Shut Down in League of Legends: How Bounty Gold Works Now
A Shut Down is the announcement and bonus gold you get for killing a champion whose bounty is far above normal. The extra gold is the part of their bounty that sits above the standard kill reward, and it is removed from the game when they die. It is a comeback tool: a player who has been farming kills and gold becomes a more valuable target.
Many guides still say that Shut Down comes from a kill streak. That was true years ago, and it is not how it works now. Tiered kill-streak bounties were removed in patch 14.21, and the voice lines for a Killing Spree or Legendary are announcements only. This page uses Summoner's Rift in the 2026 season (Season 3, patch 26.15 onward). The 26.21 notes were published on 20 October 2026.
How bounty is built
Every champion carries a gold bounty that rises and falls during the match. The community wiki gives the current rules:
| Part | Value |
|---|---|
| Base bounty | 300 gold at levels 1 to 6, rising 10 per level to 420 at level 18 (patch 25.09) |
| First Blood | +100 gold (back in patch 26.1) |
| Assist bounty | Half of the kill bounty, capped at half of the base |
| Minimum kill bounty | 50 gold |
| Maximum from one kill | Base + 700 (1,000 gold at levels 1 to 6); any excess carries to the victim's next respawn |
Your bounty grows when you earn gold from kills and assists (one bounty gold for every three gold earned), and more slowly from minions and monsters. Dying reduces it. Riot's patch notes show that this balance was retuned twice in 2026. Patch 26.1 (7 January 2026) doubled the devaluation after a death and doubled the recovery from farming. Patch 26.3 (notes dated 3 February 2026) softened both rates: devaluation on death went from 1 per 2.5 gold given out to 1 per 3.5, and re-increment from farming from 1 per 5 gold earned to 1 per 7.
What counts as Shut Down gold
Shut Down is the part of a bounty above base plus 100. That 100 is a buffer that a champion has to exceed before anything is marked as Shut Down gold. The scoreboard shows both teams how much extra a champion is worth, rounded to the nearest 50.
- Killing the champion pays that bonus and announces "Shut Down".
- The victim's Shut Down bounty is cleared completely. Normal depreciation does not apply.
- The wiki notes that bounty suppression, which trims Shut Down gold depending on the team advantage, now starts at 6:00. Before patch 25.06 it started at 14:00.
Streaks, bounties and announcements
Players often mix up three things that look alike:
- Kill streak announcements. Killing Spree, Rampage, Unstoppable, Dominating, Godlike and Legendary (3 to 8 or more kills). They are voice lines. See the Kill Streaks glossary for the counts.
- Bounty. The gold on a champion. It grows through gold earned, not through a numbered streak.
- Shut Down. The announcement and gold when a champion with a high bounty dies.
Using it in a game
- Check the scoreboard before you commit. A target with a large Shut Down value is worth a risky engage, and a low one may not be.
- If you are the one with a big bounty, play for safe positions. Losing the lead also gives the enemy team the bonus.
- First Blood adds 100 gold to the first champion kill of the game, which makes the opening skirmish worth more than the same kill later.
Related terms
- Kill streaks, macro and slang glossary: Godlike, Legendary and damage share.
- Invade: the early-game move that often creates First Blood.
- Icon border: the cosmetic frame around your summoner icon.
FAQ
What does Shut Down mean in League of Legends?
It means you killed a champion whose bounty was well above normal. You receive the extra gold, and the champion's Shut Down bounty is removed.
Do kill streaks still give bounty gold?
No. Tiered kill-streak bounties were removed in patch 14.21. The streak announcements are voice lines only.
How much gold is a normal kill worth?
The base bounty is 300 gold at levels 1 to 6 and rises 10 per level to 420 at level 18. The first champion kill of the game adds First Blood's extra 100 gold.
What is the highest bounty one kill can pay?
Base plus 700, which is 1,000 gold at levels 1 to 6. Anything above that carries over to the victim's next respawn.
