Patch 13.06 in short: Patch 13.06 resets every player's Agent progress to zero under the new Agent Mastery system. Performance Score replaces ACS as the match yardstick, the Warden joins the 2900 credits rifle tier, and Gauntlet: Glitched arrives as a limited time mode. The notes list no balance changes to existing Agents or weapons.
Based on VALORANT Patch Notes 13.06 by Riot Games, published 22 September 2026.
VALORANT players who keep one main Agent will feel this patch in their routine, because Agent Mastery starts everyone from zero. The change to scoring matters just as much, since Performance Score now decides MVP and scoreboard order in four modes. Read these notes first as progression and scoring changes, and only second as a new weapon and a new mode.
Agent Mastery resets everyone to zero
Agent Mastery is the change most likely to touch daily habits, because every Agent now carries its own Act levels, Lifetime levels, Reward Track and Agent ID. Everyone starts at zero on every Agent, and playtime from before this patch does not carry over. Mastery Points earned on an Agent move that Agent's Act Level, and each Act Level also adds one Lifetime Level. Act Levels reset when a new Act begins, while Lifetime Levels stay with you across Acts. For a player with a main they have played for months, this is a restart rather than a bonus.
The number that matters this Act is the Act Level, since it sets how quickly you reach the Portrait Accents at levels four, seven and ten. Each Agent has ten main Act levels, and overleveling continues the climb once you reach the top. We expect players who rotate across many Agents to climb slowly on each one, while players who lock in one Agent for the whole Act should see visible rewards sooner. Kingdom Credits unlock items on the Reward Track, and any Agent Gear you already own stays with your account.
Performance Score takes over from ACS
Average Combat Score has been retired, and Performance Score now sits in its place. The new measure runs from 0-500 and looks past damage and kills, so a player whose value comes from utility, assists or survival may see a fuller and possibly different number at the end of a match. It appears in Competitive, Unrated, Swiftplay and Premier. MVP and scoreboard order in those modes now follow it, which probably means a high-kill game no longer guarantees MVP. The End of Game screen shows what moved your score and how close you came to a Masterful result.
Accolades begin tracking from this patch, and nothing earlier counts. They register only in Competitive and Premier, so Unrated and Swiftplay games will not add to them. Rank Legacy works like a trophy case: each rank counter can rise once every three Acts, and a demotion never adds to a counter. Riot says it is watching feedback on Performance Score, so the formula is still likely to shift. For now, treat the score as a guide to your weak spots rather than a verdict on your game.
Gauntlet: Glitched and the Warden
Gauntlet: Glitched is a limited time 2v2 mode for sixteen players split into eight duos. Each round pits two duos against each other, and every round lost drains team health until a team hits zero. Between rounds you draft from randomized abilities, add new ones or upgrade existing ones up to Level three. Some abilities can glitch at Level two, but that is rare and random. The mode plays across four arenas, and eliminated players can requeue without waiting for the rest. Retake is leaving the limited time rotation at the same time.
The Warden is the new automatic rifle in the 2900 credits tier, alongside the Vandal and the Phantom. It carries a 2x scope, holds 18 bullets per magazine and deals 50 damage per bullet at all ranges. Headshots are listed at 200 and leg shots at 42. The fire rate is 6.5, the ammo reserve is 36 and the reload timing is 2.5. Equip timing is listed as 1.0 normal, .6 fast and .2 instant. Wall penetration is medium. We read the flat 50 damage and the large headshot figure as a rifle that rewards clean head placement, though the notes do not compare it directly with the Vandal or Phantom.
Queue, home and quieter fixes
Home and Lobby are now one hub, so your party, modes and map pool share a single screen. Global Navigation has a new layout that the notes say reduces crowding. New item indicators in the Collection clear once you view that page or leave the game. The Range opens while you queue, but it will not appear for Premier, Deathmatch or any mode without Agent Select. If the queue looks short, the Range may stay hidden until your wait runs longer than expected.
Riot Voice Evaluation is expanding to Spanish, Portuguese and Korean, so reports in those languages should be caught more reliably, in theory. Among the fixes, a Cypher Trapwire could look active at the moment it reactivated after Cypher died, and flash timing is corrected for possessable Agents such as Tejo, Sova, Gekko, Cypher and Skye. The Masterful threshold display is wrong and is slated for the next patch, though it does not affect earning the Accolade. Console arrives in Australia and New Zealand, and a known issue still affects console mode selection while in Range in Queue.
Who benefits
- Players who stick to one main Agent: Mastery rewards consistency. Portrait Accents arrive at levels four, seven and ten, and Lifetime levels keep building across Acts.
- Players who want a long-range rifle: The Warden costs 2900 credits, holds 18 bullets, deals 50 damage per bullet at all ranges and lists 200 for a headshot.
- Players who wait in queue: The Range opens while you queue, and you can start matchmaking from inside it, which turns idle queue time into aim practice.
- Gauntlet players: Sixteen players form eight duos, four new arenas are in play, and the Winner's Circle above them adds a second place to watch fights.
Who loses
- Smurfs and boosters: Riot reports 1600 accounts banned per day and over 90,000 since July 20, and says it is only getting started. This probably means cleaner ranks, though the notes give no before-and-after rank data.
- Retake players: Retake is leaving the limited time rotation. The notes name no replacement or date, so anyone who relies on it should plan for a gap.
- Players who spread picks across many Agents: Previous playtime does not carry over, and every Agent starts at zero Act Level, so each Agent takes longer to reach its portrait upgrades.
What to do about it
- Pick one or two Agents to build Mastery on this Act.: Act Levels reset each Act, so spreading playtime delays the level four, seven and ten portrait unlocks on every Agent.
- Check the End of Game screen for what moved your Performance Score before judging a match.: The score measures more than damage and kills, and the screen lists what affected it and how close you were to Masterful.
- Compare the Warden's 2900 credits against the Vandal and Phantom you already use before buying.: The notes do not compare them, so your own sessions are the only real test available right now.
- Use the Range while queued, but expect it to vanish on short queues.: The notes say the Range may not be available right away, and it does not support Premier, Deathmatch or modes without Agent Select.
- Report voice abuse in the Voice Comms Abuse category, including in Spanish, Portuguese and Korean.: Riot Voice Evaluation now listens for those languages, and your reports help the system act on disruptive behaviour.
Key numbers at a glance
| What | Change | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Boosting detection bans | 1600 accounts per day; over 90,000 accounts since July 20 | Heavy action against smurfs and boosters, which probably means fewer boosted accounts. |
| Performance Score range | 0-500 | Replaces ACS as the match yardstick and sets MVP order in four modes. |
| Rank Legacy counter | once every three Acts (Acts I-III and Acts IV-VI) | Each rank counter can move only once per three-Act block. |
| Agent Mastery Act levels | 10 main Act levels | Each Agent has ten main levels per Act before overleveling starts. |
| Portrait Accents | levels 4, 7, and 10 | Visible upgrades arrive early in the Act if you stick to one Agent. |
| Warden price | 2900 credits | Places the Warden in the same tier as the Vandal and Phantom. |
| Warden magazine | Bullets per Magazine: 18 | Eighteen rounds before a reload, so the magazine runs out on a steady pace. |
| Warden damage | 50 at all ranges | Damage does not drop off with distance, according to the notes. |
| Warden headshot and leg damage | 200 headshot; 42 leg | Headshots carry far more damage than leg hits, so aim for the head. |
| Warden fire rate and reload | Fire Rate: 6.5; Reload Timing: 2.5 | Sets the pace of sustained fire and the recovery after a magazine. |
| Warden ammo reserve | Ammo Reserve: 36 | Limits how long a long fight lasts before reserve ammo runs out. |
| Warden equip timing | Normal: 1.0; Fast: .6; Instant .2 | Draw speed depends on the equip mode, so swap timing matters. |
What we are unsure about
- The notes list no balance changes to existing Agents or weapons, so we cannot say which picks gained or lost power.
- Performance Score has no published formula, and Riot says it will keep adjusting it based on feedback.
- The Warden's real strength against the Vandal and Phantom is untested by these notes, and only later data will show it.
How this article was made
This is an original analysis of the official notes, written with AI assistance and checked automatically: every number in it appears in the official text, and copy overlap with it is capped. We do not play-test patches ourselves. Found a mistake? Tell us and we will correct it. How we work: editorial policy.
Frequently asked questions
Do my Agent Mastery levels carry over from before this patch?
No. Every player starts at zero Act Level and zero Lifetime Level on each Agent, and previous Agent playtime does not carry over. Any Agent Gear rewards you already unlocked stay with you.
Does Performance Score replace kills and damage in my stats?
No, the notes describe it as a measure that goes beyond damage and kills. It runs from 0-500, and the End of Game screen shows what affected it. MVP and scoreboard order in Competitive, Unrated, Swiftplay and Premier now follow it.
Will Gauntlet: Glitched stay in the game?
The notes call it a limited time mode but do not say how long it runs. Treat it as temporary until Riot confirms a schedule.
