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The Judge in Valorant is perhaps the most notorious weapon among the three shotguns available in the Riot Games' shooter FPS. The automatic weapon was recently nerfed and has only five bullets in the magazine. However, it is still capable of causing irreparable harm to a team. If you encounter an unexpected Judge in close range, the round may as well be over.
This is why it is extremely important to learn how to counter the Judge in Valorant. Here are five tips that can help you fight Judge players in your games.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinions.
5 tips to counter the Judge in Valorant
1) Flashes
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One of the most effective ways to counter the Judge in Valorant is by using flashes. However, it's vital to not peek right after the flash. Instead, it's better to flash a tight corner and wait for the Judge player to fire a few shots in anticipation.
This will give away their position. Now, after firing some shots, the player may be close to reloading, repeat the flash method if you plan on pushing them, wait until the clip is empty, and then take them down. This is one expensive way but it is effective.
2) Reveals
Utility that reveals a player's position is always a good step before entering areas on the defensive side of the map. Use Sova's Owldrone or Sky's Trailblazer to find a player holding a choke with a Judge. They can also be avoided or flushed out using grenades or shock darts. Remember, to take away the element of surprise from a Judge in Valorant is to take away its power.
3) Take a look at the opponent's economy
The Judge in Valorant is a popular shotgun. However, many players may prioritize rifles like the Phantom in Valorant and the Vandal instead. So, there's a good chance that the enemy purchases shotguns during half-buy or eco rounds.
Since the Judge provides a low cost and high reward, it's a preferred choice during save rounds. Predict the opponent's move to avoid and predict the Judge.
4) Engage at long-range
The Judge can only have power over a team in a very short range. In long-range, the weapon does very little damage as it is a shotgun. By avoiding small spaces, force the Judge player to take a long-range duel instead.
This will ensure their ultimate loss and is a fairly easy counter to the weapon. Even while peeking, peek a little farther away from their possible positions to soften the blow.
5) Utility and reaction time
In truth, the best way to counter a Judge in Valorant is through careful utility usage. One way to do so is to understand that peeking at a Judge holding a close angle means fighting the opponent's reaction time. If you take a good shot at their head before they can fire a single round of the weapon, that's a guaranteed win.
However, it's easier said than done. It is then better to do the same but with a stun in place. Perhaps a Breach on your team can stun a tight corner before you peek at it.
Better yet if the position has already been revealed. Using clearing utilities such as Raze's Boom Bot not only reveals position but also causes damage. Good utility usage will always lead the way while trying to counter any overpowered weapon such as the Judge in Valorant.
Judge vs. Bucky in Valorant
Clearly, the Judge is a top-tier shotgun in Valorant. However, it is also a good argument to pit the Bucky against the automatic shotgun. The pump action counterpart of the Judge is a brilliant save-round option.
It costs 850 credits as compared to the Judge which sits at a generous 1850 credits. The Bucky also causes great damage at close range albeit, it has a pump action mechanism which means it takes some time before firing again.
However, its widespread radius is rather powerful and can take down multiple opponents at once. Unlike the Judge, Bucky has an alternate fire which can also give out damage at longer ranges too.
In the meantime, some people may swear by the Shorty during pistol rounds. It's not seen often, but some players pick up Raze in Valorant and use the satchels to blast into enemy territory with the sawed-off shotgun that costs 300 credits.
Unchecked shotguns can be very damaging to a team. This is why using a utility to clear it out is perhaps the most vital and easy skill to pick up while playing.
