Players are formed into 2 even teams of Champions, 3v3 or 5v5. As of 31 January 2012 there are 92 different released champions.[citation needed] Each team starts at opposing sides of a map in an area called the Spawning Pool, near what is called a Nexus. A match is won when either team's nexus is destroyed. To destroy a Nexus, each team must work through a series of Turrets. Turrets are often placed along a path to each base referred to as a Lane. Along the way, each player gains levels from killing the opposing team's champions and Minions (small NPCs that constantly spawn and attack the other team) and defeating neutral monsters (some of which grant buffs known as crests upon death). Completing objectives rewards players with gold which is used to purchase items. In League of Legends, each player starts at level 1 at the beginning of the match and can obtain the maximum of level 18 with their champion, leveling 4 different champion-specific abilities. Normally, when it is 5v5, out of 3 lanes one player would take top lane, one player middle lane, two players on bottom lane, and one player jungling. (A player that jungles is responsible to kill opponents that are on bottom, middle, or top to assist your own team.)
