Valorant Escalation is a 5vs5 deathmatch-style game mode where two teams compete against each other to get as many kills as possible while cycling through a range of weapons. It’s fast-paced, action-packed, and a whole lot of fun, so if you’re looking to take a break from the intensity of the Competitive game mode, then this is something you should try out.
Now, without further ado, let’s go over some more details surrounding the Valorant Escalation game mode.
Game structure
In Escalation, it’s your job to work together with your team to get kills so you can all collectively progress through the escalation levels. There are 12 of these levels in total, and the first team to reach the end of the 12th one wins. Seem simple? Well, it gets a bit more complicated than that.
Though escalation levels are worked through as a team, every player also has their own individual level. You need to get at least 1 kill with a weapon to progress to the next level, so even if your team’s Escalation level has gone up, you won’t progress unless you get at least one frag.
7 points are needed to progress through each level, and you get 1 point per kill for your team with the current level’s weapon. If you fall behind and get stuck on an earlier weapon, you’ll only contribute half a point per kill, so it’s essential to try and keep up.
Ending the game
Level 12 is the final level, and once your team reaches it, everyone on the team automatically gets upgraded to the final weapon, regardless of how far behind they are. The final weapon is typically something quirky or different from what you get in the other levels, but more on that later.
As mentioned earlier, the first team to beat level 12 wins, but there’s also a 10-minute timer that runs down to stop games from taking too long. If the game doesn’t end naturally, then the team with the most points at the end of 10 minutes is victorious.
Escalation level load outs
The weapons you get at each Escalation level aren’t entirely random, contrary to popular belief. There’s some structure to it, which is outlined below:
- Level 1: Players will start with either the Vandal, Phantom, or Showstopper. The Showstopper is Raze’s ultimate ability weapon and comes with two blast packs that regenerate every time you touch the ground.
- Level 2: The second level will always give players either the Vandal or the Phantom. The weapon will not be the same as the one used in level 1.
- Levels 3-11: Throughout these 9 levels, you’ll get to use a range of weapons and abilities, including sidearms, sniper rifles, and even Raze’s boom bot!
- Level 12: There are 5 possible weapons here: Classic, Shorty, Shock Bolt, Snowball Launcher, or Big Knife.
Earning experience points
Escalation games, unfortunately, don’t count towards daily and weekly missions, but you do get experience points towards both your battle pass and agent contracts. Every player receives 800XP just for participating, while everyone on the winning team gets an additional 200XP for a total of 1000XP.
General strategies
Getting kills with specific Valorant weapons in Escalation can be challenging, so let’s talk about some general strategies for success.
Firstly, depending on the weapon you get, you’ll want to prioritize engaging in either long-range or short-range fights depending on what is favorable for you. For example, if you have a shotgun, you’ll want to engage people at as short a range as possible, and if you have a Vandal or Phantom, you’ll want to keep your distance from enemies and use that to your advantage.
Next, when it comes to the quirkier weapons/abilities like the Shock Dart, Boom Bot, or Paint Shells, it’s best to spam them as much as possible to boost your chances of getting a kill. You get unlimited uses with these three, so just go all out!
Lastly, after you kill someone, make sure to pick up the health pack that drops. Not only does it fully restore your health and shields, but it also replenishes your ammo, letting you essentially reset after each kill.
Valorant Escalation game mode FAQs
To finish up, let’s go over some frequently asked questions that you may have about the Valorant Escalation game mode.
How long do games typically last?
Escalation games typically last around 7-8 minutes but can go up to a maximum of 10 minutes.
How do respawns work?
Respawns are unlimited, and every time you die, you’ll respawn at a random location around the map. You also get invulnerability for up to 5 seconds after respawning, which is removed once you start moving.
What map is Escalation played on?
The map for Escalation is chosen randomly from the map pool. Currently, there are 7 Valorant maps available: Ascent, Bind, Breeze, Fracture, Haven, Icebox, Split. The Range (practice area) is not included.
Is Escalation available to play at all times?
Escalation is part of the rotating game mode queue alongside Replication and Snowball Fight, making it a limited-time mode that isn’t always available to play. The rotating game mode changes each patch, so if you don’t see Escalation when you open up Valorant, expect it to appear in the next patch or two.
Conclusion
There you have it, our overview of the Valorant Escalation game mode. We hope you’ve learned something new and are now eager to jump into some Escalation games of your own. Thanks for reading!