# Become a validator (after your node is synced)

1. Create your operator key (encrypted keyring):
   `rogued keys add validator --keyring-backend file`
   Back up the mnemonic AND the keyring password offline.
2. Get test ROGUE: paste your `rogue1…` (from `rogued keys show validator -a --keyring-backend file`)
   into https://faucet.roguelayer.one. One grant (~11,000 ROGUE) per address / 24h — that
   single grant already covers the ~10,000 ROGUE self-delegation below, so you do **not**
   need to wait multiple days or drain the faucet from several addresses.
3. Fill validator.json:
   `PUBKEY=$(rogued comet show-validator)` then substitute __PUBKEY__, __AMOUNT__
   (e.g. 10000000000000000000000 = 10,000 ROGUE), __MONIKER__.
4. Submit:
   `rogued tx staking create-validator validator.json --from validator --keyring-backend file \
      --chain-id rogue_4221-1 --gas auto --gas-adjustment 1.5 --gas-prices 0.0001arogue -y`
5. Verify: `rogued q staking validator $(rogued keys show validator --bech val -a --keyring-backend file)`
   → status BOND_STATUS_BONDED.

## Chain upgrades — stage the binary or your node WILL halt

The systemd unit runs cosmovisor with `DAEMON_ALLOW_DOWNLOAD_BINARIES=false` (a
deliberate security default — the node never auto-downloads code). The trade-off:
when the chain hits a governance upgrade height, cosmovisor looks for the new binary
**you must have staged beforehand**, and if it isn't there the node halts at that
height until you provide it.

Before every announced upgrade `<name>` at height `<h>`:

```
# fetch + verify the new rogued exactly like install (sha256 published with the release)
mkdir -p "$HOME/.evmd/cosmovisor/upgrades/<name>/bin"
install -m 0755 /path/to/new/rogued "$HOME/.evmd/cosmovisor/upgrades/<name>/bin/rogued"
```

cosmovisor switches to it automatically at height `<h>` and (with
`DAEMON_RESTART_AFTER_UPGRADE=true`, already set) restarts. Watch upgrade
announcements so you stage in time.