MetaShift League Rules and Regulations Summer 2025

Table of Contents

1. Eligibility

1.1 Player Requirements

1.1.1 Player Eligibility

In order for a player to be eligible for the MetaShift League, they must have ONE account that fulfills all of these requirements:

  • 30 games played in Season 15 (2025) Ranked Solo/Duo
  • End of Season 14 Split 3 (2024) rank OR 100+ games Season 15 (2025)
  • End of Season 14 Split 2 (2024) rank OR end of Season 14 Split 1 (2024) rank (can appeal)
  • Account Level 300 (can appeal if at least level 200)

1.1.2 Low Games

MSL reserves the right to deny players with low games in the last few splits.

1.2 Accounts

1.2.1 League of Legends Account

An eligible MSL LoL account is an account individually owned and accessible by only one player. All players on any given roster will be required to submit all accounts that are level 30 or higher. At least one account must meet the player requirements (See 1.1.1, appealable). If an account is found to be owned by an active player and it is not registered, that player will be subject to punishments (See 6.3.3).

1.2.2 MetaShift League Main Account

When registering for MetaShift League, a player must select one account as their Main account. This is the only account the player is allowed to use in MSL. A player using an account other than the account listed as the main account will be subject to punishment (See 6.3.3).

1.2.3 Discord Account

To register, players are required to own a Discord account. Every registered player is required to join the MetaShift League Discord to receive their roles for the season.

1.2.4 Suspicious Accounts

Suspicious accounts will be investigated and potentially denied registration. MSL Staff has the ability to deny registration for various reasons. Examples of suspicious activity include smurfing, rank/elo sitting, scripting, and boosting or getting boosted.

1.3 Player Tiers

1.3.1 Player Tiers

Player Tiers are a ranking system that groups players into skill ranges. Tiers reflect a player's skill level and are used for balancing divisions. They are derived from Ranked Solo/Duo data and individual and team performance in the most recent MSL season they played in. A player’s tier can be adjusted between seasons (See 1.3.2). A player’s tier is locked during registration at the beginning of the season. When new players are added during the season, the player’s tier will be locked when the player registers on the website.

1.3.2 Returning Player Tier Adjustment

Players who play in multiple MSL seasons will potentially have their tiers adjusted due to a couple of factors. These factors can include their peak rank in Solo/Duo Queue and individual and team performance in their most recent MSL season. Adjustments can vary from moving down a tier, staying in their current tier, and moving up a tier. Adjustments are only made during the offseason. After adjustments, the player’s tier will be locked for the upcoming MSL season.

1.4 Roster Submission Guidelines

1.4.1 Roster Submission Requirements

To submit a roster, you must have a minimum of 5 starting players. Rosters may have up to 5 substitutes. A roster is not eligible until all players are registered and added to the roster on the website.

1.4.2 Suspicious Rosters

Suspicious rosters will be investigated and potentially denied registration. MSL Staff has the ability to deny registration for various reasons. Examples of suspicious activity include smurfing, rank/elo sitting, scripting, and boosting or getting boosted.

2. League Structure

2.1 Divisions

2.1.1 Divisions

The divisions in MSL are (descending in skill order):

  • Noble

Diamond League

  • Radon

  • Xenon

Emerald League

  • Krypton

  • Argon

Cyanide League

  • Carbon

  • Nitrogen

Platinum League

  • Neon

  • Helium

Each division has a format. The two formats are Hybrid and Capped.

  • Hybrid allows flexibility with the ability to use a roster with a large separation of tiers between players.

  • Capped is capped to a specific tier and balanced around a team where all the players are at or below the capped tier.

LeagueDivisionFormatTier AvgRoster Composition Limits
NobleNobleCappedTier 101112 , 11111
DiamondRadonCappedTier 333333
DiamondXenonHybirdTier 323334 , 22345 , 22444
EmeraldKryptonCappedTier 444444
EmeraldArgonHybridTier 434445 , 33456 , 33555
CyanideCarbonCappedTier 555555
CyanideNitrogenHybridTier 545556 , 44567 , 44666
PlatinumNeonCappedTier 666666
PlatinumHeliumHybridTier 656667 , 55777

2.1.2 Entry Fee and Payouts

MetaShift League has a one-time entry fee for new teams and teams that did not complete their last MSL season. The buy-in (entry fee + division cost) and payouts for each division are shown in the table below. The top 2 teams in a division receive a payout proportional to the division cost.

LeagueBuy - InPayout
Noble (8 teams)$100$400, $200
Diamond (16 teams)$100$500, $200, $250(DivChamps)
Emerald (16 teams)$100$500, $200, $250(DivChamps)
Cyanide (16 teams)$100$500, $200, $250(DivChamps)
Platinum (16 teams)$100$500, $200, $250(DivChamps)

2.2 Regular Season

2.2.1 Regular Season Format

The regular season format will be a single round-robin format. This means each team will face every other team in their division once. Each match will be a Best-of-3 Fearless Draft* format, meaning the first team to reach 2 game wins will win the match. A 2-0 win will net 3 game points. Otherwise, teams will net 1 game point for a game win in a match. Game points are used as a second option to determine seeding for Playoffs (See 2.4.3).

*Fearless Draft is when a team selects a champion in the selection phase, that champion is removed from the pool of available champions, for both teams, for the remainder of the match. This does not apply to champions that are banned during the ban phase.

2.2.2 Regular Season Schedule

The regular season is 7 weeks long. Matches must be played during their given match week. Teams will schedule their matches with their opponents from week to week. For more information on match timing and scheduling (See 4.1).

2.3 Post Season

2.3.1 Gauntlet

In week 8, there will be a gauntlet to decide which teams will be the 5th and 6th seeds in the League Playoffs. The gauntlet will be a double elimination tournament between the 5th, 6th, and 7th-placed teams. The games will take place on the division’s stream day.

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2.3.2 Division Championship

In weeks 8 and 9, the top 4 teams in a division will play in a Division Championship bracket. In Week 8, a division's 1st place team will play their choice of the 3rd or 4th place team. The 2nd place team will play the team that was not chosen. In Week 9, the advancing winners will face of in the division's Division Championship. The losing teams will go into the League Playoffs Round of 12. In Week 10, the Division Champion and runner up will join the League Playoffs Quarterfinals.

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2.3.3 League Playoffs

In Week 9, cross-division League Playoffs will begin with a Round of 12. 1st and 2nd seed teams will have a BYE. 3rd Seed from 'Division A' will play against 6th seed from 'Division B'. This will be the end of the season for losing teams. In Week 10, League Playoff Quarterfinals. 1st Seed from 'Division A' will play the winner of 4th Seed 'Division B' vs 5th Seed 'Division A'. This will be the end of the season for losing teams. In Week 11, League Playoff Semifinals. The winner of 1A vs 4B/5A will play the winner of 2B vs 3A/6B. This will be the end of the season for losing teams. Winning teams will advance to the League Playoff Finals. In Week 12, League Playoff Finals.

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2.3.4 Post Season Scheduling

Post Season Matches must be played weekly on the division’s default stream time. Only in the case of an emergency, Finals can be rescheduled if both teams agree and staff allow it. A rescheduling of the semifinals or quarterfinals is allowed if both teams agree. If the match is rescheduled, it will most likely not be streamed. FINALS HAVE TO BE STREAMED BY MSL STAFF.

2.3.5 Post Season Seeding

Seeding is primarily determined by the regular season Match Win/Loss record from the regular season. Game points are used to determine seeding if there is a tie in the match win/loss record. If there is a tie in both the W/L record and game points, the head-to-head record of the teams in contention will be used to determine seeding. If there is a 3 way tie, the best W/L in the last 4 matches will be the higher seed (gauntlet seeding rules).

2.3.6 Seeding and Forfeits

If there is a forfeit during the regular season that affects the seeding of teams in playoffs, both teams involved in the seeding conflict will be calculated without any matches against the team that forfeits.

[EXAMPLE 1] If Team C lost to Team B 2-1 and Team C forfeited to Team A. If a seeding conflict were to occur when comparing teams A and B, the match and game points of both teams containing Team C would be null.

  • Team A and B are 5-4; Team A has 16 points, and Team B has 15 points

  • Team C forfeited to Team A, giving Team A 3 points. Team B beat Team C 2-1.

  • Without forfeit adjustment, Team A would make the playoffs, and Team B would not.

  • With forfeit adjustments, matches against Team C for Team A and B would be removed from calculations.

  • Team A and B are now 4-4 and 13 points, respectively. Seeding is now determined by the regular season head-to-head.

[EXAMPLE 2]

If Unmuted beat Eclipse 2-1 and Eclipse forfeited to Nemesis, if a seeding conflict were to occur when comparing teams Unmuted and Nemesis, the match and game points of both teams containing Eclipse would be null.

  • Unmuted and Nemesis are both 5-3 in the regular season; both teams have 10 points

  • Eclipse forfeited to Nemesis, giving Nemesis 3 points. Unmuted beat Eclipse 2-1, giving Unmuted 2 points.

  • Without forfeit adjustment, Nemesis and Eclipse would use the head-to-head record to determine the seeding.

  • With forfeit adjustments, matches against Eclipse for Nemesis and Unmuted would be removed from calculations.

  • Nemesis and Unmuted are now both 4-3, but Unmuted has 8 game points and Nemesis has 7 game points. The new End of Season Record places Unmuted over Nemesis.

  • Example Picture shown below

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3. Rosters

3.1 Team Manager

3.1.1 Team Manager Definition

The Team Manager is responsible for a team’s scheduling, roster changes, and working with the division managers to resolve any issues that may arise. The Team Manager needs to register on the MSL website.

3.1.2 Team Creation

The Team Manager is the person who creates the team on the website.

A team name, team color, and team logo must be provided during team creation. If a team logo isn’t available, please submit a placeholder and request a change later. The team manager will add the starting and substitute players to the roster on the website. If a player cannot be found, please verify that they created their account. If they did create an account, contact MSL staff to resolve the issue.

3.1.3 Team Manager Discord Role

There will be a Team Manager Discord role that allows that person to fulfill their responsibilities. If a team would like to change their Team Manager, they can put in a ticket requesting another person to be allowed to have Team Manager duties.

3.1.4 Team Manager Roster Responsibility

The Team Manager is solely responsible for ensuring their roster is eligible and up to date. Any player or roster that is ineligible will be up to the team’s manager to correct before playing in a match. If a player/roster is ineligible and games were played using that player/roster, the games will be determined invalid and considered forfeit (See 6.3.16).

3.2 Rosters

3.2.1 Roster Information and Limits

Team rosters must have at least 5 players prior to the start of the season. Team rosters may have up to 5 substitutes in addition to the main roster. A maximum of 10 players are allowed to be on a roster at any given time (5 starters and 5 substitutes).

3.2.2 Roster Changes

A maximum of 1 starter change can happen in a single week. If a starter is changed, the player replacing them must not violate their division’s team eligibility requirements (See 2.1.1). Any starter change must be made 6 hours before the team’s next match and the player(s) changed will be role-locked to what the team discloses their roles to be (See 4.2.2). A player must be added at least 12 hours before a scheduled match, or they will be considered an emergency sub (See 4.6.3).

Players added as subs do not count as the 1 roster change. There is no roster change deadline.

Please see 4.6.4 for the use of substitutes in playoffs.

3.4 Cross Team Affiliation

3.4.1 Player/Coach Affiliation

Players can only play for a single team within the league. Emergency substitutes cannot be from another roster in the league. If a player is caught playing for another team in the league, they will face punishment. (See 6.3.3).

Players are allowed to coach another team in the league regardless of whether the team is in the same organization or not. However, the team the player is playing on must be in a different league than the team the player is coaching. A coach also cannot coach multiple teams in the same division/league.

3.4.2 Switching Teams

In order for a player to switch teams, they must meet the following criteria:

  • Must leave or be removed from their current team before Week 5.

  • Must sit out one match week before playing with a new team. Players cannot play for two different teams in consecutive match weeks.

  • Must return to another team no later than Week 6 of the regular season.

If a player leaves their team after playing their Week 6 match, they will be ineligible to join another team for the remainder of the MSL season. A player leaving or being removed from a team does not prevent them from rejoining their original team, but they must meet all criteria for switching a team. A substitute player who never played a match can switch teams without sitting out one match week, before or after the deadline.

3.4.3 Switching Teams Deadlines

If a player leaves their team or is removed after Week 5 of the regular season, they will be ineligible to join another team for the remainder of the MSL season. The time at which a player is removed or added to a team is determined by the completion of that team’s match in a given week.

For example, it would be acceptable if a player is added to a team before that team plays their Week 5 match. It would not be acceptable if they are added after that team plays their Week 5 match.

4. Game Regulations

4.1 Scheduling

4.1.1 Basic Scheduling

In order for a match to be scheduled, teams must agree on the date and time at which to play their match. Both teams are required to provide a minimum of 2 days of availability each week outside of the fallback day (See 4.1.2). Matches are not assumed to be on the fallback day. All attempts must be made to schedule the match before deciding to schedule for the fallback day. Contact division managers for assistance if the match has not been scheduled by the end of the night Friday (midnight PST).

4.1.2 Fallback Day

The fallback day is Sunday at 8 PM EST.

If neither team has communicated with their opponents or Division Managers about scheduling before the end of the night Friday (midnight PST). The fallback day will be moved to Tuesday at 8 PM EST instead of Sunday and each team must offer Sunday or Monday as another option.

4.1.3 Rescheduling

A match may be rescheduled if agreed upon by both Team Managers. Staff must be notified of the rescheduling, and divisional managers must be notified regularly when the match will be rescheduled. A rescheduled match must be rescheduled to a date no more than 1 week before or after the originally scheduled date. Forced streamed matches and Playoff Finals cannot be rescheduled.

4.2 Lobby Setup

4.2.1 Basic Lobby Setup

Matches will be played using a tournament code provided on the website. Choice of Side will be given to the teams in the season schedule on the website. Teams on the left (in blue) will have side selection game 1. The losing team from game 1 will have side selection for game 2. The losing team from game 2 will have side selection for game 3. Regular season matches are Best-of-3. Playoff matches are Best-of-5. The specifications for an MSL game are shown below.

Failure to use a tournament code for a match will result in an enforced reschedule.

Match Specifications:

  • Map: Summoner’s Rift
  • Team Size: 5
  • Allow Spectators: Open
  • Game Type: Tournament Draft

4.2.2 Line-Up

Teams must line up in the lobby in positional order according to the roster page. If a starter is subbed out for a substitute, the substitute must line up in the positional order of the player they are subbing for.

If a team intends to play in different positions than what is shown on the roster, they can disclose that to their opponent and line up in said positional order; however, they will be ROLE-LOCKED and unable to do any mid or post-draft role swaps.

Teams will not be allowed to enter a game with less than 5 players. If a team does not have all 5 members of their team in the lobby and Discord by the agreed-upon match time, penalties will begin to accrue for the team without their players. If a team does not have all their players, take a screenshot and notify staff. For more information on penalties (See 6.3.4).

4.2.3 Substitutions (See 4.6)

4.2.4 Spectators

Spectators are allowed; teams do not have to agree on allowing spectators in the lobby. However, the casting department must be in the lobby prior to starting champion selection if the game is being streamed. Streaming and producing MSL games is allowed, given that "MSL" or "MetaShift League" is mentioned in the title.

4.3 Champion Selection

4.3.1 Default Champion Selection Method

In a Full Fearless Draft, champions that are picked by a team may not be used again in the duration of that series.

For example in game 1 of a best of 3:

If Team A selects:

  • Aatrox
  • Sejuani
  • Orianna
  • Xayah
  • Rakan

If Team B selects:

  • Ornn
  • Kayn
  • Ahri
  • Vayne
  • Lux

Both Team A and Team B will not be able to use any of those champions for the remainder of the series, regardless of win or loss of each game.

The default method for champ select is DraftLoL. If DraftLoL is unavailable, then the method will default to Prodraft. This is to prevent any draft advantages teams may gain if one team does not own all champs on all players. The exact draft is required to be copied in the League of Legends Client (All bans must be the same, champions must be the same but are not required to be picked in the same order).

If there is an error, leave the champ select and restart, or Meta will be very angry. He likes his stats.

4.3.2 Role Swaps

Role swaps have the following limitations and criteria. 3 players must play the positions they were in proper order for. This means only 2 players can be out of position in a game. Top/Mid (solo lane) swapping and Bot/Support swapping do not count.

For example, if Mid and Top swap positions and Bot and Jungle swap positions, it would be acceptable because the solo lane swap does not count against the total swap count.

If Support and Mid swap and Jungle and Top swap, it would not be acceptable as the total swap count would be exceeded.

This has nothing to do with champions swapping, only in-game positional swapping. If a team breaks this rule, they will be penalized (See 6.3.5).

4.3.3 Trading Champions

Players have until the 30-second mark to finalize trades. If a player swaps beyond the 30-second mark (29 seconds or less), the draft is reattempted with the same champion selections (picks and bans). This is to allow players to finalize runes and summoner spells.

4.3.4 Redrafts

In the case of a client bug, player disconnects, or incorrect pick/ban during champ select, a player must quit the champ select and notify the opposing team. The champ select should be remade with the proper picks and bans.

If there is an issue while using one of the draft tools, such as an incorrect champion being locked in or nothing being locked in. Notify the enemy team immediately and decide whether or not to redraft with the same picks and bans up to but not including the incorrect selection or continue with the knowledge of what the actual pick/ban would have been.

If there is a disagreement, screenshot all information (DMs, DraftLoL, etc.) and contact staff. It’s highly recommended to record during the draft for additional information.

4.3.5 New Champions and Reworks (See 4.7)

4.4 In-Game

4.4.1 Discord

All 5 players must be in their team-assigned discord voice channel in the MSL discord server at match start time and during the games. Only the 5 current players are allowed to be in the team voice channel during the game. Anyone else, such as coaches or substitute players, will have to leave the channel as soon as the game begins to launch. Anyone outside of the 5 current players are allowed to rejoin the team voice channel after the game has finished. If there is an issue or concern regarding discord regulations, contact staff and provide screenshots of the situation.

4.4.2 Outside Influence

Outside influence is not allowed in any capacity. Examples of these are; messages in the discord, LoL clients, and/or anyone in the same room or local area.

If a team is found to have received outside help during a game, that game will be counted as an FF, and they will receive a warning. If multiple games are in question, the team will be disqualified from the league and temporarily banned from MetaShift League.

For information about streams (See 8.2.3).

4.4.3 Game Issues (See 5)

4.5 Intermission

4.5.1 Intermissions Between Games

Following the completion of a game, there will be a 10-minute intermission for players to take a break until the next game's draft begins. If the 10-minute intermission elapses and the draft for the next game hasn't begun, penalties will begin to accrue for the team without their players. If this becomes an issue, take a screenshot and notify staff. For more information on penalties (See 6.3.8).

4.6 Substitutions

4.6.1 Disclosing Substituted Players

Teams must disclose any substitutions 6 hours prior to the match start time. Disclosing a substitute is required when using a rostered substitute, an emergency substitute, or when substituting a starter back into the line-up.

  • If substitutions are not disclosed before the DraftLoL starts, the opposing team will be allotted 10 minutes of scouting time for each non-disclosed substitute player after the match start time or intermission time.
  • If substitutions are not disclosed before the game starts but during/after DraftLoL, the opposing team will be allotted 10 minutes of scouting time for each non-disclosed substitute player, and there will be a redraft.
  • If a game is played with non-disclosed substitutes, the opposing team will be allotted 10 minutes of scouting time for each non-disclosed substitute player, and the offending team will lose a ban in the first phase of the next game’s draft for every non-disclosed substitute that was used.
  • If the game that was played were to end the series with the offending team's victory, the game must be replayed with the offending team losing a ban in the first phase of the draft for every non-disclosed substitute that was used.

4.6.2 Team Manager Substitution Responsibility

It is the team manager’s sole responsibility to disclose substitutions, meet their division’s team eligibility requirements, meet their division’s player tier cap, and communicate effectively with their opponents. If any substitutions are made that would make the roster ineligible, that roster is not allowed to play in a match. If an ineligible roster plays in a match, those games are determined as invalid and considered forfeit (See 6.3.16).

4.6.3 Substitution Limits

Teams must use 3 or more starters in every game that is played. Please refer to the Line-Up and Role Swaps rules (See 4.2.2 and 4.3.2).

4.6.4 Mid-Match Substitutions

Teams are allowed to substitute players between games. Substitutions must be announced to the opposing team before the draft begins. Any substitutions made may not violate the division’s team eligibility requirements (See 2.1.1), and the substitute player may not surpass the division's player tier cap (See 2.1.1). If mid-match substitutions are/were not disclosed (See 4.6.1), the opposing team will be allotted 10 minutes of scouting time for each non-disclosed substitute player.

4.6.5 Emergency Substitutions

All teams are allowed emergency substitutes, or e-subs, in the regular season. E-subs are substitute players who have not been added to the roster at least 12 hours before the start of the match. Teams may only use one e-sub in a given game. For every game an e-sub plays, the team using the e-sub will lose the first three bans of that game’s draft. E-subs are not allowed to be from another roster in the league. Any e-sub must be equal to or less than the tier of the player they are substituting for.

E-subs are not allowed in the playoffs.

4.6.6 Substitutions in Playoffs

Any non-exempt player that has played in 4 games or more of the current MSL season can participate in a playoff match without ban loss penalties. Any substitute or late addition starter being used in playoffs that does not have 4 games played in the current MSL season or more will result in the following ban loss penalties:

  • 0-1 games played in the current MSL season = -2 bans
  • 2-3 games played in the current MSL season = -1 bans

Playoff games accumulate towards the games played in the current MSL season total and ban penalties are reduced effective immediately.

Skyset Rule: Before playoffs begin, each team can exempt 1 player from this rule.

4.7 New Champions and Reworks

4.7.1 New Champions and Reworks

New and reworked champions will not be available for play in the MSL until at least 1 league week after being released. For example, if a champion is released in the middle of Week 6, they will not be available until Week 7. Champions released during or 1 week before playoffs will be disabled for the entirety of playoffs. Any disabled champions will be announced in the MSL discord server.

4.7.2 Other Types of Champion Updates

Other types of champion updates are considered case-by-case. The general rulings for each type of update are as follows.

  • Art and Sustainability Updates, or ASUs, will not be restricted.
  • Visual Updates, or VUs, primarily affect VFX and will not be restricted.
  • Mid-scope Updates, or MSUs, previously just called Gameplay Updates and sometimes referred to as “mini-reworks,” will be considered by staff if there is a restriction.
  • Comprehensive Gameplay Updates, or CGUs, are new and will be considered upon release.

5. Game Issues

5.1 Forfeits

5.1.1 Basic Forfeit Information

The MetaShift League defines a forfeit as a concession of a game or match. A game forfeit can occur when:

  • A team does not show up on time to an MSL match with a full 5-player roster
  • A team takes too long to return during an intermission
  • Or a team accepts to surrender in-game.

A match forfeit can occur when:

  • A team cannot field a full 5-player roster for a given MSL match after forfeiting a game
  • Or a team exceeds the allotted intermission time after forfeiting a game. (See 6.3.6)

5.1.2 Excessive Forfeit Consequences

If a team forfeits 3 regular season matches for any reason, that team will be ineligible for playoff consideration and will be unable to participate in the rest of the MSL season. If a team is removed from an MSL season more than once, they will be banned from the MetaShift League.

5.2 Pauses

5.2.1 General Pause Information

Each team has 15 minutes of pause time per game. Once the 15 minutes have elapsed, the team that has requested the pause must resume or forfeit the game. Players must provide a ready check before resuming a game. Failure to provide a ready check may result in penalties (See 6.3.7).

5.2.2 Excessive Pausing

A team may only pause 3 separate times in a game, regardless of the remaining pause time. If a team pauses more than three times, the team that has used up its pauses must resume the game immediately or forfeit the game.

5.2.3 Pausing in Champion Combat

Teams are not allowed to pause during champion combat. Champion combat is defined as being affected by or affecting an opponent with a skill, attack, or ability. Champions are considered out of combat when they have not affected or been affected by an enemy champion for 5 seconds. For the purposes of the MSL, champions are also considered in combat when a summoner spell, item active, or champion ability is being channeled. Examples include:

  • Shen’s ultimate, Stand United
  • Ornn’s ultimate, Call of the Forge God
  • Caitlyn’s ultimate, Ace in the Hole
  • Predator’s activation on boots
  • Summoner Spell Teleport, etc.

If a team believes that the enemy team has performed an illegal pause and would like to dispute the pause, the team contesting the pause must screenshot the game and contact staff immediately. If the teams agree to unpause the game before contacting staff, there will be no consideration for a dispute. If a staff member does not respond within 5 minutes or within the remaining pause time (in the case that 5 minutes remain on the pause timer), the team contesting the pause should alert the enemy team that they are in the process of disputing the pause; while staff reviews the pause, the game must be resumed in order to save time in the case that staff decides the pause was legal. If it were to apply, the game and match must be continued as if the pause were legal until notified otherwise by staff.

If a pause is found to be illegal, staff may enforce a penalty on the offending team (See 6.3.8). This can include but is not limited to, loss of bans for future games of a match or a remake of the game depending on the severity of the offense. The team disputing the pause can cancel their dispute at any time. If the dispute is canceled, a game remake will no longer be an option.

5.3 Disconnects

5.3.1 Disconnects During a Game

In the event of a disconnect during a game, the team with the disconnected player will have 15 minutes of pause time, after which they must resume the game and continue. In the event that a disconnected player is unable to return to the game, the affected team may choose to forfeit without penalty.

5.4 Game Disputes

5.4.1 Disputes of Game Results

Disputing the result of a game or match must be done within 72 hours of the match’s scheduled start time. Any disputes not within the given timeframe will be disregarded, with exceptions depending on severity. Contact staff if you have a dispute with the result of a game or match. The dispute does not need to be resolved within the given time frame.

5.4.2 ‘Play the Third’ Rule

If the first or second game in a regular season match is overturned or still under review, the third game of the match must be played out regardless of the outcomes of games one and two. The match record will be adjusted accordingly after the dispute is resolved.

5.4.3 Player Reports

If a player is reported during a game, their investigation will occur after the game ends. The punishments will then be decided afterward by the MSL Staff.

5.5 Bugs

5.5.1 Champion Bugs

Champions with known bugs, that are deemed severe enough, will be disabled from league play until the issue is resolved. If a player plays a champion with a known bug, that is cleared for league play, and is found to be abusing said bug, they will face penalties (See 6.3.9).

In the event of an unintentional champion bug, the game should be paused, and the opposing team should be informed of the situation. Additionally, a staff member should be contacted for review. In the event that a staff member is unavailable, record the bug and play out the rest of the game. If staff find the bug severe enough to affect the game’s result, a remake may be enforced.

If it was the last game of the regular season and there is no time to replay it, then the game would be deemed a forfeit if the bug was severe enough to compromise the game. It would be a forfeit for both sides for seeding purposes.

5.5.2 Non-Champion Bugs

Non-Champion bugs, such as bugs involving items, summoner spells, jungle camps, epic monsters, minions, jungle plants, or environmental bugs, are typically less severe than champion bugs. If a known non-champion bug is found, but the entity of the bug is still allowed in play, anyone found abusing the bug in-game will be penalized (See 6.3.9). If a severe non-champion bug occurs (a player is locked out of the game after taking a Hextech gate or a summoner spell having no cooldown) the game should be paused and the opposing team should be informed of the situation. Contact a staff member for review. In the event that a staff member is unavailable, record the bug and play out the rest of the game. If staff find that the bug is severe enough to affect the result of the game, a remake may be enforced.

5.6 Remakes

5.6.1 Remaking Games

If a game is remade and the teams are out of unused tournament codes, they should generate a new code on the MSL website. Failure to use a tournament code will result in the game being unrecognized by the league and may have to be repeated.

In the event of a remake, the game is to be remade with the same draft, the same lane assignments, the same summoner spells, and the same runes. Failure to do so will force another remake.

Unless the remake was for a non-champion bug involving the summoner spell or rune that was used.

5.6.2 Mistakes and Remakes

Players are not allowed to remake the game because of wrong runes or summoner spells. Once the game has loaded, the game will be played as is. An exception can be made in the case that both teams agree on a remake and the game is not being streamed. In this case, the game is remade with the same picks and bans.

6. Player Conduct

6.1 Player Conduct

6.1.1 General Player Conduct

Players are expected to be respectful to all other players and help create an enjoyable sportsmanlike environment. Anyone who breaks this rule and is reported to a staff member will be reviewed and subject to penalties. Racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, etc., will not be tolerated. Anyone found creating a toxic environment will be penalized or removed from the league. (See 6.1.8)

6.1.2 Unsportsmanlike Conduct

Unsportsmanlike conduct is not permitted.

  • An example of unsportsmanlike conduct is the abuse of All Chat. All chat is only permitted at the beginning of the game, at the end of the game, or during a pause. All chat is restricted to simple statements such as “glhf” or “gg” at the beginning and end of the game or light chat during pauses. Any use of all chat outside of these situations is not permitted.
  • Emote (Dance/Laugh) spamming is also considered unsportsmanlike conduct. Emote spamming is when a player uses the dance or laugh emote 5 or more times in quick succession. This does not count for dancing at the beginning of the game. The emotes that can be turned off in the game are not punishable.

If unsportsmanlike conduct occurs, pause the game and point it out. If, after the pause, the unsportsmanlike conduct happens again, or if the conduct is severe, the offending team will be punished. (See 6.1.9)

6.1.3 Defamation

No players, coaches, or anyone else involved with an MSL team are allowed to defame a player, an organization, and its staff, or MSL and its staff. Punishment for persons who defame another can face a timeout or kick/ban.

6.1.4 Player Confidentiality

No players, coaches, or anyone else involved with an MSL team are allowed to disclose any information that would be deemed confidential unless agreed upon within the team. This can include but is not limited to, draft strategies, game strategies, roster changes, personal information, etc.

6.1.5 Stream Etiquette

If a player or anyone associated with a team breaks the rules for stream conduct, they will be penalized.

  • For issues that relate to minor swearing, a warning will be issued. If a warning is issued to someone and it happens again, they will be removed from the stream.
  • For issues including but not limited to discriminatory language, remarks, or harassment targeted at a member of the league in any capacity, including but not limited to racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, etc. The individual will be immediately removed from the stream and suspended from the league.

If the staff decides that the issue is significantly problematic, the individual will be removed from the league indefinitely.

6.1.6 Investigation Obstruction

If the player being investigated fails to comply, they will be seen as obstructing an investigation and will be considered guilty of their offense.

  • If a player is reported and other members of MSL are found to be making comments towards the suspected player and or tipping the suspected player off, they will be subjected to a suspension for obstructing an investigation of a player.
  • If staff attempts to speak with a player regarding another player’s investigation and that player fails to answer, then they will be seen as obstructing an investigation and will be subjected to a suspension for obstructing an investigation of a player.

6.1.7 Failure to Appear

If staff attempts to speak with a player regarding their investigation and that player fails to answer, they will be considered guilty of their offense.

6.1.8 General Player Conduct Punishments

If a member or group in the MSL breaks the rules for player conduct, they will be penalized.

Minor issues typically result in a warning to the offender(s). Suppose a warning was issued to an individual or group and the issue happens again. In that case, they will be restricted from league privileges such as voice and text chat, and suspended from play for a time based on the severity of the offense.

For major issues such as discrimination, harassment, unsolicited messages including but not limited to perverse or NSFW content, unapproved advertisement through pings or DMS, etc. The offender(s) will be immediately suspended from the league while an investigation is launched. If the offense was determined to be significant and the offender(s) is unable to meet the conduct standards of the MSL, they will be removed from the MSL indefinitely. Any payment associated with the offender(s) will be considered forfeit.

6.1.9 Unsportsmanlike Conduct Punishments

If a player abuses all chat during the game, a warning will be issued if screenshotted and reported. If the player continues to abuse all chat, the offending team will lose 1 ban in the next game. If it is the last game, or if a team repeats the offense after losing bans, they will forfeit the game.

If a player continues to emote spam after a pause and warning, it should be recorded and reported. The offending team will lose 1 ban in the next game of the series. If it is the last game, or if a team repeats the offense after losing bans, they will forfeit the game.

6.2 Third-Party Programs

6.2.1 Programs Impacting Overlays

Programs that provide information on players based on public information, such as Porofessor, Blitz, and OP.GG, etc., are allowed to be used in MSL matches so long as they do not directly impact gameplay. This extends to programs that affect overlays, such as jungle timers or CS counters.

6.2.2 Programs Impacting Gameplay

Programs that directly impact gameplay, such as scripts, cheats, or macros, are banned from MSL play. If a player is found to be using a banned program, they will be immediately banned from the league. The banned player's team will be individually reviewed to determine if there was knowledge of the banned programs being used and if the team will be allowed to continue to play within the league.

6.3 League of Legends Punishments

6.3.1 Banned or Suspended LoL Accounts

If a player’s League of Legends account is banned or suspended for any reason, the individual who owns the account will also be suspended from the league for the duration of the suspension or ban. If a player is permanently banned on one of their accounts, they are suspended from the league for 1 season. They will be allowed to rejoin the league after that season if no other account bans or suspensions occur.

6.3.2 Inaccessible LoL Accounts

A player who can no longer access their MAIN account will be suspended from playing in MSL until they can reaccess the account or pass an appeal process with MSL Staff.

6.3.3 Unreported LoL Accounts

If a player fails to report a League of Legends account, they will be punished based on the account.

  • If the account peak rank is lower than the player's active rank, the team will lose one ban in the next game when that player is used, and the new account will be factored into their player tier.

  • If the account peak rank is a similar rank (The same rank or 1 rank lower), they are suspended for 2 weeks, and the new account will be factored into their player tier.

  • If the account peak rank is a higher rank, the player will be suspended for the rest of the MSL season, and the new account will be factored into their player tier:

    1. If the new player tier would invalidate a team’s eligibility to play in their division. All previous wins with said player in the game are considered forfeit, and the wins will be awarded to the opposing teams.

    2. If the player tier is unchanged, a team contesting a recent match would have that match result overturned. Other previous matches would not be affected.

Unlisted alt accounts that are the same rank or lower cannot affect past game results.

6.3.4 Using Alternate Accounts in MSL Matches

If a player wants to use an alternate account in an MSL match, the player must contact staff for an appeal and contact their next opponents for competitive integrity (See 1.2.2). If a player uses an alternate account without contacting staff for an appeal, all games played with the alternate account are invalid and considered forfeit.

6.3.5 Playing for Multiple Teams

Players are allowed to play for multiple teams given that the teams they are playing for are not in the same division/league. If a player is found to be playing for multiple teams in the same division/league, whether it be through account sharing or playing from 2 different reported accounts on 2 different rosters, the player will be punished.

  • One offense on a registered main account is a 2-week suspension from all-league play.
  • On a second offense or if the player was on an unregistered or shared account, they will be banned from the league.
  • A game with an illegal player is considered forfeited.

6.3.6 Late Penalties

If a full team of 5 players is not in the lobby and Discord at the agreed-upon match time, the team without a full roster will begin to accumulate penalties.

  • After 5 minutes, there will be a ban loss for the first game draft.
  • After 10 minutes, there will be another ban loss for the first game draft.
  • After 15 minutes, the game is considered forfeited.
  • After 30 minutes, the match is considered forfeit.

6.3.7 Role Swaps

If a team exceeds the allowed role swaps, the game is to be completely remade from the draft. The offending team will lose a ban in the new draft and be role-locked for this game only. If a team fails to report the offense and the game is played out with a winner decided, the result will stand.

6.3.8 Intermissions Between Games

If the 10-minute intermission between games elapses and the draft for the next game hasn't begun, take a screenshot and notify staff immediately. After the 10-minute intermission ends, the following penalties will begin to accrue.

  • After 5 minutes, the offending team will lose their first ban.
  • After 10 minutes, the offending team will lose their second ban.
  • After 15 minutes, the offending team will forfeit the game.
  • After 20 minutes, the offending team will forfeit the match.

6.3.9 Failure to Provide a Ready Check

If a team fails to provide a ready check before resuming the game, the afflicted team may pause the game and screenshot the offense. The offending team will lose a ban in their next game.

6.3.10 Pausing in Champion Combat

  • If a team pauses during champion combat, staff should be contacted to determine the severity of the illegal pause.
  • If the illegal pause is determined to be less severe (this is typically applied to 1v1s or small skirmishes involving 5 or fewer champions), the offending team will lose 1 ban in the next game’s draft.
  • If the illegal pause is determined to be more severe (this is typically applied to team fights or major skirmishes involving 7 or more champions), the afflicted team will be offered a remake. If they decline the remake, the offending team will lose 3 bans in the next game’s draft.
  • If the game is the last of the series, the afflicted team will be offered a remake. If they decline, the result stands.

In the event of a remake, the game is to be remade and played with the same draft, summoner spells, and runes.

6.3.11 Bug Abuse

Some bugs are not considered significant enough to warrant the ban of a champion or strategy from league play. However, these bugs are still banned from being used in games. Suppose a player is found to be abusing a bug (more than one occurrence that is not deemed unintentional). In that case, the team the offending player is on will immediately forfeit the current match and be given a warning by the league. If a team continues to abuse the bug or abuses a different bug after they have been given a warning, they will be disqualified from the season, and their payment will be considered forfeit.

6.3.12 Ranked Games Requirements

Ranked games requirements must be fulfilled by the player who is playing on the account. Account sharing MAIN accounts is not allowed under any circumstance. Punishments will include:

  • The account in question will be temporarily banned from MetaShift League since their tier placement cannot accurately reflect the player.
  • The individuals playing on the account will be suspended for 2 weeks.

6.3.13 Ineligible Roster

An ineligible roster is a roster that has a player or players that are ineligible due to a number of factors (player tier cap, account eligibility, etc). It is also a roster that violates the division’s team eligibility requirements. If an ineligible roster plays a game, that game is determined invalid and considered to be forfeit.

7. Payment

7.1 Transactions and Payment

7.1.1 Division Cost and Entry Fee Payment

Teams must pay their Division Cost and Entry Fee before the season’s start date. Entry Fee payments are required for new teams, teams that suffered excessive forfeit consequences (See 5.1.2), and teams that were disqualified due to a competitive ruling.

7.1.2 Prize Payouts and Deposit Return

At the end of a season, the 1st and 2nd place teams from each division will receive a cash prize based on the division they competed in.

7.1.3 Payment Information

Both entry fees and prize payouts will be between a team representative and the MetaShift League on Venmo or Paypal (Venmo Preferred). Each entry fee, prize payout, and deposit return should be a single transaction. DM MetaShift for assistance.

Venmo: venmo.com/MetaShift

Paypal: paypal.me/OffMetaeSports

8. Broadcasts and Streams

8.1 Stream Schedule

8.1.1 League Stream Schedule

Every division in the league has set stream times, days, and weeks for streamed games and matches. The standard time for a streamed game is 8 PM EST on the division’s scheduled stream day. The scheduled stream day for each division is shown in the table below.

DivisionStream Day
NobleNONE
RadonNONE
XenonNONE
KryptonNONE
ArgonNONE
CarbonNONE
NitrogenNONE
NeonNONE
HeliumNONE

8.2 Stream Conduct

8.2.1 Results of Streamed Games

No player, coach, team manager, friend, or anyone else affiliated with either of the teams may post the results of the streamed game in Twitch chat or Discord prior to the game’s completion on stream. Failure to abide by this rule may result in being muted on the MSL Twitch channel or being muted in the MSL Discord server.

8.2.2 Interviews or Other Guest Content

If a player, or anyone associated with a team, is brought on stream for an interview or show (Weekly Recap or any other streamed content), they are prohibited from using profanity and may not make any racist, sexist, or other discriminatory remarks. Failure to abide by this rule will result in penalties for the offending player or team (See 6.1.5).

8.2.3 Stream Delays

All streams covering MSL games (caster streams and player streams) are required to have a minimum of a 3-minute delay. If there is a team and/or player found to have streamed their game without the proper delay, they must show staff the VOD with comms for the game(s) that are in question. Failure to provide VODs of the stream will result in the game being forfeited. Player streams not using the proper delay are not protected by stream sniping.

9. Spirit of Rules

9.1 Final Rulings

9.1.1 Final Say

League admins and staff have the final say in all league disputes and player/team placement appeals. Situations that lie outside of the rules and situations of a high magnitude are up to the interpretation of league admins. Typically, issues will be voted on by multiple league admins and moderators. In the event of a tie, MetaShift will be the deciding vote.

9.1.2 Conflict of Interest

Some league admins or staff play in one of the divisions of the MSL. In the event that an issue or conflict includes a league admin or other staff, all parties with a conflict of interest will have no say in the issue or the decisions made. This includes MetaShift.

9.2 Rule Changes

9.2.1 Rulebook Changes

Rules may change throughout the season if it is decided they are needed to keep the integrity of the league. Any rules added after the official start date of the league will not be in effect until the week of play after which the rule was added or after the season, depending on the rule change. All rule changes will be announced in the #rule-changes channel under the League Information category in the MetaShift League Discord server.

10. FAQ

To be updated as needed :D

1. Player Eligibility

  • Main Account Requirement: Players must designate a MAIN account at the start of the MSL season and stick with it throughout.

  • Account Level: Minimum level 300, or 200-299 with an appeal.

  • Ranked Games Requirement: 30 games in S2025.

2. Past and Recent Season Ranks

  • Recent Season Rank: The end of S2024 S3.

  • Past Season Rank: The end of S2023 S1 and earlier.

3. Tiers

  • Tier Assignment: Assigned upon registering, expressing skill level for

    division balancing.

  • Tier Range: From Tier 0 (highest skill) to Tier 7.

4. Roster Changes

  • Starting Player Changes: Limited to one per week; role swaps among starters don’t count.

  • Substitute Changes: Unlimited, but those added less than 12 hours before a match are e-subs.

  • Roster Change Deadline: None, but special rules apply for substitutes in playoffs.

5. Substitutes

  • Disclosure: Must be disclosed 6 hours before a match.

  • Penalties: E-sub incurs a 3-ban loss; undisclosed subs grant the opponent extra prep time prior to draft.

6. Substitutes in Playoffs

No e-subs in the playoffs.

  • Game Requirement: Penalties for players with fewer than 4 or 2 MSL games in the current season.

  • Exemption: Each team can exempt one player from this rule before playoffs.

7. Ban Loss

  • Consecutive Penalties: Start with the first ban; a 3-ban loss means losing all first-phase bans.

8. Scheduling

  • Fallback Day and Time: Sunday, 8 PM EST.

  • Availability Requirements: Teams must provide two days outside the fallback day.

  • Match Time: Default is 8 PM EST unless mutually changed.

9. Forced Streamed Match

N/A for MSL Summer 2025

10. Role Swaps

  • Allowed Swaps: Limited to one swap or two players in different positions.

  • Exemptions: Solo lane swaps (Top/Mid) and Bot/Support swaps don’t count against limits.

11. Trading Champions

  • Deadline: Players can trade champions in client champ select until the 30-second mark.

12. Outside Influence/3rd Party

  • Prohibitions: No outside influence in any form during matches.

  • Streaming Delay: A 3-minute delay is required for POV streams.

13. New Champions/Reworks

  • Disabling Policy: New or majorly reworked champions are disabled for one week. Midscope updates may vary.

14. Eligible Divisions by Tier.

TierDivisions
Tier XNone
Tier 0Only Noble
Tier 1Only Noble
Tier 2Only Noble, Xenon
Tier 3Only Noble, Radon, Xenon, or Argon
Tier 4All but Carbon, Neon, or Helium
Tier 5All but Neon
Tier 6All
Tier 7All
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