Valorant Patch 12.09: Neon & Shotgun Nerfs Shape the Pre-Masters London Meta

Riot also improved her VFX to better communicate slide direction and origin, making her easier to read for opponents.

💥 Shotgun Overhaul: Bucky, Judge & Shorty All Nerfed

This is the bigger story. Riot didn't just tweak one shotgun, they redesigned how all shotguns interact with movement across the board. The core principle: shotguns should reward holding angles, not aggressive swinging.

Universal changes affecting all shotguns:

• Movement accuracy reduced: run, walk, crouch-walk, and jump all penalized
• Crouch accuracy standardized to a 15% modifier (a buff for Bucky, a nerf for Judge and Shorty)
• Rope usage, like swinging on a zipline, now drastically reduces accuracy, standing rope spread jumps from 0.075 to 0.75, and running rope goes from 0.1 to 3.0. Aggressive rope swings with shotguns are dead.

🦆 Bucky

The Bucky takes the heaviest single hit of the three. At the 0-8m range, pellet damage drops across the board:

• Head: 40 → 34
• Body: 20 → 17
• Legs: 17 → 14

On top of the damage reduction, minimum spread increases from 2.6 to 3.0, and movement spreads are sharply raised. The Bucky was already a niche pick, this makes it a harder sell at most ranks.

⚡ Judge

The Judge's minimum spread increases from 2.25 → 2.5 on PC (console gets the change in 12.11). Movement spreads follow the same pattern as the Bucky. The Judge remains the fastest-firing shotgun but loses some of its close-range lethality when you're not standing still.

🔫 Shorty

The Shorty's fire rate drops from 3.33 → 3.0, reducing its burst damage potential. Combined with the movement spread increases, the off-angle Shorty plays you could get away with before are now much riskier.

📉 What This Means for the Meta

The double-nerf on Neon and shotguns kills the same gameplay pattern: run fast, shoot first, punish with a secondary if they dodge. Post-12.09, winning gunfights requires better positioning, not just raw speed.

Map control agents, sentinels, and controllers get a direct indirect buff here. If you've been running Neon or shotgun-heavy eco buys, now is a great time to expand your agent pool. Check out the best agents tier list post-Skirmish for ideas on where to pivot 📊

At the pro level, this patch arrives just before the Masters London qualifiers field wraps up. Tournament servers stay on Patch 12.08 temporarily, but teams are already adapting their comps. Expect fewer Neon flex picks and more utility-heavy lineups heading into London.

It's a similar philosophy to Patch 12.08, which already started pushing the game toward structured play. 12.09 completes the shift.

🔧 MMR Testing in Non-Competitive Modes

One system change worth noting: Riot is testing new MMR logic in modes outside Competitive, Unrated, and Swiftplay. The goal is to improve matchmaking consistency in casual queues. No competitive ranked impact, but if your Spike Rush lobbies suddenly feel more balanced, you know why.

Ready to Compete?

Patch 12.09 rewards positioning and map control over raw aggression. If you want to test your new playstyle against real opponents, Amber.gg's Valorant ladders are the place to do it. Join a ranked ladder, track your stats, and compete for prizes while the meta settles 🏆

Browse the full lineup of Amber.gg competitions and find the right ladder for your level, whether you're starting fresh or already climbing.

Not sure where to start? Check out how players are making money playing Valorant to see how competitive platforms fit into your grind.