Dynasty football, with a hero on the sideline.
Lords of the League takes the dynasty league you already know how to play and adds a second game on top of it. You build a hero, buy gear with the same gold you use for waivers, and cast one ability a week that can swing a close matchup.
You don't need any tabletop experience. If you can read a scoring settings page, you can read a hero sheet. This guide covers the parts that are new; it assumes you already know what a rookie draft is.
The Short Version
Your roster still does most of the scoring. The hero rides on top of it.
The football is still the football
Drafts, trades, lineups, waivers. All of it works the way you're used to, and the players you roster still produce the bulk of your points every week.
The hero is the new part
You build a character with a race, a class, six stats, and six gear slots. Once a week you pick an ability to cast. A well-run hero is usually worth somewhere in the range of 5 to 15 points.
Gold ties it together
Your waiver budget and your shopping money are the same pool. Win matchups and finish quests to earn gold, then decide whether it goes toward a free agent or a new sword. It never resets.
What a Week Looks Like
Easiest way to explain it is to just show a matchup. This one's made up, but the math is real.
Jon of House Stark
Alzaar
Alzaar takes it. The bases were 142.3 to 148.7 before any hero math, and after stats, gear, and abilities ran, the final landed at 153.9 to 158.0. Jon's trap fired on Alzaar's quarterback but the five points weren't enough to close the gap.
For the win, Alzaar collects 1 XP and a pile of gold scaled to the margin. Jon gets no XP for the loss, but he does pick up a Bone, the consolation item that feeds quest progress. Both heroes roll into Week 9.
What Actually Changes
Side by side, here's where LotL departs from the dynasty league you're used to.
Your Current League
- Draft NFL players in a startup and rookie drafts.
- Set a lineup each week and hope.
- Points come from NFL stats, full stop.
- FAAB or waiver priority for free agents.
- Kickers and DST if your league is into that.
- You are just a manager. Your team has an identity; you don't.
- Winning gets you a trophy and bragging rights.
Lords of the League
- Draft NFL players exactly the same way.
- Set a lineup, plus declare an ability and check your gear.
- Points come from NFL stats plus stat mods, Renown, and skills.
- Gold is your FAAB, and also buys equipment. One pool, no reset.
- No kickers, no DST. Not supported. Offense plus IDP instead.
- You are a hero with a race, class, stats, and gear.
- Winning gets you XP, gold, items, and eventually the King's Decree.
Your Hero
A hero is four decisions: a Race, a Path, a Class, and what you hang on the six equipment slots. Race and Path get picked at creation. Class comes later.
| Day one | Every hero starts with 10 gold, 0 XP, and 0 AP. |
| Race (1 of 10) | Sets your six base stats and gives a permanent racial passive. This is the pick that sticks, so don't rush it. |
| Path (1 of 6) | Your apprenticeship. Comes with a cheap 1 AP skill you can use immediately, and decides which classes you'll be able to choose from later. |
| Class (1 of 13) | Unlocks at Level 1, which you hit at 5 XP or after your first full season, whichever comes first. New class skills arrive at levels 1, 3, and 5. |
| Equipment | Six slots: Head, Chest, Finger, Neck, Main Hand, Off Hand. Bought from the Armory, tradeable with other managers, sellable back at 25% of the sticker price. |
| Six stats | Athletics, Dexterity, Intellect, Shiftiness, Vigor, Willpower. Each one boosts specific scoring categories. Chapter VIII has the details. |
The 10 Races
Stats read as raw value with the mod in color underneath. Raw 10 or 11 is neutral. The mod is the number that actually touches your score.
Archimon
Highly intelligent, clairvoyant avians with a propensity for magicks.
Dragonkin
Avaricious hoarders who extract every last coin from a deal.
Dwarf
Strong, sturdy folk of the mountains. They never forget a grudge.
Goblin
Rabid, crafty, and dumb. They live in big clans and never fight fair.
Halfling
Homely, kind, and curious, but they always find their way into trouble.
Human
The common race of the Free Folk. No weaknesses, no standout strengths.
Minotaur
Proud, faithful, and quick to anger. Drags opponents into the maze.
Troll
Lumbering, smelly, and insanely strong. Not known for brains.
Vampire
Terrifying, but dignified. They drink more than blood.
Wood Elf
Agile, nature-loving denizens of the deep forest.
The 6 Paths
Your Path is the apprenticeship you serve before earning a Class. Each one gives a +1 to a stat, a cheap 1 AP skill you can use from day one, and a shortlist of 4 or 5 classes you'll get to pick from at Level 1. Choose the Path whose classes you actually want.
Scholar
Drawn to libraries, scriptwork, and pursuits of the mind.
Rapscallion
Success by any means. Gold saved is gold earned, unless you need it now.
Cultist
Guided by darkness. Sinister, brooding, unafraid of the Dark Arts.
Acolyte
Scholars turned practical. They fill the air with magic and sorcery.
Neophyte
The bond between body, mind, and soul, forged through discipline.
Conscript
Physical punishment and weapon work, pushed to the limit.
The 13 Classes
Classes unlock at Level 1 and pick up new skills at levels 1, 3, and 5. Tap a class to open its skill list. Passives are always on; everything else costs AP.
Alchemist
Scholar or Rapscallion
Alchemist
Brewer of potions. Failures happen, but the craft improves with practice.
- Lvl 1ForagePassive Adept at finding potion ingredients in the wild.
- Lvl 1Recipe Book1 AP / brew Four tiers of recipes. Advance a tier after 15 successful brews. Roll 1d20 on each attempt; a 1 ruins the potion.
- Lvl 3MixologistPassive Use up to 3 unique potions per week.
- Lvl 5Alchemical EfficiencyPassive Every recipe produces two potions, and brews never fail.
Barbarian
Rapscallion or Conscript
Barbarian
Chaotic rage in place of judgment. A split skull beats a good defense.
- Lvl 1Rage4 AP +2 ATH, +2 DEX, +2 SHF, -2 VIG for the week.
- Lvl 3Dual WieldPassive Equip a second weapon instead of a shield.
- Lvl 3Blood AxePassive A signature axe: +1 ATH/DEX/WIL, -1 VIG, +3 Renown.
- Lvl 5Chaotic Whirlwind13 AP You roll 9d4, your opponent rolls 27d4, and each side loses their total × 0.1 per starter.
Bard
Scholar or Rapscallion
Bard
Wields music instead of steel. Six melodies, one per stat.
- Lvl 1ProdigyPassive Use 1 unique skill per level, plus 1, each matchup. A level 3 Bard runs four skills a week.
- Lvl 1The Six Melodies1 AP each +1 to a chosen stat (one melody per stat). Stacking pays Renown: +2 for playing 2+, +5 for 4+, +10 for all six.
- Lvl 3A Song of Fury1 AP Opponent loses 1 pt for each starter of theirs that goes over 15 points.
- Lvl 5MaestroPassive Master an instrument and equip it in the Off Hand.
Cleric
Scholar or Neophyte · the only class with IR slots
Cleric
Divine healer. The one and only class allowed to use IR spots.
- Lvl 1Healer's InfirmaryPassive 1 IR slot per Cleric level.
- Lvl 1Healing AuraPassive +0.2 pts for each rostered player who scores under 10 this week (on an NFL team, not on bye).
- Lvl 3Aegis5 AP Divine protection for the week: any player whose real NFL team wins gains 4 points.
- Lvl 5Blessed are the Meek11 AP Your two lowest-scoring starters become equal to your two highest-scoring players.
Druid
Acolyte or Neophyte
Druid
Attuned to nature, drawing power from the land and its creatures.
- Lvl 1Animal Companion5 AP Summon a random NFL animal team and gain 7% of their real score per starter.
- Lvl 3BarkskinPassive Permanent +3 VIG.
- Lvl 5In Righteous HarmonyVariable Spend any amount of AP for 0.5 pts per starter per AP. Your opponent is forced to spend the same amount to match.
Echoist
Scholar or Neophyte
Echoist
Studies every technique in the league and turns them back on their owners.
- Lvl 1Eidetic MemoryPassive Cast any activated matchup skill that's been used in your league this season, up to your current level.
- Lvl 3Mirrored StancePassive Automatically gain +2 to whichever base stat is your opponent's highest.
- Lvl 5Perfected EchoPassive Skills cast through Eidetic Memory cost half AP, rounded up.
Infernist
Cultist or Acolyte
Infernist
Obsessed with flame. Sheds beauty for destruction.
- Lvl 1Set Aflame4 AP Opponent loses 4d4 × 0.1 per starter.
- Lvl 3ChannelPassive Skip your skill for the week and get +1 WIL now plus +1 extra AP next week.
- Lvl 5Immolate15 AP Opponent takes -2 to DEX, ATH, VIG, and SHF, and loses 6d12 × 0.1 per starter.
Mentalist
Scholar or Acolyte
Mentalist
Manipulates minds and perception. The INT-heavy caster.
- Lvl 1Mirror Image5 AP Clone one of your rostered players. The clone scores 5% of the real player's score per starter.
- Lvl 3Psionic Blast8 AP For each point your INT mod beats your opponent's (up to 6), blast them for 0.5 per starter.
- Lvl 5Perceived Drowning13 AP Roll 6d6 and randomly assign the results as penalties across your opponent's stats.
Necromancer
Cultist or Acolyte
Necromancer
Dark magic bound to the dead. Feeds on the dropped and the cut.
- Lvl 1Summon Undead Servant3 AP The servant provides 2d6 × 0.1 per starter.
- Lvl 3Soul Harvest8 AP Gain 1d3 × 0.1 per starter for each player you've cut this season, up to 15.
- Lvl 5Contagion14 AP Roll 3d4 for potency. Each opposing starting spot rolls 1d20 plus your opponent's VIG and WIL mods against 18; every failure loses the potency in points.
Paladin
Neophyte or Conscript
Paladin
Holy warrior. Heavy armor and divine retribution.
- Lvl 1Lay On Hands4 AP Touch a player. If they score exactly 0 this week, gain their season average instead. Once per player per season.
- Lvl 3Armor of GodPassive Plate armor: +2 ATH/VIG/WIL, -2 SHF, -1 DEX.
- Lvl 5Divine Retribution12 AP Opponent loses 1 pt per starter for every matchup loss on your record this season.
Ranger
Neophyte or Conscript
Ranger
Outcast hunter. Sets traps and thrives alone.
- Lvl 1Stun Trap3 AP An opposing QB with 275+ pass yards loses 5; with 1+ interceptions thrown to the defense, loses another 3.
- Lvl 1Spike Trap3 AP An opposing player with 90+ rush yards loses 4; 2+ tackles for loss costs 3.
- Lvl 1Ensnaring Trap3 AP An opposing player with 75+ receiving yards loses 2; 5+ solo tackles costs 2.
- Lvl 3Thrill of the Hunt7 AP +4 ATH, +4 DEX, and your passing TDs are worth 1 extra point.
- Lvl 3Dual WieldPassive Equip a second weapon instead of a shield.
- Lvl 5Crippling Shot4 AP Roll 1d20 + ATH + DEX mods against your opponent's 1d20 + SHF mod. Win the roll and their SHF drops to 0.
Rogue
Rapscallion or Cultist
Rogue
Stalks the shadows for purses and necks alike.
- Lvl 1Backstab4 AP If your opponent is ranked equal to or better than you, they lose 1.5 pts per starter. Half that against lower-ranked teams.
- Lvl 3Pilfer2 AP Roll 1d20 plus the better of your DEX or SHF mod. On 12+, steal 1d5 gold per Rogue level. A natural 20 also lifts a random item.
- Lvl 3Dual WieldPassive Equip a second weapon instead of a shield.
- Lvl 5Eviscerate13 AP Roll 9d10; your opponent loses the total × 0.1 per starter.
Shadow Knight
Cultist or Conscript
Shadow Knight
The anti-Paladin. Heavy armor fused with dark magic.
- Lvl 1Sap4 AP -2 to your opponent's VIG, +2 to yours, for the week.
- Lvl 3Instill TerrorPassive Every opposing player's score is reduced by 4%.
- Lvl 5Soul Suck14 AP Pick one opposing player. They score 0, and you gain 10% of what they would have scored, per starter.
Stats and Mods
Every stat has a raw value from 0 to 30 and a mod from -5 to +10. The raw number is bookkeeping; the mod is what scores. Here's the conversion:
What each mod point is worth
Per point of mod, per relevant play, across your whole starting lineup. Small numbers that add up fast on high-volume categories.
Athletics (ATH)
- Receiving yard
+0.009 - IDP assist tackle
+0.150
Dexterity (DEX)
- Reception
+0.110 - Forced fumble
+1.750 - Fumble recovery
+1.750 - Defensive TD
+4.000
Intellect (INT)
- Passing yard
+0.008 - IDP interception
+1.500 - Pass defended
+0.600
Shiftiness (SHF)
- Rushing yard
+0.012 - 2-pt conversion (any)
+1.500 - IDP assist tackle
+0.120 - Tackle for loss / pass defended
+0.200
Vigor (VIG)
- Rushing first down
+0.120 - Receiving first down
+0.120 - IDP solo tackle
+0.100
Willpower (WIL)
- Rushing / receiving TD
+0.600 - Passing TD
+0.500 - IDP tackle for loss
+0.400 - IDP sack
+0.600
0.1 × starters to your final score, every week, no conditions. A +5 Renown item on a 10-starter lineup is a flat 5 points. Boring, reliable, and very good.
Gold and the Armory
Gold is the only currency. It's your waiver budget, your shopping money, and your trade bait, all from one pouch. Every free agent pickup runs through waivers at a 1 gold minimum bid, so even ignoring the Armory entirely, gold matters.
| Starting gold | 10 per manager. |
| Gold from wins | 3 + ((1+Y) d X), where Y is the level difference and X is your margin of victory rounded down to the nearest 5, capped at 10. Beat a same-level opponent by 17.5 and you roll 3 + 1d3. Ties pay nothing. |
| Gold from quests | Varies. Some quests pay gold directly, others pay in items you can sell or use. |
| Waivers | Every pickup goes through waivers, minimum bid 1 gold. No free claims. |
| Equipment slots | Head, Chest, Finger, Neck, Main Hand, Off Hand. You can own unequipped gear, but only one copy of any item. |
| Deadline | Gear has to be equipped before the first game of the week to count that week. |
| Selling back | The Armory buys back at 25% of sticker, rounded down to the nearest 5g. Buyer's remorse is expensive. |
| Trading | Gold, equipment, and consumables can all go in trades unless an item is marked "No Trade". Quest items stay bound to your hero. |
XP and Levels
XP only comes from regular season wins. Max level is 5, and beating a higher-level opponent pays bonus XP, so the ladder is climbable even when you join late.
| Level | XP required | What you get | Max AP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice (0) | 0 | Path skill, 1 AP to cast | 5 |
| Level 1 | 5 XP or one full season | Class unlock, path stat bonus, first class skill | 10 |
| Level 2 | 15 | +1 to any stat of your choice | 15 |
| Level 3 | 28 | New class skill | 20 |
| Level 4 | 45 | +1 to any stat of your choice | 25 |
| Level 5 | 70 | Final class skill. Max hero. | 30 |
AP and Skills
AP is the fuel for your abilities. You bank 1 per week during the regular season and declare your skill before the week's first kickoff.
| Starting AP | 0 at character creation. |
| Weekly gain | 1 AP per regular season week, capped at your level's maximum. |
| One skill a week | The default rule. Bards and level 3+ Alchemists are the exceptions. |
| Deadline | Declared before the first game of the week. After kickoff it's locked. |
| The cap bites | AP earned above your cap is gone. Sitting at max AP means you're leaving resources on the table. |
Quests
Quests are side goals fed by your roster's counting stats. You don't have to do anything to earn the materials; your lineup generates them as the yards and tackles pile up. Turning them in is where the decisions live.
How items are earned
A set of counting stats is tracked all season, and every time your roster crosses a threshold you collect a quest item. Every 80 passing yards, for instance, is worth an Arrowhead.
Where everything lives
Quest givers post in the Town. Items sit in your Hero Inventory, and finished quests are recorded in your Hero Journal. Each quest turns in exactly once.
Bones
Every loss pays out a Bone, a tier 1 resource that keeps your quest progress moving even in a bad season. Alchemists also collect Grave Moss on losses for their recipe book. Both have been tradeable since the 2024 offseason.
Timing and rules
Turn-ins lock at the week's first kickoff, same as skills and gear. Tracking only runs during the regular season, and most quest items are bound to your hero.
The Weekly Clock
All times US Eastern. In practice the week comes down to a planning session on Tuesday and a reward check on Thursday.
Scoring and Rosters
These are the platform's recommended settings. Individual leagues tweak from here, so read your own league's page before drafting.
Recommended starting lineup
Recommended offensive scoring
| Category | Points |
|---|---|
| Passing TD | 4 |
| Passing yards | 0.04 (1 per 25) |
| Interception thrown | -2 |
| Fumble lost | -2 |
| Rushing TD | 6 |
| Rushing yards | 0.1 (1 per 10) |
| Rushing first down | 0.5 |
| Receiving TD | 6 |
| Receiving yards | 0.1 (1 per 10) |
| Receiving first down | 0.5 |
| Reception | 0.5 |
| TE reception premium | +0.5 |
| 2-point conversion (any) | 2 |
Questions People Ask
The stuff that comes up every time a dynasty player first hears about this.
Do I need to know tabletop RPGs?
No. Races, classes, AP, and mods are flavor wrapped around basic arithmetic. If you've ever read a league's scoring settings, you can read a hero sheet. Tabletop experience helps you recognize the vocabulary faster, that's all.
How much extra time per week, really?
Five to ten minutes on top of your normal lineup work. Pick a skill, check quest progress, occasionally browse the Armory. Most weeks the skill call takes thirty seconds.
Won't the RPG stuff ruin the football?
Hero math usually swings 5 to 15 points on base scores in the 120 to 180 range. Your drafted players still do the heavy lifting. Where heroes show up is in close matchups and in the season-long accumulation of small edges, which is exactly where dynasty leagues get decided anyway.
What happens to my hero between seasons?
Same dynasty logic you already know, applied to the hero. XP, levels, gear, and gold all carry over. When a team changes hands, the default is a fresh hero, but commissioners can hand the new owner gold and XP as a rollover or incentive.
What if I pick the wrong race or class?
Race is the pick that sticks, so give it the most thought. Beyond that, gear plus the free +1 stat points at levels 2 and 4 give you room to steer the build over time. There's no single correct setup, and a suboptimal hero is still very playable.
Can I keep my existing league?
Yes. LotL runs on its own platform, and leagues commonly convert an existing dynasty over with rosters and history intact, or start fresh. Ask in the Discord about the best route for your setup.
How punishing is the meta for a new manager?
Not very. Heroes level slowly, and hitting Level 5 takes multiple seasons, so nobody runs away with it in year one. Drafting well still beats a clever build. Build knowledge grows into an edge as the league matures, but the football decides most weeks.
What does it cost?
Check the LotL site for current pricing; there are free and paid tiers, and commissioners set their own league fees on top. Confirm which features your tier includes before committing.
What's the King's Decree?
The league winner is crowned King and gets a Decree the following year: the power to rearrange the matchups of one regular season week however they like. Dodge a buzzsaw, force two rivals to eat each other, or sit on it until the playoff race. One per reign.
Getting Started
Four steps from curious to rolling into Week 1 with a hero of your own.
Make an account
Sign up at lordsoftheleague.com. Registration is free. Verify your email and set up a profile.
Find a league
The Discord is where open leagues get posted and where questions get answered fast. It's an active server; don't be shy about asking basic stuff.
Skim the official docs
This guide is the tour. The official Rules, Races, and Classes pages are the reference, and they win any disagreement with this page.
Build your hero
Pick a Race and Path before Week 1. You'll play as a Level 0 apprentice until 5 XP, then level up and choose your Class. Spend your 10 starting gold on cheap gear, or sit on it and let it grow.
Official Links
This page is the high-level pass. The full, authoritative ruleset lives at the source.
Main Site
Sign up, browse leagues, manage your hero.
Rules
The complete official ruleset.
Getting Started
Official onboarding for new players.
Races
All 10 races in full detail.
Classes & Paths
Every class and path with full skill text.
Armory
All purchasable gear, effects, and prices.
Stats Reference
The mod table and per-stat bonuses.
Change Log
Balance updates and new features as they ship.
Discord
Find leagues, ask questions, talk shop.