How to Get Radiant in Valorant

It’s not easy getting to the top of the leaderboards in Riot’s Valorant Competitive Mode. Many players have tried, but very few have succeeded in reaching the Radiant Rank – and for good reason.

If you’re contemplating making the arduous journey to get counted as the best of the best, or if you’re merely curious, you’ve come to the right place.

Find out what it takes to get to Radiant Rank and why “Radiant” and “Radianite” are not interchangeable in Valorant.

How to Get Radiant in Valorant Ranked?

Valorant took the gaming world by storm when it launched worldwide in 2020. Like many online multi-player shooters before it, the game has a casual mode for players to use in a non-competitive environment. However, it’s the game’s ranked mode that players are queuing up for to prove their mastery of the game’s unforgiving game mechanics.

If you’re new to this mode, or just need a quick refresher, here’s how it works:

There are eight tiers in the Valorant ranking system and each tier has three sub-tiers, except Immortal and Radiant. These last tiers have only one sub-tier each and are the top two in the ranking system. You have to work through every tier and sub-tier to get to the final one, Radiant.

For example, if you start in the lowest tier, Iron, you need to get through Iron 1, Iron 2, and Iron 3 to reach the next tier. In this case, it’s Bronze.

You’d continue working your way through each tier and sub-tier until you reach Immortal. This second to the last tier in the ranking system only has one tier before you reach Radiant.

Altogether, you need to work through 20 ranks (tiers and sub-tiers) to get to the top tier in the system: Radiant. Some players earn enough points and win enough matches to skip over sub-tiers completely, but that’s an exception and not a rule. Expect to grind your way through all 20 ranks to reach the top of the leaderboard.

This is not an easy journey, though, so be prepared for a lot of blood, sweat, and possibly very real tears as you make your way up the ranks.

To help minimize the number of tears of frustration you may shed to achieve your dream of Radiant, check out some of the ranking tips below:

1. Accuracy Is Everything

Like many competitive games, winning games is the most important factor for ranking up in Valorant. However, the system also takes how you win or lose a match into account. The more decisive the win, the better off you’ll be and more likely to advance to the next level.

2. Take the Time to Warm Up

How often do you jump into matches right after you log in to the game? Taking the time to warm up is integral in any competitive arena, whether it be a soccer game or an FPS shooter.

One of the simplest ways to warm-up is to take a few runs around the practice range. Make sure your accuracy is up to par or practice moving around an environment to get your head in the game. You can also use Deathmatches or DMs to warm up if you prefer your targets a little more “lively.”

Keep in mind, though, that you want to keep a casual mindset if you’re using DMs as a warm-up tool. The last thing you want to do is enter a competitive match with a negative attitude because you did poorly in your DMs.

3. Go Deep When Clearing Angles

Peeking and working angles is an important strategy in Valorant matches, but you need to take it one step further if you want to climb the ranks to Radiant. Recently, Rory “dephh” Jackson, esports member of Dignitas, shared his tip about working angles on YouTube.

In the video, he advised players to work deep angles when peeking around corners. As he illustrated in a game clip, more of your body is exposed when you peek out to take out an enemy. The further you stand back, the less of your character’s body mass is visible while peeking.

Additionally, standing further back from a wall or cover can give you more movement options just in case things go south.

How far back do you need to stand for optimal angles?

This pro league player stands as far as the back wall to clear angles. It gives him the sight he needs without revealing too much to enemies and enticing them to take a headshot.

How to Get Free Radiant Points in Valorant?

There seems to be a little confusion between two similar terms in Valorant and some players are using these terms interchangeably, but they’re not.

To clear things up, check out the differences between the two terms:

• Radiant – the top rank in the Valorant Ranking system
  
• Radianite – a form of currency used to upgrade skins and purchase content
  

You can’t get free “Radiant Points (RP)” in Valorant because it doesn’t exist. However, it is possible to get free RP as a reward via BattlePass. BattlePasses rewards change each time, so the exact number of points may vary from pass to pass. If you don’t have the patience to earn RP via BattlePass, you can always buy them in the store.

How Hard Is It to Get Radiant Valorant?

It’s very hard to get to the rank of Radiant in Valorant, but not impossible if you’re willing to put in the work to be the best player in your region.

One of the first things you should concentrate on if you plan on ranking up is winning aim duels consistently. Valorant is all about accuracy and headshots are where that accuracy counts the most.

Unlike other FPS games, you can’t spray and pray and count it a win if your bullets eventually take down an enemy. That’s a recipe for instant frustration at every match.

The only way you’ll get better at headshots is to practice. There are no shortcuts around this intrinsic mechanic of the game.

Once you master aim duels and win them consistently, you’re going to have to log on all the time to stack those points. Count on playing two to three games daily to log practice time as well as stack points for the next level.

Lastly, if you haven’t done it already, you should concentrate on unlocking all of the Valorant agents. It’s not necessary to rank up to Radiant, however, having a few favorite Agents in your roster helps when you have to switch out a favorite.

What Does Radiant Do in Valorant?

Radiant doesn’t necessarily “do” anything in Valorant except give you bragging rights for reaching the top of the leaderboards in your region. Radianite, on the other hand, allows you to unlock skin upgrades and other content in the in-game store.

How to Use Radiant Points Valorant?

You may not be able to buy skins or Agents with RP, but you can unlock weapon skin upgrades and animations to give them extra style. If you’re ready to spend your RP, check out the simple steps below:

1. Launch the game.
   
2. Press the ‘’Collection’’ tab on the main screen.
   
3. Scroll and select the weapon and skin you’d like to upgrade.
   
4. Check out the available upgrades in the right-side pane.
   
5. Buy the upgrading using your RPs.
   
6. Play the game with your new cosmetic upgrade.
   

Remember that you need to own the skin before you can upgrade it. Expect to spend around 10-15 RP per upgrade.

How Do You Get Radianite in Valorant?

There are two ways to get Radianite Points or RP in Valorant:

BattlePass Rewards

You can get free RP using the contracts activity in the BattlePass. Completing tiers 4 and 9 in the BattlePass also yield 20 RP extra once you complete them.

Exchanging Valorant Points (VP)

If you have real-world cash, you can simply exchange VP for RP. Keep in mind that you’ll have to spend a lot of Valorant Points for a handful of Radianite Points. For example, it costs 1,600 VP or $15 for 20 RP. This exchange yields enough RP for one skin upgrade.

How Many Radiant Valorant Players Are There?

As of March 2021, around 0.1% of Valorant players are ranked Radiant in their region, and a little more than 1% achieved Immortal rank. Don’t let these numbers get you down, though. The leaderboards are designed this way for a reason and only the top 500 players or so per region will ever achieve the rank of Radiant.

Most players fall somewhere in the low to mid-range tiers with the most distribution in between Bronze 2 and Silver 1.

Get Radiant With Radiant

If you have a drop of competitive blood in you, climbing the ranks to Radiant is probably on your radar. It’s a daunting task that requires time and dedication to the game, but it is possible if you’re willing to work for it. Just remember that accuracy is the key when winning matches and duels. It’s not enough to win your matches, you need to do it with skill – consistently.

Have you reached Radiant rank? What are your tips for ranking up quicker? Let us know in the comments section below.