Rank mode and starting mode

I would like to suggest two ranked game modes (you can participate and earn ranks in both) as well as a change in how you start a new season:

• Normal; earn RP to rise and players gets to choose between three starting points
  • start from Rookie
  • start from the bottom of one rank below your previous rank (if your last two ranks were not equal or if Predator)
  • start from the bottom of your previous rank (if your last two ranks were equal and if not Predator)
• Challenge; earn RP not to fall
  • start from Predator

The whole point of this division is to provide different challenges and difficulty based on player preference.

A Normal start from Rookie is your typical grind and provides for the easiest start and a rather natural progression of difficulty (for the most part). A Normal start from your previous rank or one below provides for a much harder start (as well as a continuation from where you left of) and a challenge in earning Pass rewards without losing your rank. Lower tier players would most likely prefer Rookie and higher tier players most likely previous rank or one below.

A Challenge start from Predator gives you a pool of RP at the start of each week and for 8 weeks your challenge is to maintain your rank by not losing points. Playing a good games means losing 0 points (you don't earn any, all losses are irrevocable) and if your pools becomes empty you are demotes one rank and cannot play until your pool is refreshed. With each rank you have an Intimidation aura which burns and glows around the player (think the Necromancer from Diablo 2 on the character selection screen) and a custom melee that cannot be used outside of this mode (or perhaps purchased). As your rank is demoted these two rewards are diminished until you reach rock bottom and left with none at all.

EDIT: The Challenge mode would have to be arranged so that you are required to play a certain number of matches or you are demoted by default, otherwise some players will just cheese it to retain their rank. I'm not sure of the balance of this, how many matches, how many points per match, and so on. Normally you earn RP each match from position or actions to rise, here you would earn RP up to 0 so as not to fall (you never get points back).

The Challenge mode is fall from grace, the Normal mode a rise to grace. Two different experience and different ways of enthralling the player. For some it might end rather quickly, using up your points in a hurry until you find a rank suited to you, for others it might be a nail-biting experience to hold on to what you have.

This way everyone also gets to experience (if only for a week) the highest rank and highest grace and gets to feel like a badass for a short while. A taste of something that you might otherwise never experience in Normal ranked.