Elixir of Iron

Elixir of Iron is a 500 gold consumable in League of Legends, sold on its own with no components and no upgrades. Drink it and you get 300 Health, 25% Tenacity and a bigger champion model for 3 minutes, plus a trail behind you that gives allied champions 15% Move Speed, as of patch 26.21. No permanent stats and no build path, just a timed buff for the front line.

What does the Elixir of Iron actually do?

Four things at once, all of them temporary.

The Health is the headline. 300 extra Health on a tank who already sits on three or four thousand is the difference between surviving a full combo at Baron and watching the fight from the grey screen (ask any top laner who forgot to buy it). Tenacity is the quieter half: 25% shorter stuns, slows and roots for the whole 3 minutes, which stacks with the Tenacity from Mercury’s Treads under the usual rules Riot uses for that stat.

Then there’s the size. Your champion visibly grows, so the enemy knows you drank it, and honestly that is part of the point: a bigger model is also a bigger target for skillshots, so the buff is not free in every situation. The trail is the last piece. While the elixir runs, you leave a path that speeds up allied champions by 15%, which matters most when your team walks to an objective behind you.

Why does the database show 0% gold efficiency?

Because the item has no permanent stats to price. Our efficiency numbers only count stat lines that basic items sell, and a 3 minute buff is not a stat line.

Is it bad value, then? Not really. At the basic-item rate of 2.67 gold per point of Health, the Health alone would cost more than the whole elixir if you bought it as a permanent stat, and you also get the Tenacity and the trail on top. The catch is the timer: 3 minutes covers one, maybe two big fights, and then the 500 gold is gone. Buy it when a fight is coming, not on a quiet recall.

Who should drink the Iron Elixir?

Front liners with a full build. Tanks, juggernauts and anyone whose job is to start the fight and soak the crowd control that follows.

In practice the purchase window opens when your six slots are full and you have spare gold with nothing to spend it on, which usually means the last ten minutes of a long game (if the game gets there at all). A Tenacity buff does nothing for a mage who dies before the stun wears off anyway, and the damage elixirs suit carries better: Elixir of Wrath for attack damage users, Elixir of Sorcery for ability power. Supports on a tight budget? Skip it, 500 gold is a control ward and a half for you (well, close to it), and wards win more games than a bigger model does.

How has the item changed over the patches?

Barely. Riot’s data files first list it in patch 4.20, the price rose from 400 to 500 gold in patch 5.22, and the effect text was last reworded in patch 14.12. That’s the whole history.

Compare that with most legendary items in our LoL items database, which get touched every few patches, and the elixir looks almost frozen. Put simply, Riot found a number for the Iron Elixir a decade ago and left it alone, so what you learn about it today will still be true next season, or close to it.

FAQ

How much does Elixir of Iron cost?

500 gold in patch 26.21. It sells back for 200 gold if you have not consumed it yet.

How long does the buff last?

3 minutes from the moment you drink it. The Health, Tenacity, size increase and the trail all end at the same time.

Does it give permanent stats?

No. Every part of the effect is temporary, which is why the gold efficiency table shows no priced stats.

What does the trail do?

Allied champions who walk on the path you leave behind gain 15% Move Speed. It does not speed you up, only your teammates.

Does it build from or into anything?

No. It is a consumable with no components and no upgrades, bought on its own from the shop.

Which elixir should a tank buy?

This one. Elixir of Wrath and Elixir of Sorcery give offensive stats, while the Iron version gives Health, Tenacity and the Move Speed trail that front liners want.