Valorant Patch 13.06: Warden, Gauntlet: Glitched, and Agent Mastery Overview

Riot Games has released Valorant Patch 13.06. The update went live on September 22, 2026, and it's no ordinary interim patch: According to the official Patch Notes, it's the last major patch before Valorant Champions Shanghai. Riot is packing three major innovations into one update – a new weapon, a completely new game mode, and an overhaul of progression and ranking in Ranked play. We've summarized the most important changes for you below.

• New Weapon Warden: a fully automatic scoped rifle for 2900 Credits, 18 rounds in the magazine, fixed 2x scope, and a consistent 50 body damage at any range – without the damage drop-off of Vandal or Phantom.
• New Mode Gauntlet: Glitched: an experimental 2v2 tournament format with 16 players in eight duos, played in specially designed arenas with matches lasting approximately 8 to 15 minutes.
• Draft Mechanic in Gauntlet: Players build their own “Robo-Agent” from abilities drawn from other Agents and can upgrade them between rounds – combinations that would never be possible in normal 5v5.
• Agent Mastery replaces the previous Agent Gear system: individual progression per Agent with Act Levels, Lifetime Levels, Mastery Points for playing and strong rounds, as well as customizable Agent IDs.
• Performance Score replaces ACS as the central evaluation metric: a new scale that, according to Riot, incorporates more than just kills and damage and is intended to more realistically reflect individual round performance.
• Patch 13.06 is the last major client patch before Valorant Champions Shanghai – the tournament itself will continue to run on the frozen Patch 13.05.

What Can the New Warden Weapon Do in Valorant?

The Warden is the third option in the expensive 2900-Credit class alongside the Vandal and Phantom – and the first with a fixed, built-in scope. You zoom in 2x directly, instead of switching between hip-fire and free aim. It has 18 rounds in the magazine, with 36 in reserve. The big difference from the established rifles: The Warden does not lose damage over distance. It deals 50 body shot damage and 200 headshot damage, no matter how far away the opponent is. This makes the weapon the logical choice for anyone who wants to hold long lanes without immediately resorting to the Operator.

How Does the New Gauntlet: Glitched Mode Work?

Gauntlet: Glitched is Riot's most unusual experiment to date outside of classic 5v5. Eight two-person teams compete in short, intense rounds until only one duo remains. The catch: Before each match, you draft abilities from the complete Agent pool and build your own hybrid character, which you can continue to upgrade between rounds. This allows for combinations over time that would never be permitted in regular play. It's played on four specially constructed arenas – ideal for anyone looking for something completely different from Ranked in between matches.

How Do Agent Mastery and Performance Score Change Everyday Ranked Play?

For the daily Ranked grind, these two system changes are at least as relevant as the new weapon. Agent Mastery replaces the old Agent Gear system and gives each Agent their own visible progress bar: Those who play a lot with a character and perform well collect Mastery Points, level up in Act and Lifetime Levels, and unlock an individual Agent ID. Simultaneously, ACS disappears from the match details – replaced by the Performance Score, which, according to Riot, provides more context about your round than pure kill and damage numbers. Players who previously only looked at the ACS value will have to get used to a new number. As usual, you can find all details on the official Valorant website.

Why Doesn't This Patch Directly Affect Valorant Champions Shanghai?

The timing is no coincidence: Patch 13.06 is deliberately released shortly before the start of Valorant Champions Shanghai, which, according to the official Valorant Esports page, begins on September 24. Riot traditionally freezes the competitive build for international tournaments beforehand so that teams don't have to react to new weapons or systems in the middle of their preparation. Champions Shanghai will therefore be played entirely on Patch 13.05 – Warden, Gauntlet: Glitched, Agent Mastery, and Performance Score will only be seen on the big stage at the next international event. How tough the path to a Champions ticket recently was, already showed in the Americas Finals, where LOUD prevailed against 100 Thieves. However, the new patch is already active for your own client and Ranked play.

Source: Riot Games (Official Patch Notes), Dexerto

Have you already tried out the Warden or jumped straight into a round of Gauntlet: Glitched? Let us know in the comments what you think of the new weapon and mode!