Elo is a community term used to describe a player's overall skill level or rank. The name originates from the Elo rating system created for competitive chess, and although League of Legends now uses its own matchmaking algorithms, the word Elo remains widely used to reference a player's general performance bracket. Players commonly say they are in “high Elo” or “low Elo” to describe the difficulty and behavior patterns of their matches.
Higher Elo is associated with stronger mechanical ability, better decision making, and more consistent macro play. Because improvement in Elo often requires mastery of concepts such as wave control, Map awareness, and optimal use of resources, climbing becomes a meaningful measure of a player’s growth. Elo is frequently discussed alongside a player’s MMR even though the two systems function differently behind the scenes. Reaching higher tiers also exposes players to more refined strategies, including better rotations and coordinated Teamfight execution.