Boots

Boots is the 300 gold starting item for Move Speed in League of Legends: 25 Move Speed, no passive, and seven possible upgrades in patch 26.21. Every finished pair on Summoner’s Rift begins with this one purchase, which is why nearly every champion picks it up within the first few minutes of a game.

What does the first pair actually give you?

25 flat Move Speed. That’s the whole item.

No stat looks smaller on paper, and honestly no cheap stat changes a laning phase more. Walking back into lane faster after a recall, slipping past a skillshot by a sliver, reaching a bush before the enemy jungler does, all of it comes from this one number, and because the bonus sits on top of the base speed every champion already has, those extra points show up in every chase and every retreat.

Is it a basic item or a pair of boots? In Riot’s data the tag is Boots, and the shop files it under that heading rather than next to Long Sword and Ruby Crystal. The distinction matters because you can hold only one pair at a time (yes, the shop stops you from buying a second pair).

Are Boots gold efficient?

Exactly 100%. The gold value of Move Speed comes from this item itself, 12 gold per point, so 25 points equals 300 gold against a 300 gold price.

Put simply, this pair sets the price that every other Move Speed stat in the game is measured against. When an upgraded pair shows an efficiency above 100% in our database, it means the finished item gives more than its price in Move Speed and other stats at those same basic-item rates. Sell value is 210 gold, which you rarely care about, since the item gets upgraded rather than sold.

What do Boots build into?

Seven items in patch 26.21, one for each kind of champion. Simple item, big decision.

Every finished pair except Swiftness carries 45 Move Speed, so the real choice is the second stat. Thing is, the cheapest upgrade (Ionian Boots of Lucidity at 900 gold) and the most expensive one (Mercury’s Treads at 1,250 gold) sit only a few hundred gold apart, so price rarely decides it; the enemy team’s damage type does. Each of those seven pairs then has a further upgrade of its own in Riot’s data, Gunmetal Greaves for Berserker’s Greaves for example, with no combine cost listed.

When should you buy the first pair?

Usually on your first or second recall. Most laners start with a Doran’s item and potions, then pick this up once they have 300 gold to spare, and the exact timing depends on who is standing across from you. Facing a champion whose damage comes from skillshots? Earlier is better. Sitting against a lane that lets you farm in peace? You can delay the purchase and put the gold into a component for your first legendary instead.

Junglers are the exception. Many of them wait until after the first clear, because the jungle starter and a Refillable Potion eat the starting gold (and the camps don’t dodge). Supports often buy early, since roaming is most of the job.

Real talk, buying the first pair and never upgrading it is the common mistake. The upgrade is where the second stat lives, and sitting on tier-one boots deep into the midgame means you’re missing a stat line that costs less than any legendary. If you’re unsure which upgrade your role wants, the champion guides on this site list the usual pair per champion, and the table above shows what each one costs.

How has the item changed over the patches?

Very little, which is rare for an item this old. Riot’s data goes back to 2013 and shows two price cuts: the cost dropped from 350 to 325 gold in patch 3.8, then dropped from 325 to 300 in patch 5.22. Patch 10.23 renamed Boots of Speed to plain Boots during the big item shop rework. The Move Speed has not moved. The full LoL items database tracks the same history for all seven upgrades, which have changed far more often than the base pair.

FAQ

How much do Boots cost?

300 gold in patch 26.21. The item has no components, so the whole price is paid at once, and it sells back for 210 gold.

How much Move Speed is that?

25 flat Move Speed. Every upgraded pair raises that to 45, and Boots of Swiftness to 55.

Can you hold two pairs at once?

No. The shop allows one pair per champion, so a second pair cannot be purchased while the first is in your inventory.

Which upgrades are available?

Berserker’s Greaves, Sorcerer’s Shoes, Plated Steelcaps, Mercury’s Treads, Ionian Boots of Lucidity, Boots of Swiftness and Gluttonous Greaves.

Is the item gold efficient?

Yes, at 100%. The Move Speed price of 12 gold per point is taken from this item, so its 25 points are worth exactly 300 gold.