Distinguished Master Guardian in CS2

So, you’ve overcome the Silver ranks and spent quite some time with the Gold Nova stars before making it to the CS2 Master Guardian Elite badge on your most beloved map. The next step will be the first “dark” epaulet — the Distinguished Master Guardian CS:GO, or, well, CS2 now.

So, what are the specifics of this rank? Where does it place you among the CS player base? And what should you do to reach the next step? You’ll find all this and more in our article.

Distinguished Master Guardian Rank Characteristics

Traditionally, “big star” players join matchmaking lobbies only after a 10-minute warmup, understanding the importance of being prepared. They also know major grenade spots and are ready to assist a teammate asking for a flashbang instead of running and trying to score kills alone. A Distinguished Master Guardian is good enough to hold positions as the solid anchor player and don't panic in the face of massive pushes.

Compared to lower ranks, a DMG player can use weapons more effectively and isn't limited to Deagles, AKs, M4s, and AWPs. They understand and sometimes even instinctively feel the game’s economy, both their own and that of the opposing team, and can choose the appropriate guns and positions for each round.

Is Distinguished Master Guardian Good?

Of course, players with the Global Elite badge won’t admit that DMGs are real opponents, but coming from the lower ranks, this is a real achievement. Besides, it’s not for nothing that the dark badge with that large star is so different from the preceding ranks.

Image	Rank	Players %
	Distinguished Master Guardian	4.2%

Only about 14% of players had reached a DMG CS:GO rank or higher, which can be even lower in CS2 with its individual ranking for every competitive map. Usually, players reach this level after spending around 1,000 hours in the game, but it largely depends on how hard you train.

How to Get Distinguished Master Guardian?

Getting Distinguished Master Guardian can be a long road, especially if you play CS2 just for fun with friends. However, if you make the psychological step up and start training, you can achieve it pretty fast.

A DMG must clearly understand how to play in the team and in random stacks, meaning you’ll have to learn plenty of self-popup flashbangs to stand your ground even solo. You should follow some YouTube or Twitch channels that discuss interesting grenade line-ups and probably even join a training server. A player of this rank should stay cool even in hot situations, don’t miss simple nades, and (we can’t repeat this enough) switch to their pistol instead of reloading a rifle while in combat.

Next Rank is Legendary Eagle: Tips to Achieve

To achieve the Legendary Eagle rank faster, we recommend you focus on the following:

• Analyze Your Gameplay. Joining a practice server to find some specific grenades or self-popup flashes on your favorite spots is what can make a real difference. Also, don’t hesitate to review your own demo to find and analyze mistakes.
• Practice With a Wider Weapon Pool. Being confident with about seven/eight guns isn’t enough for Legendary Eagle, as sometimes you’ll have to do with just a dropped SMG. Killing a pushing Terrorist with a USP-S is good, but taking his Dual Berettas is another level of play.
• Understand the Bottlenecks of Your Hardware. Achieving DMG rank is quite doable even with ordinary hardware, but it’s time to consider upgrades. A mouse with a higher DPI, a keyboard with more stable clicks, or a 144 Hz monitor instead of the default 60 can substantially speed up your further progress.
• Polish In-Game Mechanics. Having a sharp aim is great, but you have to pay more attention to other in-game mechanics on the higher ranks. Shoulder picks, counter-strafes, keeping a crosshair on the potential opponent's head while moving on the map — all of this should become a routine to you.

Conclusion

CS2 DMG rank is an interesting case, as it stands right between those who aim to become professionals and those who play the game for fun after a hard-working day. It means that they have either clear goals or exceptional talent, and should not be underestimated.