Since the game’s release, Valorant has been in the headlines of most gaming community forums for its ranking system. Despite offering a balanced gameplay experience by featuring newer valorant agents, nerfs & buffs, which most games fail to provide, questions still arise like how to rank up in valorant or escape low Elo hell?
Well, the most straightforward answer to such questions is to learn how the valorant ranks system works.
The developers have worked devotedly to balance the valorant ranking system by adding updates and fixing ranking criteria. Such steps have evidently improved the ranking aspect of Valorant competitive matches, which earlier featured a less dynamic ranks system.
All Valorant Ranks
Currently, the list of Valorant Ranks that a player can obtain are categorized into eight groups. Each of these groups contains three subcategories, except for the Radiant Valorant rank. (The Immortal Ranks subcategories are re-implemented after the Valorant patch 3.06)
“Players can obtain their valorant act rank after scoring wins at least ten times in their unrated valorant games in no particular order.”
The segregation of global valorant players across various regions falls in either of these eight categories based on their skillset. The ‘skillset’ here doesn’t merely translate to aim precision but also factors like gameplay and other game mechanics. (Read more below)
Iron Valorant Rank
It is the lowest Valorant Act rank in the valorant competitive game mode. Most players begin with this rank after playing five competitive valorant games because the rank system deems their skillset in this category.
The subdivision of Iron Valorant Rank contains:
- Iron 1
- Iron 2
- Iron 3
Bronze Valorant Rank
The second Valorant Rank offers its players relatively competitive gameplay, including combating Iron Rank players. Often, players in this rank either quickly move to the next rank or struggle within it, ideally due to a lack of improvement in their gameplay.
The subdivision of Bronze Valorant Rank contains:
- Bronze 1
- Bronze 2
- Bronze 3
Silver Valorant Rank
The Silver Valorant Act Rank is known to be the second most or the primarily populated category. Most global players with experience in FPS games can land this rank after their five initial competitive games.
However, previously the valorant ranks system that provides this rank made it difficult to acknowledge the improvement in gameplay. But, it’s sorted largely due to newer mechanics in play after the Valorant patch 3.06, which brought – Fracture!
The subdivision of Silver Valorant Rank contains:
- Silver 1
- Silver 2
- Silver 3
Gold Valorant Rank
A Gold Valorant Act Rank is the most densely packed ranking category for several reasons. Firstly, valorant players in this ranked queue face everyone from Valorant Smurfs to Platinum and Silver players.
Secondly, beating Platinum players can be a task, dealing with Silver teammates is another task, one that requires patience. Silver Valorant players are notorious for showing a disregard for discipline. Furthermore, their prowess is nowhere equivalent to Platinum players, which are often queued against Gold players.
Hence, developers tweaked the complete queue and ranking system to solve such troubles in light of those scenarios.
The subdivision of Gold Valorant Rank contains:
- Gold 1
- Gold 2
- Gold 3
Platinum Valorant Rank
Players belonging to the Platinum Rank are relatively content because they possess the skill set to match their badge. A Platinum Valorant Rank lobby comprises valorant players who understand team gameplay matters as the epitome of criterion.
Still, some boosted Valorant players belong to this rank, which is easy to spot and easier to ban or demote to the Gold rank.
The subdivision of Platinum Valorant Rank contains:
- Platinum 1
- Platinum 2
- Platinum 3
Diamond Valorant Rank
To belong in this Valorant Rank category, either you’re on your way to acquiring Immortal Rank, or you’re content in playing whichever games you find. The Diamond Valorant rank lobby queue was known to be significantly longer, and despite the update, it hasn’t improved extensively.
Still, players belonging to this rank mostly play in teams of two, three, or more.
The subdivision of Platinum Valorant Rank contains:
- Platinum 1
- Platinum 2
- Platinum 3
Immortal Valorant Rank
It’s a controversial Rank to hold or acquire since most Valorant Smurfs belong to this rank. During the first introduction of Valorant Ranks, this category held three subcategories and 90% professional eSports Players.
Later on, the Immortal Rank was separated from its subcategories like the Radiant Rank, but the New Valorant 3.06 patch has re-established it. It currently holds the most competitive FPS players worldwide, and their gameplay is a sight to behold.
The subdivision of Immortal Valorant Rank contains:
- Immortal 1
- Immortal 2
- Immortal 3
Radiant Valorant Rank
To date, the Radiant Valorant Rank remains hard to acquire because 96.2% of it is filled with Valorant professional eSports players, and the remaining are either ex-professional players (3.7%) or Valorant cheaters (0.01%). It has no subcategories, and ranking here will display the player name among the top 1000 valorant players on a server.
Valorant Ranks Rating System
Before jumping on to learn how to rank up in valorant, understanding what determines a valorant rank is essential. The rank of a valorant player is calculated via a Matchmaking Rank Score (MMR), which remains hidden but is used to queue you against players with a similar score.
Players will have RR(Rank Rating) points added or deducted from their profile in scoring a victory or facing a loss. It is possible to obtain between 10-50 RR points for a win while a maximum of 20 is provided for a draw. Losing RR comes hefty based on performance by taking away more than 10-30 RR points.
Although the developers are secretive regarding the algorithm determining the actual rank, they have mentioned criteria that decide a rank.
Individual Gameplay
It is the most common way to improve your rank, by being the top fragger. The MVP of the match will naturally obtain more RR points (mostly 30-ish), while a bottom fragger can get 10-15 based on their performance.
Having such a parameter to decide MMR & RR Points is why most players are stuck in Gold and Silver Valorant ranks. Everyone is out to score kills individually, which essentially endangers the team’s chances of winning the round.
Premade Gameplay
Those who already know it recognize the opportunity in it. For the uninitiated, a premade gameplay queue is when 2-5 players from a single party queue against others. For solo players, this can be challenging to face, but so are the rewards should they emerge victoriously.
Such a parameter of the Valorant MMR allows solo players to obtain higher ranks quicker by earning more RR points from a few matches. Yet, the downside to this is that you’ll likely lose half of your rank progress should you fail miserably.
Team Gameplay
Previously, this parameter rumoredly did not play a major role in determining a valorant rank, but presently it does make a difference. Engaging in team play or playing in sync with the team is now being recognized by the Valorant MMR system in its approach to establishing its aspired “Bell Curve.”
How to Rank Up in Valorant?
Now that you have an overview of how the ranking system works, here’s everything you need to learn how to rank up in valorant.
Aiming Precision
Accurate shooting will remain the topmost requirement in succeeding through the Valorant Ranks. While this seemingly translates into asking you to make every kill into a headshot, alternatively, scoring a clean kill also works near-similarly.
The best way to improve your aiming precision is learning crosshair placement, firing in bursts, and avoiding crouch spraying. Countering enemy bullets is possible easier by jiggle-peeking or by strafing, especially within higher rank valorant games.
So, practice shooting and spraying (always helps in Run & Gun scenarios) to improve your bullets tagging ratio and decrease your chances of getting shot.
Also Read: Guide to Best Valorant Crosshair Settings
Increase K/D Ratio & ACS
One aspect that most players seeking better valorant ranks forget is increasing their K/D ratio. It affects the game dynamics and regulates the in-game economy—Staying Alive of one or more players can help a team initiate a half-buy during eco-rounds.
Increasing your K/D ratio correlates to the RR points that you will be rewarded as an MVP. A player with a 1.2 K/D Ratio with 30 kills will not obtain MVP or more RR points than an ally with a 1.6 K/D ratio with 29 kills. The latter player in question will probably also score a higher ACS (Average Combat Score), making that player worthy of more RR points.
Team Gameplay
Understandably, it can be not easy to manage how your teammates play their valorant game. Still, here’s a few things you can try, and they can try to be more of a team player to escape their low Elo hell.
Using Communication Channels
- It helps coordinate attacks or strategies that can prevent inviting clutch situations.
- Allows allies to avoid walking into ambushes.
- It enables the team to stay updated with the team’s standings in terms of kills/deaths.
- It prevents teammates from getting blinded when initiating flashes.
- Notifies a teammate of the opportunity to reload their weapon or launch a smoke.
- Decide mid-game map rotation tactics.
- Convey information regarding enemy sightings across different valorant map locations.
- It helps to build a strategy regarding planting the spike or implementing a deep lurk.
- And so on.
Queuing Together
Joining a valorant competitive game queue with more than one player will reduce your chances of having saboteurs as allies. Moreover, since you’re queuing with a familiar player, you will be accustomed to their playing style and vice-versa.
Such arrangements help to play the game less distractedly when you don’t have to keep tabs on your team to act and perform responsibly.
Smurfing Update
A recent interview with one of the game’s developers team members revealed they aren’t indifferent towards smurfing in valorant. Their response highlighted a sooner implementation of another game mechanic into the MMR system and RR points distribution system.
It will use AI to predict the performance of a player correctly and will take responsible actions based on the observations. Players can expect this update to arrive with the 3.08 patch or in the 3.09 patch, whichever lands with the Valorant Episode 3 Act 3. The new act is also rumored to launch a new Valorant agent whose name is leaked to be Vincent Fabron.
Read More: Valorant Pro Crosshairs Settings – You Must Know!
Final Words
All in all, progressing through valorant ranks will only become more natural considering the arrangements in place. Valorant Players can also expect to receive other surprising updates to enjoy Ranked Valorant games like the Account Points system, which also factors into the MMR queues.
Hence, there’s plenty of room for newer things on the horizon for Valorant, and in the meantime, GLHF!