The Judge Finally Gets Nerfed in VALORANT Patch 7.09
Riot Games has addressed the OP nature of the Judge in VALORANT with the upcoming release of Patch 7.09. Players who have tested the new agent Iso have noticed a significant change to the Judge: a reduced clip size from seven to five.
While this change does technically nerf the Judge, it barely addresses the major issues with the weapon. The combination of fire rate, pellet spread, and effective range of the Judge still make it a powerhouse in the game. The reduced clip size simply limits the damage potential of a single clip.
The Continuing Dominance of the Judge
The Judge’s effectiveness, especially on agents like Raze, Jett, and Neon, has garnered a lot of hate from the community. There seems to be no penalty to the spread or aim of the weapon when these agents are using their movement abilities.
NRG coach Chet Singh expressed frustration with the changes, stating that they don’t actually resolve the issue. He emphasizes that the weapon can still kill a target within two shots from zero to 50 meters, unless the shots hit the legs. At 10 meters or less, a single shell can kill an enemy regardless of their health.
The Bargain Weapon that Remains a Powerhouse
Even with the slight nerf, the Judge remains a bargain at 1,850 credits. It continues to be the weapon of choice for defenders hiding in corners during a save round and for Raze mains who use Blast Pack to surprise unsuspecting enemies.