Valorant is a first-person hero-shooter developed by Riot Games. Due to its extensive roster and innovative gameplay, players must be adaptive while utilizing Agents and their utilities. Each Agent possesses a unique trait that helps achieve a specific task.
Ranks are a crucial part of Valorant's competitive ladder. Players must learn various strategies to improve their skills and progress through the ranks. The core ranking system has remained the same for Riot's shooters since its inception. However, the competition rules have received a few tweaks.
Episode 5 has brought a few changes, like a new ranked division that has significantly reduced the disparity.
What are the current ranks in Valorant?
Currently, Valorant features a total of nine ranked standings in the game. These include:
- Radiant
- Immortal
- Ascendant
- Diamond
- Platinum
- Gold
- Silver
- Bronze
- Iron
These rank standings can be achieved by playing the competitive mode and climbing the ladder. Until Immortal, each standing consists of three divisions. That said, Radiant is an exception, as it only counts for the top 500 from a particular region.
Ascendant is a fairly new rank introduced in Episode 5 Act 1, as Riot Games wanted to ensure that the higher competitive lobby faced less disparity. This led to Diamond players quickly adapting to the new division, as it matched them up with opponents of similar skill.
How does the competitive ranking system work?
One must be at level 20 to play the competitive mode in Valorant. Their Ranked Rating (RR) is determined by their performance in a competitive match.
Every kill, direct assist, and non-damaging assist is considered before a player receives their RR after a match.
Higher Average Combat Score (ACS) also counts for more RR in Valorant's competitive matches. All the aforementioned factors influence their RR. Hence, it is recommended that gamers maintain a decent K/D ratio in competitive matches.
However, being a team player is also essential when climbing the ranked ladder in Riot's shooter.
Riot Games also provides a rank-lock system that prevents players from ranking down immediately after losing a certain amount of RR. This gives them a chance to redeem their performance. Each division has 100 points to complete.
Valorant restricts players from partying up if four members are in the squad. This is mainly done to eliminate toxicity towards those who often solo queue and end up in a party of four.
Those who deliver exceptional performances in competitive matches can also receive a double promotion that helps them climb the rank ladder much faster. This is mainly seen when players outclass higher-ranked opponents
Those who aim to improve their performance in the competitive mode must be consistent and patient. Riot Games demands that players have an adaptive mindset when queueing ranked matches.