Welcome! Strap in, because we’re about to dive headfirst into the cold, brutal reality that keeps most players trapped in low elo—and if you’re here reading this, chances are you’re still making at least one of these mistakes.
This isn’t your basic “aim better” guide. This is about fixing the things you don’t even realize you’re doing wrong—the mental habits, poor decisions, and subtle mechanics that silently sabotage your matches every single day.
If you’ve ever said “my teammates are the problem,” this guide is for you. If you feel stuck, if your progress has plateaued, or if you’re endlessly bouncing between Iron and Gold, it’s time to wake up, take control, and finally start climbing with purpose.
Let’s break it all down with this amazing Valorant Boost Guide. Here are the 7 low elo mistakes you’re STILL making—and exactly how to fix them.
1. Changing What Works Too Soon
You know that feeling when you’re steamrolling rounds, things are flowing, and suddenly—someone says, “Let’s try something different”?
Big mistake.
Low elo players love to overcomplicate. You win three straight rounds rushing A, and someone decides, “Let’s go B this time.” Why? No one knows. You had momentum, and now you’re throwing it away in the name of variety.
Here’s the fix:
If something’s working, don’t switch it up. Rinse and repeat until the enemy forces you to adapt. There’s no shame in exploiting a weakness over and over. In fact, that’s how pros win.
If the defense starts stacking or adjusting, use your utility to scout, then react. Only rotate or fake if there’s a real reason—not because you’re bored or trying to look smart.
2. Your Settings Are Actively Holding You Back
Let’s get one thing straight—your settings matter way more than you think. And no, we’re not just talking about sensitivity.
In low elo, half the time players are handicapping themselves with:
- Crosshairs that blend with enemies
- A map that’s zoomed in too far to show key info
- Bad UI scaling that hides crucial visuals
For example, red crosshairs + red outlines = visual nightmare. Use colors that contrast.
Zoom your map out enough so you always see vital info. Don’t just guess—copy pro settings from sites like prosettings.net.
On sensitivity, most pros play between 160–320 eDPI. That’s your in-game sensitivity multiplied by your mouse DPI. If you’re far outside that range, you’re likely overflicking or undershooting more than you realize.
Also, stop changing settings constantly. Pick something solid, get used to it, and let your muscle memory do the rest.
3. No Warm-Up Routine = Wasted Games
Low elo players think ranked games are practice. They’re not. Ranked is performance.
Showing up cold to ranked without any sort of warm-up is like running a marathon without stretching. Your aim is sluggish, your brain’s still waking up, and you lose rounds you should’ve won.
Here’s a basic warm-up routine anyone can use:
- 5–10 minutes in the range, shoot bots until it feels easy
- Add movement and strafing to shots
- Hop into 1–2 deathmatches before your first ranked game
- New to PC? Try Aim Lab. It’s free, and it’ll help build your mouse control from the ground up.
Outside of game? Routine matters there too. Don’t underestimate:
- Desk position
- Arm placement
- Monitor angle
- Posture
If you had a great game, replicate your setup. Build consistency into every match.
4. Ignoring the Mini Map and Sound Cues
- You could win more games just by reading the map better.
- Your mini map is a constant stream of free information, and yet most low elo players treat it like wallpaper.
Here’s what to look for:
- Enemy sightings (red icons or ? marks)
- Ally utility usage (cipher cams, Killjoy turrets, smokes, etc.)
- Sound cues: footsteps, utility audio (Sova drone, Raze nade, etc.)
- The audio range circle—if it reaches enemies, they can hear you
Pay attention to where your team is pushing, which site is being pressured, and who’s lurking. A duelist alone on the other side of the map? That’s a failed entry waiting to happen unless you adjust.
Also, use sound to identify enemy numbers. Hear multiple footsteps or abilities? That’s more than one. Communicate, even if your teammates aren’t.
A simple “one A” or “two mid” based on what your map and ears tell you is better than radio silence.
5. Rotating Incorrectly and Too Often
Rotating poorly is one of the most common ways low elo players lose rounds before the fight even starts. You hear one utility ability, and suddenly the entire team rotates. Turns out it was a fake. Now your original site is wide open.
Here’s how to fix that:
- Don’t rotate on sound alone. Wait for multiple indicators: footsteps, agent visuals, utility, spike noise.
- Use structured rotations. On maps like Ascent, if you hear pressure on A, mid can rotate to help, while B moves to mid—not all the way to A.
- As the solo site anchor, don’t die early. If you’re about to get rushed, either get a pick and fall back, or just survive and wait for your team.
- And above all, avoid overreacting. Stay calm. Process what you see. Don’t let one flash or footstep bait you into deserting your site.
6. Not Understanding Your Role in the Team
This one is a low elo killer: you don’t know your job, so you end up doing someone else’s—or doing nothing at all.
Here’s a quick role refresher:
Sentinel
- Attack: Lurk or secure flanks. Use traps/turrets to hold ground.
- Defense: Anchor a site. Let utility do the spotting, then swing.
Controller
- Attack: Stay with team. Use smokes for entry or to cut rotations.
- Defense: Pick a central spot for fast smoke reactions. Delay pushes.
Initiator
- Attack: Set up entries with flashes, darts, drones. Never lurk.
- Defense: Help take space early or save utility for retakes.
Duelist
- Attack: Entry, frag, create pressure. Don’t lurk if you’re the only duelist.
- Defense: Take space, look for picks, disrupt enemy timings.
When everyone plays their role, the team functions. When you don’t, you’re just adding chaos.
7. Throwing Post-Plants with Bad Positioning
Planting the spike doesn’t mean you’ve won the round. Far from it.
In low elo, players get the spike down, then instantly peek into death, leaving their team in a 2v4 retake. Why?
- Because they don’t understand how to play post-plant.
- Here’s how to win those rounds:
- Numbers advantage? Set up crossfires, play safe angles.
- 1v1 or 1v2? Use audio to bait defuses, swing off sound.
- Have utility? Delay, don’t frag. Use mollies, smokes, or shock darts to buy time.
You can also plant for yourself. If you’re playing alone, plant in a spot you can see from safety (like tree on Ascent or B main on Split). Use jump peeks to force sound info, then act on it.
Post-plant isn’t about ego. It’s about timing, spacing, and knowing when to peek.
Final Words – Stop Surviving, Start Dominating
The truth? Most of these mistakes aren’t flashy. They’re not mechanics. They’re mental. Strategic. Foundational. And that’s why most low elo players never fix them—because they don’t realize these small decisions stack into game-winning habits.
You want to escape Bronze? Silver? Even Gold? Then you need to stop chasing highlight plays and start focusing on discipline, decision-making, and role awareness.
No, your teammates won’t always help. No, the matchmaking won’t always feel fair. But if you clean up these seven mistakes, you’ll see instant improvement—guaranteed.
So stop guessing, start learning with this best Valorant Boost Guide, and leave low elo behind for good. The next level of your gameplay starts today. See you on the leaderboard.
