Riot’s 2023 progression illustration shows a Recruitment Event with a 200,000 XP target, its progress counter and time remaining. The Agent Gear panel elsewhere in that historical illustration predates the September 2026 Mastery overhaul.[2] [7]
Start with the Agent’s unlock panel
- Open the Agent roster and select the locked Agent you want to play. Check whether a Recruitment Event is still active for that Agent.
- For an active event, use the displayed XP progress and time remaining to plan your remaining matches. Recruitment starts automatically, and Daily and Weekly XP count toward it.[2]
- For an older Agent, open its unlock options and choose KC, VP or an earned unlock token. Read the displayed cost and confirm the Agent’s name before spending; KC purchases are non-refundable.[1] [2]
- If the Agent is playable through Game Pass, distinguish that subscription access from a permanent unlock you bought or earned.[4]
| Agent state | Available route | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| First 28 days after release | Automatic Recruitment XP or VP; linked active Game Pass access.[1] [2] | Event progress and remaining time. |
| Recruitment has ended | KC, VP or an earned Agent Unlock Token.[1] [2] | Unlock panel cost, credit balance or token balance. |
| Already playable through Game Pass | Subscription benefit.[4] | Active linked membership versus permanent unlock. |
| Mastery reward visible | Play Agent to earn MP; buy unlocked reward sections with KC.[3] | Cosmetic/stat reward, not a new playable Agent. |
Complete recruitment without activating an old contract
New-Agent recruitment starts automatically. Match XP and Daily and Weekly XP contribute to its progress while your matches also earn Kingdom Credits. Buying the Agent with VP leaves the event active, with the related KC reward replacing the Agent unlock.[2]
For the 200,000 XP target pictured by Riot, 160,600 XP earned leaves 39,400 XP. Compare that remaining amount with the event timer and your available Daily and Weekly objectives. Once the event ends, use the older-Agent unlock choices rather than looking for an old Agent Contract to activate.[2]
Earn Kingdom Credits and spend them on the roster first
KC cannot be bought with money and your balance caps at 10,000. Each completed Daily checkpoint pays 150 KC: all four give 600 KC, before match earnings. FFA Deathmatch awards match KC but does not advance the Daily checkpoints, so choose a mode that contributes checkpoint progress when finishing those rewards is your goal.[1]
Four days of completing all four checkpoints produce 2,400 KC from the checkpoints alone. Add your existing balance and match earnings, then compare the total with the Agent’s displayed unlock price. Spend before sitting at the 10,000 cap; earning beyond a full balance cannot build a second reserve.[1]
New players can earn Agent Unlock Tokens through their initial progression. Use an earned token on a specific eligible locked Agent after its Recruitment Event has ended. A token unlocks the selected Agent; it is not a general balance for buying skins.[2]
Riot’s 2024 beginner guide groups Agents by role. Decide which missing role you want to play before spending a token; the pictured roster is the guide’s 2024 illustration.[6]
Mastery levels and cosmetic rewards do not recruit an Agent
Riot’s September 2026 Agent Mastery announcement introduces progression for the Agent you actually play. Its illustration represents that Mastery update.[7]
Mastery Points go to the Agent used in a match. They advance Act Levels and persistent Lifetime Levels; Act progression resets each Act, while Lifetime progression remains. Lifetime Levels open reward-track sections where KC buys Agent ID stats, backgrounds, frames, quotes and poses. Those rewards customize progression and presentation rather than adding another playable Agent to your roster.[3]
Game Pass access and an already-unlocked roster
Link the Riot account you actually use to the Xbox account holding the qualifying active Game Pass membership. The benefit grants access to all Agents while that membership remains active. If it ends, Agents separately unlocked through the game remain available; subscription-only access ends.[4]
For an account listing, the useful roster detail is the exact Agents already permanently unlocked. A skin collection, VP balance or rank does not identify that roster. Riot’s Terms prohibit account selling, transfer and sharing.[5] Compare the stated permanent Agent list separately from Game Pass access and Mastery cosmetics.
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