Ever since its inception, Valorant has had a passionate player base that enjoys playing competitive matches in a ranked setting. Generally speaking, most of the player base chooses to play ranked when playing Valorant, but entering ranked with your friends can be a confusing ordeal. That’s because not every rank can play with each other, and there are numerous intricacies, such as RR penalties and restrictions, that can potentially apply.
Which ranks can play together in Valorant
The state of ranked
For anyone who is new to the ranked ladder, there are nine tiers of ranks, from Iron to Radiant, that make up the current Valorant ranking scheme. Ranks ranging from Iron to Immortal consist of three tiers, with tier three being the highest you can reach before you’re promoted to the next rank. These ranks are followed by Radiant, which consists of the top 500 players in a region.
Properly understanding the ranked structure is crucial in order to comprehend how the ranked system works and which players you can play with.
Ranked restrictions
If you’re just starting to play ranked for the first time and you don’t have a visible rank yet, you can play in small groups of up to three players with no restrictions. Once you’ve obtained a rank, there are certain restrictions that apply to low elo accounts, which are based on the player who has the highest rank in the group.
Iron-silver restrictions
The restrictions are created to keep the matchmaking fair and balanced and they’re based on the person who has the highest rank in your party.
Given that a lot of the player base is ranked among the lowest ranks on the ladder, Riot decided to make the low elo restrictions very light. Iron I players can play with anyone who is ranked up to Silver III as long as the Silver player is the highest-ranking player in the lobby. That’s because the lowest ranks on the ladder, Iron and Bronze, can play with anyone up to Silver.
Gold + restrictions
As there is more room to gain an advantage by climbing as premades in high elo, restrictions in gold and ranks above that are steeper than those in Iron, Bronze, and Silver.
To put things into perspective, gold players can theoretically play with anyone who is ranked up to Platinum III. The restrictions are even harsher in higher elo where you can play only with someone who is up to one rank above you. Last but not least, Immortal and Radiant players can only play solo or duo matches when it comes to playing in a small group.
| Bottom rank in the party | Top rank in the party |
|---|---|
| Unranked | Gold |
| Iron | Silver III |
| Bronze | Silver III |
| Silver | Gold III |
| Gold | Platinum III |
| Platinum, Diamond | One tier above (Platinum I can play with players up to Diamond I) |
| Ascendant, Immortal | Only solo or duo |
How to play ranked with your friends without restrictions
Get an elo boost
If you’re not familiar with the word, boosting is the practice of paying a high-elo booster to play on your account and win games in order to raise the rank of your account. You simply let a skilled player log onto your account and win enough until your rank is high enough Over the years, this became the most popular method of reaching high elo and it allows you to play with your friends without going through the fuss of ranking up the account yourself. Nowadays, acquiring a boost from a trusted elo boosting service is an easy process, and you can reach any rank you desire in a matter of days.
Purchase a smurf account
If your problem stems from the fact that your rank is too high to play with your friends, instead of being too low, the perfect solution is to purchase a smurf account. Smurf accounts are nowadays sold with fresh, untouched MMR, and those accounts will land between Iron and Gold after playing the initial games, allowing you to play with your low elo friends. In general, having a smurf is a great idea because you can always play on your smurf account to relax after the ranked games on your main account and thrash low elo.
Play in a full premade five-stack group
One of the ways to circumvent the annoying restrictions is to find a full group of people to play with, as there are no ranked restrictions when you’re playing in a group of five. However, there are some disadvantages when it comes to this, most notably the RR penalties that are applied based on the rank gap between the members of the party. In addition, it’s annoying to find four players to play with, and if the rank gap is high between the members, the queue times often last too long.
Play casual matches
Playing unrated matches is a small, often unsatisfying consolation when you cannot play ranked, but it is an option that allows you to play with your friends, regardless of rank. Unrated matches, unlike ranked, won’t progress your rank, gain RR, or provide you with any rewards, which is why competitive players usually stick to other methods of bypassing the ranked restrictions. That being said, this method of gameplay is worth keeping in mind as it’s sometimes the only way you can play with your friends.
Get coached
Coaching is often overlooked as a method of reaching high elo as a lot of players don’t want to put in the necessary work. It’s very easy to get coached nowadays, and there are players who will share their knowledge with you for free. If you get coached, you’ll undoubtedly improve as a player and reach higher ranks on the ladder, which is a stellar long-term investment, allowing you to play with your high elo friends in the process.
