Movement speed in LoL: the 415 and 490 soft caps
Movement speed decides who hits and who gets hit, who escapes and who dies. But it doesn’t pay off equally across the range: past 415 each point is worth less, and past 490 even less. Here you see exactly where it slows down.
The soft caps: why it returns less past 415
Each champion has a base movement speed (most between ~325 and ~345), and you add more with boots, items, runes and abilities. But the total doesn’t scale linearly: the game applies soft caps. Up to 415, every point counts in full. Between 415 and 490, each extra point returns only 80%. Above 490, it returns 50%.
The chart shows it with the real formula: the effective line (green) follows the raw one (grey) up to 415, then splits at two elbows. For example, 600 “raw” speed ends up as 530 effective: 12% less. That’s why piling on movement speed endlessly has diminishing returns.
The practical takeaway: reaching ~415 is very efficient, and a one-off burst above it (an active item, an ability) is still worth it for a play. But building your whole build around permanently passing 490 returns less and less per point. Test your real speed in the Build Lab.
≤415: efectiva = cruda · 415–490: cruda×0,8 + 83 · >490: cruda×0,5 + 230 Above 415 movement speed each point returns less (×0.8), and above 490 even less (×0.5). That’s why going for tons of movement speed has diminishing returns: the effective line (green) splits from the raw one (grey) at the two elbows. Reaching ~415 is very efficient; stretching to 500+ already costs twice as much per useful point.
Slows, slow resist and speed-ups
Slows subtract a percentage of your speed. Slow resist reduces that percentage: with 50% slow resist, a 40% slow hits you like 20%. It’s a niche stat (Mercury’s Treads and a few items) that’s very strong against champions who rely on slowing you.
Order matters: slows are calculated before the soft caps. So if you were already above 490, a slow first lowers your raw speed and then the caps are reapplied. And speed-ups (movement boosts) add to your raw speed like everything else: they’re affected by the soft caps too.
In practice, mixing different sources (passive speed, a one-off active, slow resist) is usually better than stacking only flat speed, because you sidestep the soft caps’ diminishing returns.
Why movement speed wins games
Movement speed doesn’t show up in your damage, but it decides almost everything else: kiting (hitting and backing off without taking damage), dodging abilities, rotating faster across the map, getting to an objective first and escaping a gank. A marksman who kites well multiplies their effective damage without adding a single offensive stat.
That’s why almost everyone buys boots early, and why speed bursts (from abilities or active items) win so many fights: they let you choose the distance. Mobility is also the answer to the control tenacity doesn’t touch, as we saw in the tenacity guide: if they can’t reach you, they can’t knock you up.
Practical takeaway: get boots early, aim for a comfortable speed range and don’t obsess over permanently passing 490. For rotations and map control, see the map control and waves guide and plan routes on the interactive map.
Almost all give the same speed bonus; what changes is the extra. Pick by matchup: combat or utility. Later, each pair upgrades to its stronger Tier 3 version (its evolution). Tap any to see its page.
FAQ
Is there a movement speed cap in LoL?
There’s no hard cap, but there are soft caps: above 415 each point returns 80%, and above 490 it returns 50%. So you can pass 490, but each point is worth half. Below 220 there’s also a floor so you’re never fully immobile.
How much movement speed should you aim for?
Reaching ~415 with boots and items is very efficient, because up to there every point counts in full. Permanently passing 490 returns half per point, so it’s only worth it on speed-based builds or with one-off bursts for a play.
Is slow resist the same as tenacity?
No. Tenacity reduces the duration of disables (stuns, roots); slow resist reduces the strength of movement slows. Mercury’s Treads give tenacity; slow resist comes from other specific sources.