What is a Good MMR in League of Legends?

For avid League of Legends players, few stats elicit more frustration and confusion than MMR, which stands for matchmaking rating. This hidden Elo rating is used to match players of similar skill levels in ranked games. But what constitutes a “good” MMR, how is it calculated, and how can you improve it?

As a long-time League player and data analyst, I’ve explored the opaque intricacies of MMRs to demystify this rating system. Let’s dive into the history of ranked matchmaking, how MMR correlates with LP gains and losses, MMR ranges across tiers, and techniques for boosting a low rating.

A Brief History of Ranked Matchmaking Systems

League of Legends debuted a ranked ladder system called the League System back in 2013 as a replacement for the previous Elo rating methodology adapted from chess. The new League System was designed to better demonstrate progression with shiny tiers and divisions.

But behind the scenes, MMR has always been used to match players by skill. Riot Games has never revealed the exact formula used to calculate this matchmaking rating. However, we know it is influenced by factors like win rate, streaks, and team discrepancy. Performance metrics like KDA do not directly affect MMR.

Other popular competitive games like Dota 2 and Overwatch also employ hidden MMR systems, though they function slightly differently. For example, Dota 2 features both seasonal rank resets and larger MMR exchanges per game, making ratings more volatile.

How MMR Impacts LP Gains and Promotions

MMR is instrumental in determining how much LP (league points) you gain or lose per ranked game as well as your promotion opportunities. Players gain or lose around 15-20 LP per win or loss when MMR and rank align. However, significant skill discrepancies lead to varied LP results:

• If your MMR exceeds your rank, you will gain more LP per win to reach your “true” skill faster. For example, +25 LP gains.
• If your MMR is below your rank, you will gain less LP per win as the system tries to demote you. For example +10 LP gains.
• Hitting 100 LP does not ensure a promotion if your MMR is much lower than expected for that tier.

Here is a rough table showing the average MMR requirements for each League of Legends ranked tier:

As you can see, the thresholds overlap slightly between divisions. But in general, if your MMR is 100-200 points above the average for your tier, you should expect accelerated LP gains until equilibrium is reached.

What Constitutes a “Good” or “Bad” MMR?

Based on data aggregated from sites like OP.GG and Blitz, here are general guidelines for evaluating your MMR:

• Above Division Average: +25 LP per win
• Slightly Above Average: +18-22 LP per win
• Aligned With Division: +15-20 LP per win
• Slightly Below Average: +12-15 LP per win
• Significantly Below: +10 or less LP per win

Gaining less than 15 LP per victory typically indicates your MMR has fallen below the expected range for others in your tier. I generally get concerned about my MMR if my LP gains dip below +17 per win over a significant sample.

However, for players actively climbing or new to ranked, it’s normal for MMR to lag slightly behind your new rank as the system calibrates your skill through more games. Don’t panic if LP gains are lower after a promotion. Focus on steady improvement vs obsessing over each victory’s LP impact.

Techniques for Improving a Low MMR

I’ve coached many students looking to boost their MMR after a significant ranked losing streak. Here are some proven techniques we employed:

• Play More Games – This gives the system additional data to properly adjust your MMR relative to your current skill level. Patience and volume of matches can correct rating discrepancies over time.

• Focus on Objectives – Prioritizing objectives like towers, dragons, and Baron over chasing kills accelerates MMR gains by transitioning leads into victories more efficiently.

• Reduce Deaths – Minimizing unnecessary deaths reduces LP losses from defeats while also preserving more gains from your wins. Play safely and calculatedly.

• Duo Queue – Queuing with a partner who has higher MMR than you can help boost LP gains through the teammate MMR averaging. But beware boosting services.

• Improve CS – Having high CS numbers for your tier signals you have fundamentals down. This helps the system confidence more quickly.

• Win Streaks – Going on win streaks dramatically accelerates MMR gains through the system’s confidence mechanisms. Take breaks after 2+ losses.

With time, focused practice, and a positive mindset your MMR will correct itself to properly reflect your current skill level. Trust the process and focus on improvement over day-to-day LP gains.

Perspectives from High Elo Players on MMR

As a Diamond tier player myself, I connected with several high Elo friends to get their thoughts on MMR in League of Legends:

“I wish Riot showed your actual MMR instead of obscuring it behind LP. I track my LP gains after each game in a spreadsheet to gauge my MMR trends.” – Kristen, D2 mid main

“The uncertainty mechanisms when your MMR and rank are misaligned feel really bad. Going from +24 to +14 LP gains after a single loss sucks.” – Jeremy, D4 ADC main

“I don’t stress much about MMR, if you consistently win more than 50% of games your MMR will be fine long-term. Just focus on improving.” – Sam, D1 top/jg flex

“ queued with a smurf support for duo boosting to fix my MMR once. Felt dirty but worked I guess. Wouldn’t recommend.” – Anonymous, D3 mid laner

The consensus seems to be that while MMR frustration is common, keeping a long-term perspective focused on improvement, not LP gains, is critical to sustaining ranked progression.

Common MMR Questions and Misconceptions

Let’s dispel some common myths and answer frequently asked questions about League of Legends’ matchmaking systems:

• Do normal games affect your ranked MMR? No, normal blind, draft, and ARAMs all have separate MMRs. Only ranked solo/duo affects your competitive matchmaking rating.

• Does KDA affect your MMR? No, only wins and losses factor into MMR calculations. However, KDA can correlate with wins over time.

• Is MMR reset fully each season? No, League of Legends performs a soft MMR reset between seasons, not a full rating wipe. Significant rank changes still require climbing from season start.

• How much MMR is adjusted per game? Estimates from player data suggest between 10-15 MMR per win or loss on average. The exact amount adjusted varies based on relative team MMR.

• What is the highest possible MMR? For regular ranked League queues, top Challenger players often reach 2300-2400+ MMR. In comparison, professional level MMR in Dota 2 exceeds 5500.

Final Thoughts on Matchmaking Ratings

While MMR and ranked systems feel opaque and frustrating, focusing on incremental improvement will eventually get your skill rating to accurately reflect your capabilities. Patience and playing focused, low-risk games helps demystify LP gains.

Trust in the process, don’t obsess over daily LP changes, and work to consistently win more than half your games. If you can do that over hundreds of matches, your MMR will normalize and ranked progression will feel smooth based on your proven skill level. Good luck on the Rift!