For years, Valorant lacked a deep, rewarding progression framework for character specialists. Once you finished an agent’s basic Chapter 2 contract and unlocked their signature sidearm skin, there was little incentive to track character-specific hours. With the arrival of Patch 13.06 on September 22, 2026, Riot Games has overhauled this system by introducing Agent Mastery to replace the legacy Agent Gear track.

Many players are asking: how does Valorant Agent Mastery system work, and what happens to your previously unlocked items?

Here is an in-depth breakdown of how the two-tiered progression operates, how to earn Mastery Points, and how the new Agent IDs allow you to showcase your dedication.

The Dual-Track Framework: Act Levels vs. Lifetime Levels

To understand how the Valorant Agent Mastery system works, it helps to look at its split architecture. Rather than relying on a single, static track, Riot divides progression into two separate paths: Act Levels (seasonal) and Lifetime Levels (permanent).

1. Act Levels (Seasonal Form)

Act Levels serve as a seasonal benchmark. Each agent has an individual Act Level that resets to zero at the conclusion of every Act.

• Dynamic Portrait Upgrades: Advancing tiers during an active Act unlocks temporary visual flourishes on your agent’s portrait.
• Agent Select Visibility: These upgraded portraits appear directly in the Agent Select screen, letting teammates and opponents see that you are currently in form with that pick.
• Why It Matters: A player with hundreds of lifetime hours on Sova who hasn’t touched the initiator for six months will show a baseline portrait, while a player currently maining him will carry visible tier markers.

2. Lifetime Levels (Permanent Milestones)

Lifetime Levels never reset. Every match completed on a specific agent contributes to a cumulative, lifetime rank that reflects long-term commitment.

• Unlocks exclusive high-tier cosmetic items, including Mastery Player Cards, agent voice lines, Mastery Poses, and Agent IDs.
• Serves as a long-term progression path designed to sustain years of play.

How to Earn Mastery Points (MP)

Understanding how the Valorant Agent Mastery system works in practice comes down to its core progression currency: Mastery Points (MP).

Every time you lock in an agent and finish a game, you accumulate Mastery Points toward that specific character’s Act and Lifetime tracks simultaneously. The amount of MP awarded per match is determined by three variables:

1. Time Played: The baseline amount of MP scales directly with total round count and match duration.
2. Match Outcome: Securing a match victory awards a flat bonus multiplier to your base points.
3. Individual Performance: Combat score, round-impact metrics, and performance rating grant bonus MP, rewarding high personal performance alongside match completion.

Because progress requires playing the agent directly, you cannot grind MP on a secondary pick to level up your main.

What Are Agent IDs and How Do They Work?

The primary showcase feature tied to Lifetime Mastery is the Agent ID.

Located in the agent hub within the Collection tab, an Agent ID functions as a modular profile card dedicated to an individual character. As you climb Lifetime Levels, you unlock interchangeable modules that can be equipped on this card:

• Custom Stances & Poses: Unique full-body display poses for your agent.
• Frames & Dynamic Backgrounds: Animated backdrops themed around the agent’s lore and home region.
• Stat Trackers: Modules that display tracked stats, such as total headshots, clutch win percentages, first bloods, or ultimate eliminations.
• Signature Quotes: Agent voice-line banners and flavor text integrated into your profile summary.

Agent IDs appear across player profiles, loading screens, and post-match breakdowns, giving dedicated mains a clear visual identifier.

What Happens to Existing Agent Gear and Contracts?

A frequent point of confusion when players examine how the Valorant Agent Mastery system works is whether existing cosmetic items carry over.

• All Unlocked Gear Is Preserved: Any pistol skin, spray, title, or card earned through the old Agent Gear contracts remains in your inventory.
• Unearned Rewards Are Migrated: Cosmetic items from legacy contracts that you had not yet unlocked are rolled into the agent’s new Lifetime Mastery track. You can continue working toward those rewards alongside new mastery tiers without losing prior progress.

Summary of Core Features

By separating short-term seasonal engagement from long-term character investment, the Agent Mastery system gives both casual players and dedicated specialists a structured reason to refine their favorite agents across competitive acts.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Valorant Agent Mastery System

Do Valorant Agent Act Levels reset at the end of every season?

Yes. Act Levels operate on a seasonal cadence and reset to zero with every new Act. They serve as a seasonal showcase of your current activity and dedication to an agent. Reaching high Act Levels unlocks temporary, prestige-focused dynamic portrait upgrades visible to teammates and opponents during the Agent Select screen for the duration of that Act.

What is the difference between Act Levels and Lifetime Levels in Valorant?

The primary difference is permanence:

• Act Levels: Reset at the end of each competitive Act and offer seasonal cosmetic flairs like upgraded Agent Select frames.
• Lifetime Levels: Never reset. They track your cumulative, all-time progression on a specific agent. Progressing through Lifetime Levels grants permanent unlocks, including dedicated Agent IDs, Mastery Cards, custom MVP/lobby poses, and legacy weapon cosmetics.

How do you earn Mastery Points (MP) fast in Valorant?

Mastery Points (MP) are earned automatically by playing matches with your chosen agent across standard game modes (Competitive, Unrated, Swiftplay). You can maximize your MP gain by:

1. Winning Rounds and Matches: Victory bonuses significantly increase final match MP yield.
2. High Individual Combat Performance: Scoring high combat scores (ACS), earning performance medals, and utilizing agent abilities effectively boosts the base match yield.
3. Daily and Weekly Missions: Completing agent-linked milestone challenges grants flat MP injections to progress both Act and Lifetime tracks simultaneously.

What happens to your Lifetime Level progression after a Valorant patch or Act update?

Your Lifetime Level progression is fully permanent and unaffected by patch deployments, Act transitions, or Episode resets. Any progress made toward mastery milestones, unlocked agent cosmetics, or Agent ID titles remains permanently tied to your Riot account.

What are Agent IDs in Valorant and how do you unlock them?

Agent IDs are modular, customizable player profile identity cards earned exclusively by leveling up an agent’s Lifetime Level. Once unlocked, an Agent ID allows you to customize your loading banners and lobby display with custom character poses, unique badge frames, and verified performance stats (such as total headshots, clutches, or ability utility metrics) tied directly to that specific agent.

Can you purchase Valorant Agent Mastery levels with Radianite or VP?

No. The Agent Mastery system is designed as an earned, merit-based progression track. Mastery Points (MP), Act Levels, and Lifetime cosmetics cannot be purchased or skipped using Valorant Points (VP) or Radianite Points (RP). Unlocks require dedicated playtime and in-game performance with that character.