Riot built a fairly complicated rank system into Valorant. We have gathered everything you need to know about the Valorant rating system here, to help you understand how to climb in Riot's popular free-to-play first-person shooter.
This guide is split into two parts:
The first part covers the basics of how ranks work in Valorant. The second part deals with the MMR and RR systems, which Riot likes to make ingenious in its games. Let us start right now 🙂
How do you unlock competitive mode in Valorant?
To get access to competitive mode in Valorant you need to reach at least level 20 (of your player profile)
One account level equals 5000 AP (Account Points), so to unlock ranked play you need to earn 95000 AP.
If your goal is to unlock competitive mode in Valorant as soon as possible, it is important to pick the modes that earn Account Points (AP) fastest. You have to choose between unrated games and Spike Rush.
If you are a new player and want to get the basics down, unrated games are the recommended start. That mode lets you dig into the mechanics of the game with no rating pressure. It is ideal for learning.
The alternative is Spike Rush, which also earns AP but offers a shorter experience. That mode suits you if your time is limited or you want some variety in your Valorant.
So let us look at what you earn for playing these modes:
- Unrated games: A single unrated game can earn you a certain amount of Account Points (AP), which help raise your profile level. It is usually around 1000 AP per match, but that can vary depending on how well you play.
- Spike Rush: Spike Rush is faster and less formal than unrated games. A game of Spike Rush earns you less AP, roughly 200-300, but the game itself is shorter and more intense.
If you plan on playing about 3 hours a day, you will probably reach profile level 20 in about a week, counting the Account Points collected across the various modes. Pick the mode that fits your goals and the time you are ready to put into the game.
Valorant ranks
Rank | Average top % of all players |
Iron 1 | 100% |
Iron 2 | 99.9% |
Iron 3 | 98.4% |
Bronze 1 | 92.9% |
Bronze 2 | 87.8% |
Bronze 3 | 80.3% |
Silver 1 | 73.2% |
Silver 2 | 63.9% |
Silver 3 | 56.2% |
Gold 1 | 48.6% |
Gold 2 | 41% |
Gold 3 | 34.2% |
Platinum 1 | 27.9% |
Platinum 2 | 21.9% |
Platinum 3 | 17% |
Diamond 1 | 12.7% |
Diamond 2 | 8.7% |
Diamond 3 | 5.9% |
Ascendant 1 | 3.9% |
Ascendant 2 | 2.3% |
Ascendant 3 | 1.3% |
Immortal 1 | 0.7% |
Immortal 2 | 0.3% |
Immortal 3 | 0.1% |
Radiant | Top 500 on the whole server |
How do you raise your rank in Valorant?
To climb toward a higher rank in Valorant it is important to understand the mechanics of earning RR (Rank Rating). RR is the unit of progress that decides your rank in the game.
Once you reach the level that lets you enter competitive mode, the first step is playing five placement matches. Their results decide your starting rank. To climb to the next ranks after that, though, you will need to bank 100 RR.
So how do you earn that RR? RR depends on your match results. A win in a ranked match earns you a certain amount of RR, usually between 10 and 50. If the match ends in a defeat, though, you lose a similar amount.
It is worth noting here that Valorant also takes the rating gap between the teams into account. If your team has the lower rating, you get more RR for a win and, conversely, lose less for a defeat. That dynamic lets the system reflect your real ability more accurately.
Now let us look at the visual side. In the main menu, under the Career tab, you can follow your rank progress. See the bar under the icon of your current rank? When that bar fills, you move up to the next rank automatically. Note that it works the other way too: if the bar empties, you get demoted.
What is an act rank in Valorant?
The act rank is a badge that shows your highest rank and the number of wins you managed to reach during a given act.
Radiant act rank. Perfect for showing off your skill | © Riot Games
It should be said that this does not affect matchmaking; it is essentially a rank keychain. If you reached Immortal, for example, but then lost enough matches to fall to Platinum, you will still be playing with Platinum players.
Rank loss (going back to zero)
Valorant has no rank-loss system. That said, if you play no competitive games at all for more than 14 days, your rank stops showing on your profile (it is hidden). One match brings it back, though.
Do not forget that the longer you go without playing while your rank is hidden, the more likely you are to be demoted after that first game (even a winning one)
Rank reset
Your rank is reset at the start of every season (episode) in Valorant, which in practice happens every six months. Usually, after your first ranked game in a new episode you get a rank 3-4 ranks below where you were; Riot sees this as a chance for players to prove their ability again.
The Valorant rating system: understanding MMR and RR
For anyone trying to understand how the rating system in Valorant works, let us look at the mechanics of MMR and RR in more detail. If the comparison with League of Legends means something to you, these systems are much like the combination of MMR and League Points in LoL. For anyone new to it, here it is broken into clear steps:
MMR in Valorant: explained
Let us say your rank does not always reflect your true skill in the game. The most important measure of your ability is MMR (matchmaking rating), built from how effective and how skilled you are in competitive matches. Interestingly, the exact value of your MMR stays hidden - you will not see it anywhere.
So how does that affect your ranked games? This is where the RR system comes on stage.
The RR system in Valorant, explained
Remember that you earn or lose RR after every game, right? What those points are worth is tied to your MMR.
When your MMR is higher, a win earns you more RR and a defeat takes less away. That is one of the key reasons why some players, professionals included, make new accounts. On low MMR the climb feels endless, so they would rather start with a clean slate and earn more RR per game.
In the end, understanding this important link between MMR and RR will help you make better-informed decisions on your way up the Valorant ranked ladder.
You can also order a Valorant rank boost from us at any time See the prices - we are always glad to help raise your rank and make the game more enjoyable 🙂
The difference between MMR and RR, simply put
Let us work out together how the rating system works, and specifically the difference between MMR and RR, with clear examples:
MMR (Matchmaking Rating) - this is your rating across the whole game. You do not see it, but it is there. It never resets and it stays with you for your entire playing career. The only way to raise it is to win matches. So if you want it higher, it is worth putting the work in and stringing a few wins together, or, if you are really serious about it, making a new account and starting clean. (Or coming to us for a boost, so you do not lose your account)
RR points (Rank Rating points) - these are your rating points. To raise your rank you need to bank 100 of them. How many points you get after a match is directly tied to your MMR.
If your MMR is high, you get more RR for a win and lose less for a defeat. If your MMR is low, you get less RR for a win and lose a lot for a defeat.
So, with an understanding of how much MMR matters and of how RR affects your rank, you can make better-informed decisions in your push for higher ratings in the world of Valorant.
