Whether the match has just begun or you're 40 minutes deep, suddenly finding yourself in a 4v5 is no fun for anybody. That's why we've developed a system to temporarily take repeat offenders out of the game so they have fewer chances to negatively impact other players: LeaverBuster.
AFK/Leaving Penalties
If LeaverBuster determines you have been leaving matches or idling during gameplay, you may be subject to the following penalties:
| Tier | Penalty | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 minute queue delay | 1 game |
| 1 | 5 minute queue delay | 5 games |
| 2 | 10 minute queue delay | 5 games |
| 3 | 15 minute queue delay | 5 games |
| 4 |
24 hour queue lockout Followed by Tier 3 Penalty |
1 game |
| 5 |
3 day queue lockout Followed by Tier 3 Penalty |
1 game |
| 6 |
7 day queue lockout Followed by Tier 3 Penalty |
1 game |
| 7 |
2 week queue lockout Followed by Tier 3 Penalty |
1 game |
You will be issued a warning before facing an actual punishment, and you will always be notified when you have entered a new tier of penalties.
In addition to the penalties listed above, games in which you are considered a leaver always count as a loss, regardless of whether or not your team is victorious. Stay and play or leave and lose!
Important: LP Reduction for AFK
When a player is flagged as AFK/Leaver at the end of any Ranked game, they will be notified that their LP will be reduced; this applies to both wins and losses. The other players in the lobby will be notified that the flagged AFK/Leaver player will receive less LP over their next several games. If a player would exceed 100 LP, but would fall back below 100 LP after the penalty is applied, they do not promote.
Affected Game Modes
LeaverBuster penalties apply to all MOBA matchmade modes, including Quickplay, Draft Pick, Ranked Solo/Duo, Ranked Flex, ARAM, and any time-limited modes like One-For-All and Nexus Blitz.
Faster Penalties for Ranked
Ranked is treated much more seriously than normal when it comes to leavers. Only queue up for Ranked if you're mentally and physically prepared to devote at least an hour to the game!
No Penalties for Custom/Training Mode
You will never be penalized for leaving Custom or Training Mode matches. If you are issued a warning for leaving after exiting a custom match, it is related to a past infraction.
Queue Delay
A queue delay is the amount of time you must wait before entering the queue. The timer will appear when you first attempt to enter the queue, and it will reset back to its full time if you do not wait through the full duration.
If you dodge out of champ select after your delay is complete, your queue delay will reset without reducing the total number of games remaining in your penalty, and you'll have to wait again. If another player dodges after your delay is complete, however, you'll be able to enter the queue immediately.
Queue Lockout
If you have left enough games to hit Tier 4 or higher in the chart above, you will be fully unable to play any of the affected game modes until your penalty has run its course. After that, you will downgrade to Tier 3, where you'll experience 15 minute queue delays for 5 consecutive games.
Ranked Restrictions
In addition to the queue lockout and delay, you may face Ranked Restrictions for repeatedly leaving or going AFK. This will prevent you from joining the Ranked solo/duo or flex queues until you've completed enough games in eligible modes, which you'll find along with other details in our Ranked Restrictions FAQ.
Leaving Unintentionally
You get an emergency call, your internet drops, your power cuts out… We understand that sometimes life happens and a leave is unavoidable, but the impact on your fellow players remains the same regardless of intention. That's why we start with a warning and gradually ascend through larger penalties. Yes, it's possible for the system to issue a penalty after leaving just a game or two, but it's also possible to re-enter the normal queue after waiting only a few minutes before five games. We believe this minor inconvenience to unintentional leavers is a fair price for discouraging would-be chronic quitters, and we hope you agree and understand.
If you're dropping out mid-game as a result of technical difficulties, try finding a solution on our tech troubleshooting page. If that still doesn't cut it, contact us directly with a ticket and we'll see what we can do to help.
Removing Your Penalty
The only way to remove your penalty is to wait the required time for Tier 4+, or to play the required games for Tiers 1–3.
Additionally, we cannot restore any MMR/LP you might lose as a result of leaving a game or going AFK.
We understand this might feel a little extreme, but every time a player leaves, they impact all nine other players, whether by drastically reducing the odds of victory for their teammates or spoiling the challenge of a fair match from their enemies. In order to discourage this behavior, we must take action against those who make it a habit.
Compensation for Affected Players
If your team's experience was ruined by a leaver/inter, you may get something for your trouble. Learn more about Disruptive Behavior Repair.