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Valorant Game Manual

Fall 2025​


THIS TOURNAMENT IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH, SANCTIONED OR SPONSORED BY RIOT OR ANY OTHER GAME DEVELOPER OR PLATFORM.

Competition​

Game Format

Platforms: Windows PC Only

Team Size: 5-player teams (5v5)

Game Duration: Single competition with point accumulation

Match Structure: 2 games with potential best-of-3 postseason

Players​

Roster Requirements

Team Size: 5-10 players (more strongly advised)
Eligibility: Players must be registered with school's official coach/advisor
Single Competition: One roster per player per MiHSEF competition

Substitutions

Players may be substituted between games (not during rounds) while maintaining roster requirements.

Minimum Player Rules

Teams must provide minimum 4 players of 5 at match start.
Game forfeiture if under minimum mid-game.
Match forfeiture if unable to field minimum for additional games.

Pre-Match​

Lobby Creation (Home Team Designated)

Teams: Home team creates lobby + handles map selection + invites Away team captain

Side Selection: Team that didn't choose side in previous game chooses side for next game

Error Handling: Reset match if wrong players/settings; completed games stand if errors discovered late

Match Settings (Illinois Server Region)

Lobby: Custom (closed), Mode: Standard

Tournament Options:

  • Allow Cheats: Off
  • Tournament Mode: On
  • Overtime: Win by Two: On
  • Play Out All Rounds: Off
  • Hide Match History: Off
Spectating Permissions
  • Only coaching slot allowed for spectating
  • Teams may stream using coaching slot or NDI plug-in for OBS
  • Coach communication limited to same team only
  • No other spectating methods permitted!

Gameplay​

Map Selection (Pick/Ban Process)

Ban Order:

  1. Home bans → Away bans → Home bans → Away bans → Home bans

Final Selection: Last 2 maps played | Away picks Map 1 → Home chooses Attack/Defense Away chooses Attack/Defense on Map 2

Scoring System (Points Per Match)

2-0 Sweep: Winner receives 5 points | Loser receives 1 point

1-1 Split: Majority Rounds Team with more rounds: 3 points | Team with fewer rounds: 2 points

1-1 Split: Tiebreaker Resolved by cumulative eliminations, then by cumulative plants

Score Reporting (LeagueOS - 11:59pm Deadline)

Automatic: Scores pulled if accounts linked Manual: Both teams report + confirm together Required: Screenshots of game results Penalty: Forfeitur efor late/missing scores

Inter-Game Breaks

Standard: 10 minutes between games (negotiable by agreement) Forfeit: Automatic forfeiture if break extends without agreement No-shows: Teams must return or forfeit after 10 minutes

Stoppage of Play​

Tactical Timeouts

Limit: 2 per team per game When: Buy phase rounds only (in-game player call) Duration: 60 seconds maximum

Technical Pauses (Up to 3 per Team)

Valid Reasons:

  • Player Disconnect/Drop
  • Server Crash
  • Technical issues (hardware/internet)

Rules: 10-minute limit per game | Confirmation required to resume | Forfeit if exceeded

Player Disconnects

Before Round Start: Restart by request After Round Start: Allow reconnection pause (counts toward pause limit) Count: Each disconnection counts as one of team's three pauses

Good Faith Restarts

Allowed for sportsmanship | Same players & agents required | Round/game restarts prohibited

Restrictions​

Permitted Content

All agents, weapons, sprays, weapon skins, items, and weapon buddies are allowed except those disabled in competitive mode or banned by official Valorant tournament rules.

Agent Release Policy

New agents unavailable for 2 weeks after public release date and time.

Anti-Cheating Policy

Any intentional use of bugs, exploits, game file modification, or third-party applications for unfair advantage is strictly prohibited. MiHSEF determines prohibited exploits and enforces violations. See MiHSEF anti-cheating policy and submission process.

Playoffs​

  • Play in and each round at the in person state tournament will be a best of 3. The following process will determine the bans and picks from the listed map pool.
    1. Higher seeded team bans one map, Lower seeded team bans one map.
    2. Higher seeded team picks Map One, Lower seeded picks a side for Map One.
    3. Lower seeded team picks Map Two, Higher seeded team picks a side for Map Two
    4. Higher seeded team bans one map, Lower seeded team bans one map.
    5. One map remains, Higher seeded team picks side

Map List​

PearlBindAbyssHaven
SunsetLotusSplit

This list may update as we approach the season in conjunction with ranked play, and may update in season


Date Approved by Board: November 19, 2025


Rule Management & Change History​

📋 Rule Administration & Historical Changes

Official Board Approval​

Approval AuthorityApproval DateVersion
MiHSEF Board of DirectorsNovember 19, 20251.0.0

📋 PROPOSED CHANGES​

Change TypeDescriptionImplementation TimelineStatus

📅 CHANGE LOG​

DateChange TypeDescriptionAffected Section

Version Information​

  • Current Version: 1.0.0