If you’ve ever logged into League of Legends and felt overwhelmed by the long list of game mode options, you’re not alone. Most new players start with blind pick for their first few games, since it’s fast, low-pressure, and lets you jump right in with your favorite champion. But as soon as you hit level 30 and unlock ranked play, you’ll run into a new mode you might not recognize. If you’ve ever asked what is draft pick League of Legends, this guide breaks down every part of the mode, from basic rules to pro tips that will help you win more games before you even load onto the rift. I still remember my first draft pick queue back when I was a new player: I had no idea there was a ban phase, and I accidentally banned my own top laner’s main champion, leading to a very tense 20 minutes of gameplay. I wrote this guide to help you avoid that same mistake.
What is Draft Pick League of Legends, and How Does It Differ From Blind Pick?
At its core, draft pick is a structured champion select mode designed to create fairer, more strategic matches than blind pick. Unlike blind pick, where two players on opposite teams can pick the same champion and you have no idea what the other team is choosing until the game starts, draft pick lets both teams see each other’s picks as they happen. Draft pick is the only game mode used for all official LoL esports tournaments, and it’s the required mode for all solo/duo and flex ranked play. You can also play normal draft pick if you want to practice the format without risking your LP.
The biggest differences from blind pick are the ban phases, ordered pick turns, and no duplicate champions across both teams. That means you’ll never run into a mirror match where you’re playing the same champion as your lane opponent unless both of you pick them accidentally before the other locks in, which is almost impossible in the structured draft format. Many players prefer draft pick once they get used to it, because it eliminates a lot of the randomness that comes with blind pick. You have time to plan your team composition, counter enemy picks, and make sure you have a balanced team with tank, damage, and support roles covered.
The Step-by-Step Breakdown of a Standard Draft Pick Phase
Draft pick follows a strict, repeated order that stays the same no matter what rank you’re playing at. The only difference between low elo and pro draft pick is the level of strategy that goes into bans and picks. The entire draft phase takes around 5 minutes total, so you don’t have to wait too long to get into your game. Here’s exactly what happens in every draft, in order:
- Ban Phase 1: Blue and red side take turns banning 3 champions each, for a total of 6 removed from the pool before picks start. Any player on the team can suggest a ban, but only the highest-ranked player on each team gets to submit the final ban choice in ranked play.
- Pick Phase 1: Blue side picks first, then red side picks two champions back-to-back, then blue side picks two more, leaving three players per team still to choose their champion. All picks are visible to both teams as soon as they’re locked in.
- Ban Phase 2: Both teams ban two more champions each, adding 4 more bans for a total of 10 unavailable champions for the match. This phase is where you’ll ban niche counter picks or overly strong late-game champions that slipped through the first ban phase.
- Pick Phase 2: Red side picks first in this round, then blue side picks two champions, then red side picks the final champion for their team. This is where you’ll pick your counter champions or fill any missing roles on your team.
- Trade Phase: Players on the same team can trade champions if both own the champion they are swapping to. This is useful if a higher pick player locked in a champion that a lower pick player mains, to make sure everyone is playing a champion they’re comfortable with.
It’s normal to feel rushed during your first few drafts, especially if you’re not sure what champion you want to pick. Missing a ban or pick will immediately remove you from the queue and give you a short time penalty before you can queue again, so it’s a good idea to have 2-3 champions you’re comfortable playing for your main role ready before you queue up. If you’re playing with friends, you can coordinate bans and picks over voice chat to make the process smoother.
Key Rules You Need to Follow to Avoid Draft Pick Penalties
Draft pick has a few strict rules that Riot enforces to keep the mode fair for everyone, and breaking them can lead to penalties ranging from short queue timers to temporary ranked bans. A lot of new players get hit with these penalties by accident, so it’s worth learning them before you queue for your first draft. First, you can’t pick any champion that’s already been banned or picked by either team. That sounds obvious, but I’ve seen many new players try to lock in a champion that’s already been taken, only to waste their pick time and get kicked from the queue. You can only select champions that you own, unless you’re playing in a tournament draft where all champions are unlocked, so make sure you have a decent pool of champions available before you start playing draft.
Second, you can’t leave the draft lobby once it starts, unless you’re willing to take a penalty. In normal draft, leaving the lobby will give you a 5-minute queue penalty, but in ranked play, you’ll lose between 3 and 10 LP depending on how often you dodge, plus a longer queue penalty. Many new players dodge because they don’t like their team comp, but that’s rarely worth the LP loss in the long run. Third, follow basic community etiquette to avoid reports. Don’t ban a champion that one of your teammates has hovered unless they explicitly say it’s okay to ban it. I’ve seen so many games get thrown before they even start because a new player banned their mid laner’s main, leading to intentional feeding or toxic chat all game. If you’re not sure what to ban, ask your team for suggestions instead of guessing.
Practical Draft Pick Tips to Win More Games Before They Start
The best part about draft pick is that you can gain a huge advantage before you even load into the game, if you know what you’re doing. You don’t have to be a pro player to use these tips, either – they work just as well for bronze and silver players as they do for diamond and above. First, learn the current meta bans for your rank. Every patch, Riot adjusts champion balance, and some champions become way stronger than others for a few weeks. Banning these overtuned champions is one of the easiest ways to reduce your chance of losing to a broken pick. You can find updated ban lists for your rank on popular LoL community sites every patch.
Picking a counter to your lane opponent gives you an immediate 20% higher win chance, according to recent LoL gameplay statistics, so always check what the enemy is picking before you lock in your champion. For example, if you’re playing top lane and the enemy picks Darius, picking Garen or Teemo will make your lane way easier than picking a squishy melee champion that Darius can one-shot. Second, always build a balanced team comp. If your team already has three AP damage champions, don’t pick another AP mid laner – go for an AD bruiser or marksman instead, so the enemy team can’t just stack magic resist and shut down your entire team. Always prioritize filling a missing team role over picking your favorite off-meta champion. I know it’s fun to play AP Yasuo support, but if your team has no tank, you’re going to lose almost every team fight.
Third, communicate with your team as much as possible during draft. If you’re a first-time adc, tell your team so they can pick a support that’s easy to play with. If you need a specific champion banned, say it in chat as soon as the draft starts. You don’t have to write a novel, even a short “ban Yuumi please” will help your team know what you need. Fourth, practice in normal draft before you jump into ranked draft. Normal draft has the exact same rules as ranked, but you don’t risk LP if you make a mistake. Spend 10-15 games in normal draft to get used to the ban and pick order, and to learn how to counter pick, before you start playing ranked. That way, you won’t panic and make a bad pick when you’re playing for LP.
Draft pick might seem intimidating when you first try it, but it’s actually one of the most fun and strategic parts of League of Legends once you get the hang of it. Once you understand what is draft pick League of Legends, you’ll start to appreciate the extra layer of strategy it adds to every match, and you’ll win more games because you’re making smart choices before you even load onto the rift. Don’t worry if you make mistakes in your first few drafts – every player has accidentally banned a teammate’s main or picked a bad counter at some point. The more you practice, the more comfortable you’ll get, and soon you’ll be drafting like a pro. Next time you queue up, give draft pick a try instead of sticking to blind pick – you might be surprised how much more fun you have.