Just like any other competitive PvP-focused game, VALORANT prides itself on a ranked competitive system that serves as the centerpiece of the game. Wins and losses are going to make and break your experience with competitive VALORANT, and in the same vein as any competitive shooter in history, winning games, and subsequently ranking up, is going to be part of a journey up the ladder that could take an extensive amount of time. If you’re looking to improve and rank up in VALORANT, be ready to be in it for the long haul.

In this guide, we’ll go over everything that it’s going to take to climb in VALORANT. With the perfect combination of communication skills, mechanical ability, and the right mindset, you’ll be able to make your way up the game’s competitive ladder with ease.

Mastering Your Mechanics

Mechanics are everything in first-person shooters. Whether it’s your aim, ability to position correctly, or the way you use your abilities, you’re going to actually need to improve the physical side of your gameplay if you’re going to rank up.

Just like any other character-based game, finding a character that resonates with you is going to be a focal point of your ranked journey. Luckily, VALORANT places a stronger focus on individual skill rather than character-based strategies, but it’s definitely helpful to have a grasp on the abilities that you’ll be rolling into any given game with. The quicker you master a certain agent and get used to the way they function, the quicker you’ll be able to focus on your own personal skill.

With this in mind, it’s going to be important to try out several agents so you can get a grip on the roster as a whole but developing your skill level on your main character is going to be imperative (althought backup choices are important, too).

After you get a grasp on the character of your choice, you’ll want to focus on improving how you can become a better VALORANT player on a more overall level. That begins with improving your ability to aim your weapon and play around corners and angles.

Gunplay is the core mechanic of VALORANT. Whereas in other FPS titles, you can get away with maybe having average or serviceable weapon skills, there’s no room for mistakes in VALORANT. Precision is everything, and if you’re going to rank up, you’re going to need to be sure of your gunplay abilities.

Check out this link to another Dignitas guide on perfecting your aim and utilizing the game’s natural angles to your advantage in order to improve your mechanics.

Warming Up

Getting warmed up in VALORANT is just as crucial to your climb as it is in any other game. When it comes to getting prepped for a session of ranked play, you’re going to want to train a few things just to get in the zone for your next few competitive games.

First, it’s imperative to make sure that all your settings are correct. Things like your sensitivity and crosshair settings could be the make-or-break factor that determines a given situation in a game. Before you head into ranked play, make sure those are completely correct and comfortable for your style of play.

Next, you’ll want to head into the shooting range for some warm-up drills. Both the shooting test range and open range will give you a better grip on gunplay and will ultimately fine-tune your aim and overall mechanical ability before you get into a ranked game. You’re going to want to aim to get as many quick-reaction headshots as possible on the shooting range’s bots before heading into a ranked game. Make sure you’ve not only experimented with the range’s multiple settings, but that you’re comfortable with your ability and feel convincingly warmed up before exiting the range.

For more information and tactics on warming up in VALORANT, check out this comprehensive Dignitas guide.

Communication Skills

Of course, your personal abilities can only get you so far as a competitive VALORANT player. While there are some games where you can carry yourself to greater heights completely on your own, VALORANT is not one of them. If anything, your ability to communicate with your team in an effective manner is going to be the major defining factor that propels you to new heights on the VALORANT ladder.

When it comes to communication, the biggest piece of advice you can utilize in VALORANT is that you should always have team voice-chat enabled. Consistently speaking with your teammates will make every aspect of gameplay a lot easier. Whether you’re making a callout in regards to an opposing player’s status, or giving your teammates information on where the enemy team might be in terms of position, effective communication from not only you, but all five members of your team, is part of what makes any given VALORANT squad effective.

Additionally, when it comes to communication and callouts, you want to be providing your team with as much information as possible while still being an effective communicator. Vague, bland callouts like “on your left” and “he’s over there” don’t provide a whole lot of context to your teammates. If you’re in a position where you can share information with your team, you should be giving out - at the very least - the precise location of the enemy player, and if you can, how much health they have left.

If you’re able to convey information to your team effectively, and the rest of your team is able to simplify the information situation each game, you’re going to have a massive leg up when it comes to your ranked VALORANT experience.

The Mental Game

Just like any competitive game, VALORANT comes with a heavy mental aspect. In fact, your mindset is going to be a major part of your ability to climb. The more you play, the sooner you’ll realize that there is a direct correlation between your VALORANT rank and your mindset regarding the game. If you have a positive outlook, there’s a good chance that you’ll be trending upwards more often than not. If you look at the ranked experience negatively, you’re probably going to have a rough go of things.

Quite frankly, this goes for any ranked PvP experience. Regardless of if you’re playing VALORANT, League of Legends, or any competitive game under the sun, you’re going to want to keep your head above water and your mind focused only on the game at hand. If you start to have massive aspirations about your end-goal, you’ll lose sight of the climb that’s right in front of you. Additionally, if you start to slip and fall down the ranked ladder, it’s okay to take breaks and recalculate your position in the ranked journey.

Additionally, when it comes to the mental side of VALORANT, your knowledge of the game is going to be a pretty important factor in your ranked climb, as well. The better you know the game’s maps, characters, and general mechanics, the better off you’ll be in the long run. Really pay attention to your surroundings during a game, and if you want, take some time to read up on things you might be unsure of while out of the game.

With a combination of strong background knowledge and a positive outlook on your ranked experience, you’ll be better equipped to tackle the game and climb up the ladder.