No matter how high a tier you reach in solo queue, you can’t go pro without an offer from a pro team. In this game, joining a pro team comes as an offer at the end of a season “when your OVR clears the league’s requirement, you meet the age limit, and luck is on your side.” Here are the conditions and strategies.
Entry Requirements by League
| League | Required OVR | Minimum age | Rough solo queue rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Challengers League (Youth) | 74 | Age 16 | Diamond |
| Reserve (LCK CL) | 80 | Age 17 | Upper Diamond |
| Top division (LCK) | 84 | Age 17 | Master |
The OVR requirement is the “lower limit for joining.” Clearing it doesn’t guarantee an offer; the chance rises with how far you clear it. If you just meet the requirement the chance is about 55%, and at 12 above it an offer is almost certain (up to 95%). You can also skip a league and go straight to a higher one. For example, with an OVR above 84 you can receive an offer from a top-division team right at age 17.
Offers Arrive at the End of the Season
Offers only arrive when the season ends, so it’s important to have your OVR up by then. Focus on training during the season, and rest in the last week so you don’t get injured with low condition. If several teams make offers in the same season, compare team strength, salary and contract length to choose.
The Age-23 Deadline
If you turn 23 at the end of a season with no pro career and no signing or training offers available, you reach an ending where the pro dream is over. If the deadline is approaching and your OVR is short, you have two options.
- Attending a cram school or academy: the Local Gaming Academy (₩1.2M) raises 3 stats by +2–4, and the Ex-Pro Coach Academy (₩3.2M) raises 5 stats by +3–6. You can attend only once per season. The Ex-Pro academy also raises the chance of pro team offers by 15 percentage points.
- Team academy training: at solo queue Emerald (OVR 66) or higher, you receive an offer at season’s end to train at a team’s academy for ₩3M in tuition. You can attend for up to 3 seasons, and if your OVR clears the Challengers requirement (74) during training, you get a Reserve promotion offer.
You need money to pay the tuition to receive a training offer, so save up with part-time jobs before the deadline.
What to Do After Joining
Once you join, you belong to a team and earn a salary. After that, contract length, team trust and promotion offers become your new concerns. See the articles below for details on contracts. Rather than aiming for a high league from the start, the usual flow is to gain experience in the Challengers League, and as your season results (rating 5.8 or higher) and OVR rise, offers from higher leagues arrive naturally.
Common Mistakes
- Missing the age limit: No matter how high your OVR is, you won’t get a Challengers League offer before 16, and Reserve and top-division offers start at 17. If your OVR gets ahead at a young age, just manage your condition well during the seasons while you wait to reach the age.
- Not having the training fee: You can only accept a team academy training offer when you can pay the ₩3M tuition. Start saving as you approach Emerald so you don’t miss an offer for lack of money.
- Giving up after one season without offers: Offers are calculated anew every season. Even if you got none this season, your chance next season rises the further your OVR clears the requirement, so don’t be discouraged — keep training.
Summary of Entry Strategy
- Focus on training during your growth years (ages 14–17) so that you’re close to OVR 74 before turning 16.
- If your OVR is short, use academies and training, and earn the money with part-time jobs.
- From two seasons before the deadline (23), check your chances of joining every season.
More Strategy Articles
The basic rules are in the Game Guide, and the full list is on the Strategy page.