Valorant Ranked Promotion: RR, Tiers, Demotion
Verified November 7, 2026 · Status: live ranked system
Valorant ranked unlocks at account level 20, requires 5 placement matches per Act to get a rank, climbs Iron → Radiant across 10 tiers each with 3 divisions (except Radiant) — RR (Rank Rating) earns 10-30 per win based on performance, promotion starts at 80 RR, and demotion protection kicks in at 0 RR for 1-3 matches. Verified on 7 November 2026.
Source: Riot — Valorant Competitive Mode.
Symptom → cause → first action
| Problem | Likely cause | First action |
|---|---|---|
| Can’t queue ranked | Level 20 required + 5 placement matches | Play Unrated to level 20; then placement |
| RR gain too low | Won but bottom of team scoreboard | Perform better — RR scales with impact |
| Hit 100 RR but didn’t promote | Need 10 RR at promotion cap | Win one more game at 100 RR |
| Demoted after one loss at 0 RR | Demotion protection expired | Protection is temporary (1-3 matches) |
| Can’t queue with friend | Rank gap too large | See rank-gap table below |
| Act rank reset at Episode | Full rank reset between Episodes | Normal — placements happen again |
Rank ladder
| Tier | Divisions | RR range per division |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | III → II → I | 0-100 pts per division |
| Bronze | III → II → I | 0-100 pts per division |
| Silver | III → II → I | Standard |
| Gold | III → II → I | Standard |
| Platinum | III → II → I | Standard |
| Diamond | III → II → I | Standard — demotion protection softer |
| Ascendant | III → II → I | High mid-tier; stricter promotion |
| Immortal | III → II → I | Elite; promotion based on LP leaderboard |
| Radiant | Single tier | Top 500 per region only |
Placement matches
- Each new Act, you play 5 placement matches.
- Win/loss record determines initial rank.
- Past Act history + MMR influences placement — you don’t start from scratch.
- Peak typical placement: 2 tiers below your previous peak Act’s rank.
- Can skip placements if you played recent Acts with high MMR.
RR (Rank Rating)
| Outcome | RR change |
|---|---|
| Win with excellent performance | +25 to +35 RR |
| Win with average performance | +15 to +25 RR |
| Win with poor performance | +5 to +15 RR |
| Loss with excellent performance | -5 to -15 RR |
| Loss with average performance | -15 to -25 RR |
| Loss with poor performance | -20 to -30 RR |
| Draw | Small RR bonus or no change |
Promotion and demotion
- Promotion: Hit 100 RR → auto-advance to next division. No promo series after initial placement.
- Demotion: Lose at 0 RR → drop one division (next rank down starts at 70-80 RR).
- Demotion protection: First 1-3 losses at 0 RR don’t demote (depending on performance).
- Tier promotion (Iron I → Bronze III): Same mechanic; hit 100 RR → advance.
- Soft reset per Episode: Episode breaks reset rank slightly; placements re-establish.
Party queue rank gap
| Your rank | Max rank gap for queueable friend |
|---|---|
| Iron – Silver | Up to 5 divisions apart |
| Gold – Platinum | Up to 3 divisions apart |
| Diamond | Up to 2 divisions apart |
| Ascendant | Up to 1 division apart |
| Immortal+ | Solo or duo only, same tier |
| Radiant | Solo queue |
Act and Episode structure
- Act: ~2 months. New Battle Pass + placements each Act.
- Episode: 3 Acts grouped (~6 months).
- Act break: 1-2 week downtime between Acts.
- Episode break: Longer gap + full rank reset + new ranked skin (Act-end skin).
- Rank badge: Each Act gets a unique rank badge reward based on peak Act rank.
If ranked isn’t working
- Can’t queue ranked? → verify level 20 + 5 placements completed this Act.
- RR gain too low? → performance matters a lot; check scoreboard placement.
- Promotion didn’t happen? → confirm you actually hit 100 RR (check in profile).
- Demoted unfairly? → protection expires over time; losing streak at 0 can demote.
- Can’t match friend? → check rank gap table; may need to solo queue together.
- Related: ranks distribution, tier list, tracker, pro settings.
- Still stuck → Riot ticket.
FAQ
When does Valorant ranked unlock?
Account level 20. You can reach 20 playing Unrated / Spike Rush / Swiftplay. Then 5 placement matches to earn your initial rank.
How many placements per Act?
5 matches at Act start. Each new Act requires placements. Your MMR from previous Acts influences where you place.
How much RR do I earn per win?
Typically 15-25 RR per win. Can go up to 30+ with excellent performance or down to 5-10 with poor performance. Loss is similar in opposite direction.
Do I need a promo series?
No — at 100 RR you auto-advance to next division. There’s no best-of-3 promo in Valorant. Just hit 100 RR and climb.
How does demotion protection work?
Lose at 0 RR gets 1-3 matches of protection before demotion. Protection scales inversely with recent performance — a losing streak at 0 RR can skip protection.
What’s the hardest rank to reach?
Radiant — top 500 per region. Below that, Immortal is ~2% of ranked population. Ascendant is ~5%. Most players sit in Silver-Gold range.
Can I queue with friends at different ranks?
Yes within limits. Bronze/Silver → 5 divisions apart. Gold/Platinum → 3 apart. Higher ranks tighten the gap. Immortal+ is solo/duo-only.
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