A smurf account is a player’s secondary League of Legends account, kept separate from their main for a fresh start or focused practice.
Here is the short version:
- Common reasons: a clean MMR, practicing new champions or roles without risking your main’s rank, queuing with lower-ranked friends, and pros or streamers practicing off-main.
- Ranked unlocks at account level 30 after you own 20+ champions and play 10 Normal or Swiftplay Summoner’s Rift games.
- Hand-leveling to 30 takes roughly 150-200 games, about 50-120 hours, or 1-3 weeks of regular play.
- Hand-leveled accounts carry far less ban risk and hold more value than botted ones; buying or transferring any account runs against Riot’s Terms of Service.
What is a smurf account in League of Legends?
A smurf account is a player’s secondary League of Legends account, kept separate from their main. The term originally described a strong player using a low-profile account, but in practice it now covers any second account a player keeps for a clean slate or focused practice. The account itself is an ordinary Riot account; what makes it a ‘smurf’ is how the owner uses it.
Mechanically there is nothing special about a smurf. It levels, unlocks champions, and earns a ranked placement exactly like a first account. The difference is intent: the owner already has a main and wants a separate space to experiment, climb fresh, or play with a different group without affecting their primary profile.
Why do players use smurf accounts?
Players use smurf accounts mainly for a clean MMR, off-main practice, friend queues, and content creation. Each of these is a practical reason to keep a second account rather than risk the main one.
A fresh smurf has untouched matchmaking rating, so placements reflect current skill rather than an old, decayed, or hard-stuck record. Many players also use a smurf to practice a new champion or an off-role without bleeding LP on their main, since early reps on an unfamiliar pick tend to lose. Smurfs let higher-ranked players queue with lower-ranked friends closer to their bracket, and pros and streamers run them to practice or make content off their primary identity.
If you would rather skip the 150-plus game climb to level 30, you can browse ready-made Level 30 smurf accounts.
What do you need to unlock ranked on a smurf?
To unlock ranked on any League of Legends account you need account level 30, ownership of at least 20 champions, and 10 completed Normal or Swiftplay games on Summoner’s Rift. All three conditions must be met before ranked queues open.
The 20-champion requirement counts only champions you own; free rotation champions do not count toward it. The 10-game requirement was added in Patch 14.15 (mid-2024) to make sure new ranked players have basic Summoner’s Rift experience first. A smurf is ‘ranked-ready’ only once it clears level 30, the champion threshold, and those placement-eligibility games.
How long does it take to hand-level a smurf to 30?
Hand-leveling an account to level 30 takes roughly 150-200 games, about 50-120 hours of play, or around 1-3 weeks at a steady pace. The range depends on how you queue and how much you play each day.
The fastest free route mixes Co-op vs AI games with the first-win-of-the-day bonus and any active XP boosts, since those stack the experience you earn per game. On top of the 50-120 hours of leveling, remember you still need 20 owned champions and 10 placement-eligibility games before ranked opens, so the real path to a usable ranked smurf is the leveling time plus that setup.
Hand-leveled vs botted smurfs: what is the difference?
Hand-leveled accounts are leveled by a real person playing games, while botted accounts are leveled by automated software, and the two differ sharply in ban risk and value. Botting violates Riot’s rules and is the kind of automated behavior detection systems target, so botted accounts carry a higher chance of being flagged or banned.
Because of that, hand-leveled accounts carry far less ban risk and are worth more than botted ones. A hand-leveled account also tends to have a more natural match history, an older or cleaner record, and an honor level that reduces buyer risk. When comparing smurfs, how the account was leveled matters as much as its level number.
Is buying a smurf account against Riot’s rules?
Buying or transferring a League of Legends account runs against Riot’s Terms of Service, which state that accounts are owned by Riot and may not be sold, bought, or transferred. This is a factual point worth knowing before you decide how to get a smurf, and it applies regardless of where an account comes from.
No seller can promise that a purchased account is permanently free of action, and nobody should claim an account is unbannable. What you can reasonably weigh is risk: a hand-leveled account on a stable region with a clean record carries less risk than a botted one, while still sitting outside Riot’s rules. Treat any account purchase as a convenience trade-off rather than a promise.
Which is right for you: level your own or get a ready-made smurf?
Leveling your own smurf costs only time and stays within Riot’s rules, while a ready-made account saves the 50-120 hour grind but runs against the Terms of Service. The right choice depends on how you value your time against rule risk.
If you enjoy the early game and don’t mind the weeks of leveling, doing it yourself is the cleanest path and gives you full ownership of the account’s history. If the grind is a barrier and you mainly want a ranked-ready second account quickly, a hand-leveled ready-made smurf removes the leveling step, with the trade-off noted above. The comparison table below lays out time, cost, and risk for each route so you can weigh them directly.
| Route | Time to ranked-ready | Cost | Main trade-off |
| Hand-level yourself | ~150-200 games, 50-120 hours, 1-3 weeks | Free (your time) | Slowest; long grind before ranked opens |
| Buy hand-leveled | Available right away | Paid; price scales with rank/skins | Against Riot’s ToS; carries risk |
| Buy botted | Available right away | Usually lower-priced | Higher ban-flag risk; lower value; against ToS |
Frequently asked questions
What does ‘smurf’ mean in League of Legends?
It refers to a player’s secondary account, separate from their main. The term once meant a strong player on a low-profile account, but today it covers any second account used for a fresh start or focused practice.
Do you need level 30 to play ranked on a smurf?
Yes. Ranked unlocks at account level 30, plus ownership of at least 20 champions and 10 completed Normal or Swiftplay games on Summoner’s Rift. All three conditions must be met first.
How long does it take to level a smurf to 30?
Roughly 150-200 games, about 50-120 hours of play, or around 1-3 weeks at a steady pace. Mixing Co-op vs AI with first-win-of-the-day and XP boosts is the fastest free route.
Are hand-leveled smurfs better than botted ones?
Hand-leveled accounts carry far less ban risk and hold more value, since botting is automated behavior that detection systems target. Hand-leveled accounts also tend to have cleaner records and honor levels.
Is buying a smurf account allowed by Riot?
No. Buying or transferring an account runs against Riot’s Terms of Service, which state accounts are owned by Riot and may not be sold or transferred. No seller can promise a purchased account is permanently free of action.
Why do pros and streamers use smurf accounts?
They practice champions, roles, and strategies away from their main identity, and create content without affecting their primary profile. A fresh account also gives them a clean MMR to climb.