The Basics: Farming vs Buying Masteries
In Raid: Shadow Legends, full masteries are one of the biggest early-game power boosts you can give a champion. The two main ways to unlock them are:
- Paying 800 gems to instantly unlock the full tree
- Farming Minotaur’s Labyrinth for mastery scrolls
But the question is, which one gives more value for your resources?
Let’s dive into the numbers.
- Minotaur Stage 15 costs 14 energy per run
- It takes roughly 160 runs to max out a single champion’s masteries
This is the magic number that answers the popular question: “How many Minotaur runs for full masteries?” – and it remains consistent for 2025. According to updated drop data, that’s the average you can expect per champion.
Energy vs Gem Cost
If you’re wondering how many Minotaur runs to max masteries, here’s how the energy cost breaks down:
- ~2,240 energy total
- At a conversion rate of 130 energy for 40 gems, you’ll need around 615–660 gems worth of energy
- You also get:
- ~1.1 million Silver
- XP for food champions
- Extra scrolls for random champions in your team
This makes farming Minotaur in Raid: Shadow Legends technically cheaper than the 800-gem unlock – but much slower.
The Time Equation: Is 800 Gems a Lifestyle Shortcut?
Farming the Minotaur’s Labyrinth manually (or even on auto) takes real time – roughly 2 to 4 hours per champion if you’re speed-tuned and efficient. Without a solid auto team, it can stretch to 5+ hours.
Paying 800 gems skips all of that:
- No silver grind
- No food champ leveling
- No wasted energy
- Full masteries, instantly
This convenience is why many players still ask: “Raid, how many Minotaur runs to max masteries – and is it really worth saving that time with gems?”
When Should You Pay 800 Gems?
Here are situations where spending gems is worth it:
- You’re pushing hard in Arena, Clan Boss, or Doom Tower
- You don’t have time for a manual grind
- Your auto Minotaur team fails often
- You’re investing in core champions like Kael, Arbiter, Deacon, or your Unkillable team lead
- You’re gearing up for a tournament or fusion event
According to tools like the Raid Minotaur calculator, this strategy may cost more gems up front – but saves hours of gameplay that you could redirect elsewhere.
When Should You Farm Instead?
You should skip the 800-gem instant unlock if:
- You already auto-run Stage 15 easily
- You’re free-to-play or a light spender who values silver, XP, and scrolls
- You’re building fodder champs or faction war fillers
- You want to maximize long-term gem efficiency
In these cases, simply use your gems for energy refills and grind the Minotaur—your silver and champion levels will benefit too.
Raid: Shadow Legends – Minotaur Drop Table
| Scroll Type | Avg Per Run | Total Needed | Runs Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Scrolls | ~28 | 100 | ~4 |
| Advanced Scrolls | ~13.5 | 600 | ~45 |
| Divine Scrolls | ~9 | 950 | ~106 |
| Total Runs | ~155–160 |
So, Raid Shadow Legends how many Minotaur runs? The answer remains: about 160 per champion on average.
Final Strategy for 2025
- Unlock with 800 gems for core champions: arena nukers, Clan Boss damage dealers, campaign farmers
- Farm Minotaur for everyone else using the scroll system
- Use your free mastery reset strategically after testing builds
- Set up your Raid Minotaur calculator based on your team speed and energy available
- Stack scrolls for champions that will stay in your account long term
TL DR – Is It Worth It?
| Method | Avg Runs | Gem Value | Includes Silver/XP? | Time |
| Farming Minotaur | ~160 | ~620 Gems | Yes | 2 – 4 hours |
| Instant Unlock | 0 | 800 Gems | No | Instant |
Verdict:
- Use gems if time is your bottleneck or you’re unlocking priority champs
- Grind if you’re F2P, low on gems, or want extra silver and XP
Still unsure? Run the numbers yourself using a Raid Shadow Legends Minotaur calculator or just test both routes side by side. Either way, you’re making progress toward dominating Teleria.




