Demotion Shield Expiring Guide - LOL Fanatics (2024)

League of Legends has proven itself in the gaming world by providing a variety of exciting champions for you to play. To win the game, you have to use several tactics to successfully master the champions’ gameplay and prevail over your enemy.

Of course, this is much easier said than done, especially in the higher divisions where the players usually have more experience and knowledge about the game.

As you climb on the ranked ladder, you’ll meet a term, “Demotion Shield Expiring”. For those of you that have not met this message before or have come into knowledge with it but don’t know what it means, continue reading this article to find out more!

Bottom Line Up Front

Demotion Shield is a feature that protects your account if you encounter a demoting situation. For example, if you lose several games in a row, the demotion will not happen if the shield is present. Many of the players have wondered why they have not fallen into another division while losing so many games, but after they win one or two games and go back into the losing column, the demotion happens.

This guide will provide the answers you seek, such as how Demotion Shield works, how it influenced the game, along with the difference between demoting and decaying.

What Is Demotion Shield?

Demotion Shield is a special effect that appears when a player enters a new division or tier for the first time. This effect prevents your account from dropping down to the previous division or tier it was in if you were to lose additional games.

This shield is available in League of Legends, and Teamfight Tactics ranked modes, making a revolutionary change in dropping down the ladder immediately after promotion to a new tier or division.

How Does Demotion Shield Work?

As we mentioned above, you are protected when you enter a new tier or division. This protection is different depending on the climbing process you did in ranked. For example, the demotion shield lasts for ten games if you climb a new tier. If you climb a division in the same tier, this shield lasts only for three games. However, this is only up to the Master tier, where everything lasts for three games.

Does Demotion Shield Expire?

Demotion Shield does expire if you fail to play the game for some time. If you climb a new tier, let’s say to Platinum IV, you are protected from demoting to Gold I in the next ten games. If you do not play many games, this shield can expire, which will result in you receiving a message “demotion shield expiring”. Therefore, the shield does not protect for an infinite period, so you have to win games to stay in the same tier.

After the shield expires and you go on losing the next couple of matches, the chances of you dropping into the same division you were previously are high. After the demotion, your LP varies depending on how many games you lost while you were on 0 LP, with these numbers varying from 25 to 75 LP.

Demotions and Decay

Apart from Demotions, your account can also decay on the ranked list. Demotions happen while you are actively playing the game, meaning that you need to lose games at 0 LP to get demoted. As mentioned above, demotions vary depending on how you are placed. For example, if you got promoted in Gold IV at 0 LP, you have to lose ten games with your Demotion Shield to no longer have the privilege of losing games.

If the shield is not available, this situation takes another turn, ending up with the privilege of losing games taken away instantly. Without the shield, demotions are determined by your MMR. The higher your MMR is, the more losses you can have before demoting, with the same rule applying no matter if you demote to another tier or division.

On the other hand, Decay is a much different story regarding falling down the ladder. The first main difference is that decay happens only to players that achieved Diamond Tier or higher. Therefore, if your account is lower than Diamond’s, there is no need for you to worry about decaying!

Decay is made to keep the high levels of ranked competitive. It’s one thing to reach Diamond, Master, Grandmaster, and Challenger but another thing to stay there. Therefore, League makes the participants in these categories fight for the place they initially learned.

If you fail to accomplish certain goals that focus on games played during the week, the League system will automatically deduct points from your LP, making you closer to demotion. There is mostly no condition saying that you have to play every day to keep yourself up with the big boys.

You’ll be granted several banked days when you enter a division with decay (Diamond+). At the end of each day, the number of banked days will decrease by one. If you haven’t played any games and this number runs out, you will lose LP.

The banked days are earned by playing matches, but the number you earn per match and the number of LP you lose with decay differs by rank. Here are the criteriums:

Diamond Tier

• Banked Days per Match: 7
• Maximum Banked Days: 28
• Initial Days Before Decay: 28
• LP Lost on Decay: 50

Master, Grandmaster, and Challenger

• Banked Days per Match: 1
• Maximum Banked Days: 14
• Initial Days Before Decay: 14
• LP Lost on Decay: 75

Logically, if you fall below 0 LP because of decay, you’ll be placed in the next-lowest division. Suppose you are already in division IV of your tier, such as Diamond IV. In that case, you’ll fall into the next tier down, which is Platinum I. Master players that decay due to inactivity do not fall into Platinum I, but into Diamond II, starting their climb from this division.

Tips to Not Get Demoted

• Play with your main champions: This will result in you maintaining high knowledge about a certain champion and will enable an improvement with every game passed by. No matter which lane you play at, having a small pool of champions you main will help you provide quality gameplay for your team.
• Duo Q: Teamwork makes the dream work, so partnering up with your teammate can benefit the climbing process! Make sure you synergize with him before diving into the Rift because you need to make plays together on the lane or in team fights.
• Focus objectives, not kill: You have probably noticed that a champion with a low score can be more impactful than a fed champion if they lead by a large margin regarding the number of minions killed. Not just that, top laners who invest their time for Herald instead of pushing for the kill can have a higher gold advantage with the Herald securing several turret plates.
• Make Plays: If you see that a teammate has lost confidence due to low KDA, encourage them by making plays for their lane. Always try to be the enforcer of plays and make sure that you will plan these plays through. Otherwise, your teammates might blame you for intentional feeding, and that is something you cannot do if you want to win games.

FAQs

Demotion Shield Expiring Guide: Summary

Demotion Shield is an innovative way of letting players feel the spirit of higher MMR matches without being demoted if they manage to lose several games in a row. Losing streaks can happen to every player, especially those who have just climbed a new tier.

The pressure of doing better and feeling a need to prove yourself in these higher divisions can result in you making faulty plays and losing the game. Demotion Shield is here to protect you and ensure that mistakes that come from your fear should not influence your ranking order.

However, you should know that the shield is not available forever. At some time, you will have to pick up your pace and find your rhythm to keep up with the big dogs!