Vanguard Ranked Play Skill Rating & Ladder explained
Vanguard’s Ranked Play mode is in full swing but if you’re new to competitive CoD you may be wondering what all of the different ratings, ranks, and divisions mean. This is why we prepared a Ranked Play Skill Rating & Ladder explanation.
Vanguard’s Ranked Play finally went live in Season 2 but before you hop on and play your placement matches, you may want to have a look at the different Skill Ratings, and how the Ladder system works.
The entire Vanguard Ranked Play system is new and refreshing this year so even veteran players may have a few unanswered questions, especially after recent changes to the mode in the Season 2 Reloaded update.
- What is the difference between SR and the Ladder system
- Vanguard Ranked Play Skill Rating explained
- How to earn SR and stars in Vanguard Ranked Play
What is the difference between SR and the Ladder system
Skill Rating or SR in Vanguard Ranked Play is a number that determines a player’s skill level within that Ranked Play season, as it does not carry over seasons. Meanwhile, a player’s Rank showcases their overall Ranked Play level, which is achieved through gaining stars in Ladder Events.
It is important to view these two ranks as separate from one another as your SR does not determine your Ladder rank and vice versa. The higher you place within your respective Ladder the more stars you’ll earn and stars are needed to progress through the ranks, not Skill Divisions.
Ladder Events will occur throughout the season and you’ll be able to track the duration in the Ranked Play menu. The higher you place on the Ladder come the Event’s end, the more stars you will receive. Here’s the breakdown of star distribution based on your Ladder placement:
- 1st – 7 Stars
- Top 5 – 6 Stars
- Top 10 – 5 Stars
- Top 25 – 3 Stars
- Remaining Players – 2 Stars
Vanguard Ranked Play Skill Rating explained
Vanguard Ranked Play Skill Rating is a score that will rise or fall after every match you play. Your SR dictates which of the eight divisions you’re associated with. The eight divisions are as follows:
- Contender – Light Blue
- Specialist – Yellow
- Advanced – Orange
- Expert – Green
- Elite – White/Silver
- Master – Purple
- Challenger – Dark Blue
- Top 250 – Golden skulls
To begin your Ranked Play experience, you’ll play five placement matches which will determine your initial SR starting point. If you win games and play well, your SR will increase and subsequently move you up from one rank to the next.
When you enter a lobby, keep an eye out for the gemstones next to names that indicate players’ division.
You can also check out the Top 250 Leaderboard, which was added in the Season 2 Reloaded update to help players track the top players in the community.
How to earn SR & stars in Vanguard Ranked Play
As you can see from the in-game image above, players will gain or lose SR and either drop or gain in divisions based on their performance. Winning will increase your skill rating, while losing or disconnecting from a match before it ends will reduce the number.
As for Stars, players will be awarded Stars based on their Ladder placement after a Ladder Event ends. Ladder placement also depends on a player’s performance, winning will obviously benefit your placement while losing will do the opposite.
A player’s Rank is permanent and will carry over throughout seasons, gaining these stars and placing high in Ladder Events will ultimately allow you to increase your Rank.
For more on Vanguard’s Ranked Play, make sure you check out our piece on all the Ranked Play rewards and how to get them.
Image Credit: Activision