DOCUMENTATION

Matchmaking FAQ

Everything you need to know about Ascend matchmaking — from setup to your first match.

Getting Started

Complete these steps before you can apply for matchmaking.

Link your Discord

Connect your Discord via OAuth. This is required for voice comms during matches.

Link & verify your Riot account

Link your Riot ID (Name#Tag), then verify it on your Account page to confirm ownership.

Apply for matchmaking

The system will look up your rank and place you in the correct league automatically.

Checking your progress...

Verification

What is Riot account verification?

Verification proves you own the Riot account you linked. It prevents players from applying with someone else's account to get a higher league placement. You must verify before you can apply for matchmaking.

How do I verify my Riot account?

Go to your Account page.
Link your Riot ID if you haven't already (enter your Name#Tag).
Click the verify button on your Account page — this confirms you own the linked Riot ID.
Once verified, you'll see a verified badge next to your Riot ID.

My verification failed. What do I do?

Make sure your Riot ID is entered exactly as it appears in-game, including the correct tag (e.g. Player#NA1). If it still fails, the verification service may be temporarily down — wait a few minutes and try again. If the problem persists, reach out in our support Discord.

Why do I need to link Discord?

Discord is required for voice comms during matches. After the draft phase, the system creates private voice channels for each team. You need a linked Discord account to be placed in the correct channel.

Eligibility

What rank do I need to play?

You need at least Ascendant 1 in your current act or one of the previous two acts. The system checks all three and uses the highest rank found.

I'm below Ascendant 1. Can I still apply?

Not yet. The minimum rank is Ascendant 1 from the current or previous two acts. Once you reach that rank, re-apply and the system will see the updated rank automatically.

I already applied. Can I apply again?

No, you only apply once. If your rank changes after you've been placed, your league placement won't update automatically — contact support on Discord if you think your placement should change.

Leagues

How do the leagues work?

You're placed into a league based on your verified rank:

Ascend Elevate League (AEL)

Ascendant 1+

Ascend Challengers League (ACL)

Immortal 1+

Ascend Pro League (APL)

Immortal 3 + 250 RR

Invite League

Promotion only

You can queue one league above your own, but never below.

How do I get into the Invite league?

When applying for matchmaking, include your VLR.gg profile link. If you're placed into APL, your application is flagged for Invite review. An admin will check your VLR history for T1/T2 competitive experience and may promote you.

Match Flow

Can I queue with friends?

No. All queues are solo-only. There is no party, duo, or 5-stack system.

What happens after I find a match?

Accept — all 10 players have 15 seconds to accept.
Captain selection — top players are voted as captains (auto-assigned in AEL).
Snake draft — captains pick teams in alternating order.
Voice channel — join your team's Discord VC within 3 minutes.
Map ban — captains ban maps until one remains.
Play — play the custom game in VALORANT.
Vote — players vote on the winner after the game.

Can I pick my server region?

No. Your region is set from your Riot account. The system automatically picks the optimal server within the region to minimize latency for all 10 players.

Penalties

What happens if I don't accept or don't join VC?

Not accepting within 15 seconds: 2-minute cooldown.
Not joining your team's VC within 3 minutes: 5-minute cooldown.

Players who did their part are automatically re-queued. Only the offending player(s) receive the cooldown.

Support

Still have questions?

Join our Discord server for live support, announcements, and community discussion.

Join the Support Discord

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