depend on you and your team, but all you have to do is get there! Once you're there, you will be noticed and then it will get easier. Scouts will notice you, you'll be moving from a minor team to a major one, you will get popularity and be known... but you need to get there and it's hard... very hard!

First of all, let's be realistic. If you land in bronze/silver, you should forget the dream. I'm sorry it has to be this way but it's the truth. You can start over, you can get someone to boost you but it won't help, if you can't reach gold while playing with bronze and silvers, you will never be able to play at pro-level. You can try to get someone to coach you and actually improve, if becoming pro is something really that important to you, but the chances that you will succeed are very small.

However, if you landed in Gold/Platinum, good job! You have completed the first step. Don't let that get over your head... you're nothing but an average skilled player, yet. The next and most crucial step, you will have to reach Mid Plat/Diamond by the end of the season!

"Wait, what? That's though... is that even possible? What if I don't manage to complete the task by the end of the season?"

#2 Beat the odds

The longer it takes, the harder it becomes. If you get stuck in gold and by the end of the season you didn't improve, then that probably means that that's the right skill-level for you and you don't have what it takes to play at a pro-level. The season ends, next season begins, you are placed in a worse spot than you were before, you manage to increase ranks but you are still stuck in gold... We all know this cycle. It is hard but simple at the same time, if you want to be pro, you must succeed at this crucial task.

If you believe you got what it takes to increase rank and improve as you go by your own, good! Becoming a pro-player is not just a goal that many players have, it's also an outcome of the player's hard work and skill. Faker didn't become the Faker we know overnight. If you believe you are good enough to be a pro-player, then think of this task as something necessary, not impossible. However, a little help never hurts the player. Get someone experienced to coach you, someone that will guide you on your journey and help you be more effective as a player.

#3 Choose your path

Try your luck as a solo player or in a team

The season came to its end and look at you... you are Mid Plat/Diamond. Congratulations, you have certainly beaten the odds. Now it's time to think about your future and decide what's the next step that fits you more.

You can either continue as you are doing, improving and increasing rank on your own, or join a minor team with potential and that matches your goals.

If you opt by going solo, I must warn you, not only you'll not be prepared for the pro-level experience, but it will also be harder. One thing that must be clear, "playing as a team" is not the same as "playing as a team" in a team! By going solo, you miss the opportunity to learn how to play together, to communicate properly, to learn from your mistakes, to meet new people, develop a bond and team spirit. You will also get to know your team better than anyone, more precisely their style of playing and you will learn how to adapt and be more effective by making sure the whole team benefits from your way of playing and thinking.

But still, It's understandable that some players would rather continue on their own as they've always done. If that's the case, your next task is to start making a name for yourself. More than 80 million people play this game. You will not stand out just by playing well. I recommend you start streaming. Not only is a good and effective way of spreading your name and get the attention you need to succeed in this career, but you might also end up enjoying streaming and earning a few bucks. Who knows, maybe you will lose the interest in becoming a pro-player. In any case, streaming is an effective way of getting noticed. Besides streaming, you can also do blogs, short gameplays for youtube, guides...

Now, if you opt to join a minor team, your path will be clearer because now you're not alone on this journey. The whole team has the same goals as you and you will reach those goals together. Of course, you must make sure that you join a team that matches your skill and has potential. One important advice, don't create a team out of friends, make friends from the team. I'm sure you're not the only one who has been invited by friends to their minor teams, but you must ask yourself, what exactly do you want? To become a pro-player or play casually with your friends and have fun? Because 90% of the times, that's what playing with friends will result in, just casual scrims and friendly tournaments. You are in a phase where you must make the best choices for your career. Find a team that matches your goals and has potential and then get to know them. Make friends out of them. But never forget your goals.

#4 The Challenger Series

While in a team, start by doing scrimmages against other teams. You can find many posts on reddit or other forums made by other teams that want to scrim. Join friendly tournaments and improve as a team. Find a coach, paid or free, as long as he is responsible enough to guide the team and help you improve.

At some point, doesn't matter which path you ended up choosing, you realize that you have to join a team. Even if you became a very known streamer, if you are not invited to a major team, the only way you can get there is by joining a minor team and competing at the Challenger Series.

This is it! Everything you have been doing so far, every kill and assist, every game, every choice you've made in the game led to this moment. This is the chance that most players wish they had. You've earned it. You and your team must first meet the requirements established by Riot in order to compete, which are:

The team must have 5 to 7 players;
All must be at least 17 years old;
All must be ranked at least Diamond 3.

If you meet this requirements, then you are good to go. Sign the team to for the Open Qualifier Tournament. You can read the competition's info in LOLEsports website. If you manage to enter the Challenger Series Qualifiers, you've done more than most players had and you should be proud whatever the outcome.

However, you will only achieve your true goal if you manage to enter the Challenger Series. If you and your team did, you can stop clicking the mouse and rest your hand for a minute because you are a pro-player! You and your team will be competing at Pro-Level. Do your best at the Challenger Series, but no matter the outcome, you were noticed! People will know you, you'll keep improving, major teams will want you, scouts will follow you...

If your team manages to win the Challenger Series, you automatically qualify for League of Legends Championship Series (LCS). If you end 2nd or 3rd place, you will get a chance to qualify to LCS if you beat the teams that were in last of LCS. Either way, at this point you will have many opportunities but no matter the outcome, you've achieved your goal and this is where it gets better... you've already proven yourself, if you and your team don't win this season, as long as you continue playing the way you do and continue meeting the requirements established by Riot Games, you will be able to sign for the Challenger Series next season, next one and the one after that!