How to get your Act rank gun buddy in Valorant

Valorant’s competitive seasons operate on a structured timeline, with Episode 3 Act 3 concluding to make way for fresh content and rewards. This transition period marks when dedicated players receive exclusive act rank gun buddies alongside substantial gameplay updates.

Competitive players face a critical deadline to maximize their battle pass progression and achieve their highest possible rank before the system locks. Riot Games typically disables matchmaking several hours prior to new act launches, ensuring proper distribution of Episode 3 commemorative items.

Act rank gun buddies serve as permanent trophies representing your competitive achievements during each Valorant episode. These cosmetic items visually display your highest attained rank with distinctive colors and episode numbering. For instance, achieving Diamond 3 in Episode 3 grants a vibrant purple charm featuring EP 3 insignia, allowing players to showcase their skill level while pursuing new ranked objectives.

Your cumulative performance across the competitive season determines your final act rank placement. Valorant utilizes a pyramid visualization system populated with small triangles that symbolize individual ranked victories. The apex triangle signifies your demonstrated skill ceiling and official Act Rank, while the surrounding border constitutes your Act Rank Border framework. When you reach your peak rank before an episode concludes, Riot Games permanently records this achievement to generate corresponding gun buddy rewards for subsequent episodes.

Pro Tip: Higher-ranked gun buddies feature more intricate designs and animation effects, making them highly sought after by dedicated competitors. The system captures your nine highest-ranked wins to calculate your final placement, so consistent high-level performance matters more than occasional peak performances.

Acquiring your act rank gun buddy follows a straightforward automated process. Simply ensure your game client is fully closed before the new act commences, then restart and log back into Valorant. Navigate to your Collection interface, select any weapon, and access the gun buddies tab. You’ll discover a new weapon charm reflecting your previous rank’s color scheme and branding. Click the equip option to attach this prestige item to your selected firearm.

Common Pitfall: Many players mistakenly believe they need to manually claim their reward. The system automatically distributes gun buddies to eligible accounts, so if you don’t see yours immediately, try restarting your client or waiting a few hours for system-wide distribution to complete.

These rank indicators can be displayed on any weapon in your arsenal, though many competitive players prefer showcasing them on their most frequently used firearms. Unlike battle pass gun buddies, rank-based charms cannot be purchased and serve as pure skill demonstrations.

Episode 3 Act 3 concludes on January 11, with Episode 4 launching the following day on January 12. This transition brings significant gameplay changes beyond just cosmetic rewards.

Ranked matchmaking queues will temporarily suspend operations to facilitate the introduction of Agent 19, codenamed Neon, to the Valorant protocol. The update package includes a completely refreshed battle pass progression system and new weapon bundle offerings. Neon’s electrically-charged ability kit promises to revolutionize competitive strategies with unprecedented mobility options and area control capabilities.

Meta Impact: Early testing indicates Neon’s high-speed tactical positioning could disrupt established team compositions, particularly affecting defensive hold strategies on maps like Ascent and Bind.

Seasoned competitors recommend focusing rank improvement efforts during the final two weeks of each act. This timing allows for skill development while ensuring your peak performance aligns with reward calculation periods. Consider reviewing our Weapons Unlock guide for insights on weapon mastery that can boost your ranked performance.

Optimization Strategy: Queue with consistent teammates during peak performance hours (typically evenings) when server populations support better matchmaking quality. Avoid ranked sessions during server maintenance periods or immediately following major updates when meta instability can impact performance consistency.

For players struggling to reach their desired ranks, analyzing gameplay patterns through recording and review often reveals consistent improvement opportunities. Many top players utilize the two-week rule: identify weaknesses, practice specifically, then implement changes with sufficient time to affect your final rank.

Your gun buddy collection grows with each episode, creating a visual history of your competitive journey. Higher-tier buddies (Diamond and above) feature subtle particle effects that make them particularly desirable display items.

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