Honor of Kings features seven main ranking tiers from Bronze to Grandmaster, with exclusive sub-tiers including Mythic, Epic, and Legend. Players progress through a star-based system, earning stars for wins and losing them for defeats, with performance-based Result Points and Bravery Points providing protection mechanisms.
Honor of Kings Ranking System Overview
Let's be honest—Honor of Kings' ranking system can feel overwhelming at first glance. But once you understand the mechanics, it's actually pretty elegant.
Complete Tier Breakdown
The lower tiers keep things simple. Bronze and Silver each have 3 sub-divisions (III, II, I), and you'll need just 3 stars to climb each step. Gold and Platinum bump things up to 4 sub-divisions requiring 4 stars each—this is where the grind starts feeling real.
Diamond and Master? That's where things get serious. Five sub-divisions each, 5 stars per advancement. I've seen players get stuck in Diamond for months because the skill gap between sub-tiers becomes genuinely noticeable.
Grandmaster operates differently—it's a single tier where you accumulate stars from 0-24. But here's where it gets interesting: the game doesn't stop there. Mythic kicks in at 25 stars, Epic at 50 stars (representing the top 1% of players), and Legend at 100+ stars as the highest achievable rank. Elite tier players get to select exclusive titles that last two seasons—basically bragging rights that actually matter.
Star System Mechanics
The star system isn't just win/lose anymore (thank goodness). Standard progression gives you +1 star for victories and -1 for defeats, but the performance-based Result Points system changes everything. It grades your individual performance from C to SSS on a 0.0 to 16.0 scale:
Win + SSS Performance: +2 or more stars (maximum 3)
Win + Average Performance (A-S): +1 to +2 stars
Loss + SSS Performance: Can gain +1 star despite losing
Loss + Average/Poor Performance (A-C): Lose 0 to -1 or more stars
Here's the kicker—SSS ratings go to approximately the top 0.01% of performances in each match. So yeah, they're rare.
Seasonal Structure
Ranked seasons typically last 3 months, which feels about right for maintaining engagement without burnout. At season's end, ranks reset with varying severity. Bronze through Gold IV players get to keep their ranks (lucky them), while higher ranks face significant reductions.
Grandmaster players with 0-9 stars reset to Diamond II, while Legend rank players (100+ stars) drop all the way to Master III. It's brutal, but it keeps the ecosystem competitive.
Bronze to Silver: Foundation Building
Bronze tier has this unique protection where you literally can't lose stars for defeats. It's training wheels, essentially—and honestly, that's perfect for new players.
Focus on learning last-hitting mechanics here. You get a 50% gold bonus compared to passive minion kills, which adds up fast. The Level 4 ultimate ability unlock creates crucial power spikes that determine most early trades.
Ranked mode unlocks at account Level 6, requiring ownership of at least 5 heroes. My starter recommendations? Di Renjie for marksman (that Level 4 power spike is nasty, plus built-in self-peel), Zhang Fei for tanking with straightforward engagement tools, and Dun for clash lane with ridiculous survivability.
Gold to Platinum: Skill Development Phase
This is where the game actually begins, in my opinion.
Advanced Mechanics
You need to hit 6-7 CS per minute minimum—no exceptions. Master counter-building: grab anti-heal items early against high-recovery heroes like Cai Yan, or prioritize high health items (Overlord's Platemail) over armor stacking against physical pierce champions like Lady Sun with Starbreaker.
Wave management becomes critical here. Freeze lanes near your tower when ahead, or push aggressively to create roaming opportunities. Master trading stance: position aggressively when enemy abilities are on cooldown, retreat when they're available. Simple concept, but execution separates good players from great ones.
Role Specialization
Focus on mastering maximum two roles with three heroes each. Don't spread yourself thin.
Jungle priorities: Dian Wei, Wukong, Musashi, Augran, and Lam for clear speed and ganking potential. Mid lane: Yixing for burst and crowd control, Nuwa for global pressure, and Mai Shiranui for mobility—though her 80.9% ban rate makes her a risky main.
Marksman players benefit from high-mobility champions: Loong, Arli, and Lady Sun offer superior repositioning. Support specialists should focus on Dyadia for healing and utility, Sakeer for durability, and Da Qiao for strategic teleportation plays.
For those looking to accelerate progression and unlock more heroes for ranked play, Honor of Kings Top Up services provide quick access to tokens needed for champion purchases and battle pass progression.
Diamond Tier: Competitive Gameplay
Welcome to the big leagues.
Meta Understanding
Diamond introduces Ban/Pick phase, which means you need extensive hero pool knowledge. Only heroes with Senior proficiency or higher are eligible for draft mode—so those casual picks won't cut it anymore.
Current meta priorities: Lam, Augran, and Musashi dominating jungle; Clash lane favors Dun; mid lane sees Dyadia, Mi Yue, and Da Qiao as top picks; Farm lane prioritizes Loong, Hou Yi, and Marco Polo.
First-pick strong, versatile champions that fit multiple team compositions. Save niche or easily countered picks for later in draft. Monitor enemy item builds frequently through scoreboard to adapt your purchases—this isn't optional anymore.
Performance Optimization
SSS ratings become crucial for star protection and bonus gains. Role-specific SSS triggers vary significantly:
Jungle: Secure buffs and dragons consistently, maintain high KDA, achieve 70-80% kill participation
Mid: Focus on roaming impact, high damage dealt, and map pressure creation
Marksman: Maintain high damage output, tower destruction, and survival rates
Master to Grandmaster: Elite Strategies
Master tier represents the top 10% of players. The skill ceiling jumps dramatically here.
Advanced vision control becomes mandatory: place your left index finger on minimap to drag and check other areas while maintaining movement control. After clearing first mid wave, supports should rotate to farm lane while gaining vision of enemy blue buff to track jungle pathing.
The climb from Master to Grandmaster typically requires 200-300 games for average players, while exceptional players achieve it in 40-100 games. There's also this weekly activity requirement in Grandmaster—players inactive for 7 days automatically lose 1 star. Keeps things competitive.
Protection Points and Brave Points System
How Protection Points Work
Bravery Points prevent star loss on defeats when you accumulate them to specific thresholds. At maximum capacity, winning matches consume points to grant additional stars beyond the standard +1.
Points accumulate through several methods:
Avoiding AFK behavior: 3-5 points (bonus based on Reputation Points)
Victory streaks: 2 wins = 6 points, 3 wins = 10 points, 4+ wins = 16 points
Medal achievements: Gold/Silver MVP awards (Diamond+ Gold Medal = 50 points)
Time your Star Protection activation for crucial promotion matches or difficult matchups. Higher ranks require more Bravery Points for activation, creating scaling difficulty that keeps things challenging.
Fastest Climbing Strategies by Role
Tank/Support Climbing
Dyadia offers the highest impact with healing, damage, crowd control, and gold manipulation abilities. Start with mid lane assistance for first wave clear, then rotate to gain enemy jungle vision. Focus on peel positioning during team fights rather than initiation—your carries need to stay alive more than you need to look flashy.
Assassin/Marksman Focus
Jungle provides maximum game impact through map control and objective security. Master efficient clear patterns to maintain level advantages, then translate positioning into successful ganks. Focus on tracking enemy jungle timers to steal buffs—it's psychological warfare.
Marksman climbing requires exceptional positioning and damage optimization. High-mobility marksmen like Loong and Arli provide better escape options for solo queue environments where team coordination can be... questionable.
Players seeking to maximize climbing efficiency can Buy HOK Tokens Cheap to access premium battle pass tiers, which provide additional Bravery Points and Star Protection cards as rewards.
Common Ranking Mistakes to Avoid
Playing while emotionally compromised leads to poor decision-making and extended losing streaks. I can't stress this enough—implement mandatory breaks after losing three consecutive stars to reset your mental state. Use Tier Double Star Cards to maximize gains from first wins after breaks.
Avoid one-tricking comfort picks that don't fit team compositions or face hard counters. Master mechanically simpler champions first, then gradually incorporate complex picks after achieving proficiency. Stay updated on hero balance changes and item modifications—the meta shifts faster than you think.
Seasonal Updates and Rank Rewards
Reset Mechanics
Higher ranks face more significant reductions, which honestly makes sense from a competitive standpoint. Master V resets to Diamond IV, while Grandmaster ranges reset between Diamond II and Master V depending on star count. Legend rank players (100+ stars) reset to Master III.
Seasonal rewards scale with your highest rank achieved, not ending rank—so don't worry about last-minute drops. Examples include Rank Protection Cards for Gold V, Arcana Fragments for Platinum V, exclusive emotes for Diamond V, avatar frames for Master V, and finisher effects for Grandmaster.
Maximize seasonal efficiency by focusing climbing efforts during early season periods when competition levels are lower due to rank compression. For players looking to enhance their seasonal experience with premium rewards and progression boosts, HOK Top Up Online services provide convenient access to battle pass upgrades and exclusive seasonal content.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many stars do you need to reach Grandmaster from Bronze? Approximately 100 stars total: 6 stars for Bronze, 9 stars for Silver, 16 stars for Gold, 20 stars for Platinum, 25 stars for Diamond, and 25 stars for Master.
What's the difference between Mythic, Epic, and Legend ranks? Mythic requires 25 stars in Grandmaster, Epic needs 50 stars (top 1% of players), and Legend demands 100+ stars as the highest achievable rank. Players reaching these tiers gain exclusive titles lasting two seasons.
How do Bravery Points prevent star loss? Bravery Points accumulate through consistent play, victory streaks, and medal achievements. When reaching specific thresholds, they activate Star Protection, preventing star loss on defeats.
When do Honor of Kings seasons reset and how does it affect ranks? Seasons typically last 3 months. Lower ranks (Bronze-Gold IV) remain unchanged, while higher ranks face significant reductions. Grandmaster players reset between Diamond II and Master V depending on star count.
What heroes are best for climbing each role in the current meta? Current S-tier: Lam, Augran, Musashi for jungle; Dun, Augran, Lam for clash lane; Dyadia, Mi Yue, Da Qiao for mid; Loong, Hou Yi, Marco Polo for farm lane; Dyadia, Da Qiao, Dolia, Yaria for roaming.
How does the performance-based ranking system work? The Result Points system grades performance from C to SSS (0.0-16.0 scale). SSS performance can grant +2-3 stars for wins or +1 star despite losses. Key factors include KDA, objective control, damage dealt, and role-specific metrics like 70-80% kill participation for SSS rating.