Why champions stop leveling
BUD is base ultimate damage: a record of a recent high hit, used when an ultimate needs a damage number. It is not a level cap.
The sourced answer
Champion level caps have moved between patches. Item level measures equipment progression and differs from the champion’s level. Duplicate gear raises equipment levels rather than adding another equipped item. Searches about reaching level 2500 with BUD, or about champions who stop leveling, do not come with a formula I can cite. The practical checks are: you are out of gold, the champion is benched, or you are looking at item level and expecting the portrait level to match.
The FAQ is the source for the BUD definition. The gear page is the source for item level. I leave the 2500 threshold blank.
FAQ
What is BUD?
Base ultimate damage, a memory of a recent high hit.
Is item level the same as champion level?
No. Champion level is bought with gold during an adventure; equipment has its own levels, increased by duplicate gear or blacksmithing contracts.
Related
Sources
- Official FAQ — checked 2026-11-09
- Base Ultimate Damage — checked 2026-11-09
- Gear — checked 2026-11-09