WoW PvP Ranks Explained: Rating from Combatant to Gladiator (Midnight Season 2)

In rated PvP in World of Warcraft, you climb with your PvP rating. The ranks are Combatant, Challenger, Rival, Duelist and Elite. Win 50 3v3 Arena games at Elite and you become a Gladiator. At the very top sit the titles for the top 0.1% of each ladder.

As of 9 November 2026, Midnight Season 2 (started the week of 18 August 2026 in the Americas, 19 August in Europe). Below you'll find every rank with its rating, the rewards per step, the five ladders and the titles for Arena, Solo Shuffle and Battleground Blitz. Everything is based on Blizzard's official season articles (see sources).

All WoW PvP ranks in order

Blizzard lists the rating for each rank in its Midnight Season 1 article. For Season 2, Blizzard lists the same ranks without numbers; Warcraft Wiki shows the same values for Season 2.

1. 09 Gladiator 50 3v3 wins at Elite
2. 08 Elite from 2 · 300 rating
3. 07 Duelist from 2 · 100 rating
4. 06 Rival II from 1 · 950 rating
5. 05 Rival I from 1 · 800 rating
6. 04 Challenger II from 1 · 600 rating
7. 03 Challenger I from 1 · 400 rating
8. 02 Combatant II from 1 · 200 rating
9. 01 Combatant I from 1 · 000 rating

Important: Elite is 2,300 in Midnight. Older guides and some database pages still say 2,400, the value from earlier expansions. Blizzard's Season 1 article explicitly says "2300+".

Below 1,000 you have no rank. According to Blizzard, each new season brings a new PvP ladder.

Rewards per rank in Season 2

Each rank unlocks pieces of the season's Elite transmog set. This is how Blizzard splits the Season 2 rewards:

At Rival I you have every armor piece of the set. After that, only the weapon illusion, the prestige cloak and the tabard remain.

The season mount from 1,000 rating

For Venomous Combatant, you win rated PvP matches at a personal rating of 1,000 or higher, which fills the season rewards bar. The reward is the Vicious Lightbloom Boar mount, in an Alliance and a Horde version.

Weapon tokens for Conquest

Earn 2,500 Conquest on one character in Season 2 and Blizzard gives you two Venomous Gladiator's Weapon Tokens.

Gladiator, Legend and Strategist: the titles above Elite

There is no rating step above Elite. Instead, wins at Elite in a specific mode count:

2v2 doesn't count toward Gladiator. Blizzard explicitly says 3v3 games.

Ladder titles for the best players

At the end of the season, Blizzard awards permanent titles to the top of the ladders:

• Venomous Gladiator: top 0.1% of the 3v3 Arena ladder, at least 150 wins in the season.
• Venomous Legend: top 0.1% or top 8 of the Solo Shuffle ladder (whichever is higher), at least 50 wins.
• Venomous Marshal (Alliance) or Venomous Warlord (Horde): top 0.1% or top 8 of the rated Battleground Blitz ladder, at least 50 wins.
• Hero of the Alliance / Hero of the Horde: top 0.5% of the rated battleground ladder (10v10), at least 50 wins.

Extra titles for healers

Healers can earn the seasonal Battle Mender title: win 50 Solo Shuffle rounds as a healer at Rival I or higher. For 100 such rounds over Midnight you get the Nightfall Legend's Pennant, and for 50 Blitz wins as a healer at Rival I or higher the Nightfall Strategist's Pennant.

The five ladders in WoW PvP

The official leaderboards on the WoW website show five modes for Midnight Season 2, each with the top 1,000 players per region:

For Solo Shuffle and Battleground Blitz, Blizzard splits the leaderboards by class and specialization. Switch spec there and you end up on a different list.

Rating vs. MMR: what's the difference?

Your rating is the number you see, and it decides your rank. Alongside it, the game uses a matchmaking rating (MMR) to find suitable opponents. How many points you get per win depends, among other things, on how strong your opponents are. Blizzard doesn't publish a formula or fixed points per win, so we don't list any numbers here.

Tips for climbing

These tips follow directly from the rules above:

• Aim for Rival I: At 1,800 you have every armor piece of the Elite set. After that, only the illusion, cloak and tabard are left.
• Gladiator is 3v3 only: Elite in 2v2 won't help you with the title. Plan your 50 wins in 3v3 Arena from the start.
• One spec per ladder: In Solo Shuffle and Blitz, your spec's ladder is what counts. Switching all the time splits your progress.
• Mount on the side: You fill the Vicious Lightbloom Boar bar with wins at 1,000+ rating in any rated mode.
• Mind the minimum wins: The top 0.1% titles need 50 or 150 wins depending on the mode. A high rating without enough wins isn't enough.

Recommended hardware

You play WoW on PC with lots of keybinds, and quick voice calls help in Arena. For more options:

• Gaming mouse buying guide
• Gaming keyboard buying guide
• Gaming headset buying guide

Three example products (specs from the manufacturer or the Amazon product page, not our own tests):

Example model

MMO mouse: Razer Naga V2 HyperSpeed

Buttons

19 programmable buttons

Connection

Razer HyperSpeed Wireless (2.4 GHz) and Bluetooth

Battery life

up to 250 hours (HyperSpeed), up to 400 hours (Bluetooth)

Sensor

Razer Focus Pro 30K optical

View on Amazon.de*Ad link

240 g

Example model

Headset for callouts: Razer BlackShark V2 X

Connection

3.5 mm jack

Drivers

Razer TriForce 50 mm

Microphone

HyperClear cardioid mic, flexible

Weight

240 g

View on Amazon.de*Ad link

Example model

Keypad for lots of keybinds: Razer Tartarus V2

A keypad for your left hand. It puts abilities, macros and hotkeys on their own keys instead of key combinations.

Keys

32 programmable keys

Control

8-way thumbpad

Switches

Razer Mecha-Membrane

Extras

Hypershift (second layer of bindings), detachable wrist rest, Razer Chroma RGB

View on Amazon.de*Ad link

Sold and shipped by Amazon, in stock (checked on 9 and 12 November 2026 with a German delivery address).

FAQ

What are the PvP ranks in WoW?

Combatant I and II, Challenger I and II, Rival I and II, Duelist and Elite. Above them is the Gladiator title for 50 3v3 Arena wins at Elite.

What rating is Elite?

In Midnight, 2,300 rating. The 2,400 figure comes from earlier expansions.

How do you get Gladiator in WoW?

Reach Elite and win 50 3v3 Arena games at that rank. You get the title for the season and the Venomous Gladiator's Goredrake mount.

Does 2v2 count for Gladiator?

No. Blizzard explicitly says 3v3 games.

What is the highest PvP title?

The ladder titles for the top 0.1% at the end of the season, for example Venomous Gladiator in Season 2 (3v3, at least 150 wins).

When do I get the season's PvP mount?

Fill the rewards bar with wins in rated modes at 1,000+ rating to earn the Vicious Lightbloom Boar.

Does rating reset every season?

According to Blizzard, each season brings a new PvP ladder, and ranks and titles are tied to the season.

Playing other Blizzard games? See Hearthstone ranks explained. For PvP in shooters: Destiny 2 Competitive ranks.

Sources

As of 9 November 2026. Rank names, rewards and titles for Season 2 from Blizzard's Season 2 launch article. Rank ratings from Blizzard's Midnight Season 1 article, cross-checked for Season 2 with Warcraft Wiki. Modes and leaderboard split from the official PvP leaderboards. Elite lowered from 2,400 to 2,300 per Icy Veins.

• Blizzard News – Midnight Season 2 is Now Live!
• Blizzard News – Midnight Season 1 Mythic+ Now Available! (with PvP ratings)
• World of Warcraft – PvP Leaderboards
• Warcraft Wiki – Midnight Season 2
• Icy Veins – Midnight PvP Season 2 Guide
• Razer – Naga V2 HyperSpeed (manufacturer specs)
• Razer – BlackShark V2 X (manufacturer specs)

Blizzard can change rewards and rules with patches. If anything important changes in rated PvP, we'll update this article.