Riot Games has released Patch 12.09, and it’s the update many players have been asking for. The headline changes: Neon nerfs (air speed, fuel regeneration) and shotgun nerfs (accuracy while moving, jumping, and on ropes). Bucky, Judge, and Shorty all take hits.
⚡ Agent Updates – Neon Finally Tamed
Neon has been on Riot’s radar for a while. Her ability to break timings and create pressure is part of her role, but her movement and evasiveness were pushing too far into combat space. These changes aim to make Neon players more intentional.
| Ability | Change |
| High Gear (sprint) | Jumping no longer provides any speed bonus while airborne. Air speed while sprinting now matches melee speed. |
| Fuel regeneration | Fuel only regenerates on kill when Neon’s ultimate is active. Passive regeneration still exists (no change to passive). |
| Slide VFX | Improved to more clearly communicate direction and origin. |
“Fuel will only regenerate with a kill when Neon’s ultimate is active. Fuel will still regenerate passively.”
🔫 Weapon Updates – Shotgun Accuracy Nerfed
Riot wants shotguns to be used defensively – holding tight angles and clearing close spaces – not aggressively while moving. All shotguns are now less accurate when moving, and spread has been standardized.
Global Shotgun Changes
| Action | Accuracy Change |
| Run, walk, crouch walk, jump | Accuracy reduced (spread increased) across all shotguns |
| Crouching | Now provides 15% accuracy multiplier (matching rifles) |
| On ropes | Spread significantly increased, especially while moving |
Bucky Changes
| Stat | Before → After |
| Pellet damage (0‑8m) | Head 40 → 34, Body 20 → 17, Legs 17 → 14 |
| Minimum spread | 2.6 → 3.0 |
| Walking spread | 0.075 → 1.0 |
| Running spread | 0.1 → 2.0 |
| Crouch walk spread | 0.05 → 0.5 |
| Jump spread | 1.25 → 4.0 |
Judge Changes
| Stat | Before → After |
| Minimum spread | 2.25 → 2.5 |
| Walking spread | 0.075 → 1.0 |
| Running spread | 0.75 → 2.0 |
| Crouch walk spread | 0.05 → 0.5 |
| Jump spread | 2.25 → 4.0 |
Shorty Changes
| Stat | Before → After |
| Fire rate | 3.33 → 3.0 |
| Walking spread | 0.075 → 1.0 |
| Running spread | 0.1 → 2.0 |
| Crouch walk spread | 0.05 → 0.5 |
| Jump spread | 1.25 → 4.0 |
“Shotguns are intended to be most effective for holding tight angles and clearing close range spaces, but right now they’re a bit too effective in high mobility situations.”
Our take: Bucky users will feel the damage drop off. The spread increases across all shotguns mean run and gun judge plays are dead. Good. Shotguns should be defensive tools, not primary entry weapons.
📊 Competitive Updates – MMR Testing
Riot is testing MMR changes for modes other than Competitive, Unrated, and Swiftplay (e.g., Spike Rush, Escalation, etc.). These changes should result in better, more consistent matches. Learnings will apply to ranked later.
💬 Player Behavior – Text Abuse Detection
Riot has improved its Riot Text Evaluation system to better detect and apply penalties for text comms abuse in the following languages: Arabic, German, English, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Turkish, Chinese.
🖥️ PC Only – AMD Anti Lag 2 Support
Added support for AMD Anti Lag 2, which reduces input latency in GPU bound scenarios. Requires compatible hardware and updated drivers from March 9, 2026 or later.
🐞 Bug Fixes (Highlights)
| Agent | Fix |
| Chamber | ADS while firing Headhunter no longer covers too much screen |
| Jett | Tailwind first person animations fixed for left handed mode; performance drop from Drift fixed |
| Miks | Tooltip updated; ultimate preview cone fixed |
| Sage | Healing Orb no longer consumes on self when affected by Decay (health returns normally) |
| Tejo | Guided Salvo idle sound no longer persists |
| Viper | Sova’s Recon Bolt and Chamber’s Trademark now affected by nearsightedness in Viper’s Pit |
| Vyse | Possessable drones no longer trigger arming audio of Vyse’s wall |
| Neon (PC) | Fixed exploit with Fast Lane using NVIDIA graphics settings – Neon returned to game |
🎮 Console Known Issues (Still Present)
| Mode | Issue |
| Skirmish 2v2 / 1v1: Ascension | Timer stuck at 00.50 sec during Overtime |
| Skirmish 2v2 / 1v1: Ascension | Agent abilities not showing on Combat Report after affecting enemies |
📌 Summary – Key Changes at a Glance
| Category | Main Changes |
| Neon | No airborne speed boost; fuel regen only on kill during ult |
| Shotguns | Reduced moving accuracy; spread increased; Bucky damage nerfed |
| MMR | Testing for non‑comp modes |
| AMD Anti Lag 2 | Supported on PC (drivers required) |
| Text abuse detection | Improved for 12 languages |
💬 BuyCarry Team’s Take
Patch 12.09 is a community driven balance patch. Riot finally addressed two of the most frustrating elements in ranked: Neon’s uncatchable mobility and run and gun shotguns.
What we love:
- Neon nerf is significant but fair. She still has her sprint, but no more flying judge memes. Fuel management matters now.
- Shotgun accuracy changes will reward defensive play. No more W + M1 judge rushes.
- AMD Anti Lag 2 is a welcome addition for PC players with compatible hardware.
- Text abuse detection improvements are long overdue.
What we’re cautious about:
- Neon may fall out of meta entirely – but that’s better than her being oppressive.
- Shotgun crouch multiplier is now 15% (down from 25% for Judge/Shorty). They’re still usable, just not brainless.
- Console known issues remain – no fix for Skirmish timers yet.
For our clients:
- Need to adapt to the new meta? Our coaches can help you transition off Neon or shotgun heavy playstyles.
- Want to climb ranked with the new balance? We offer boost services tailored to post patch meta.
- Confused about the MMR changes? We’ll monitor and update our guides.
Final verdict: A healthy, necessary patch. Neon and shotguns were overdue for tuning. The game will feel fairer. If you relied on these crutches, time to learn new agents – or let us help you rank up anyway.
🎮 Our VALORANT Services
- 📈 Ranked Boost (Post‑Patch) – Climb faster with our meta‑adjusted boosting strategies.
- 🎓 Agent Coaching & Meta Transition – Master new agents and playstyles after the Neon/shotgun nerfs.
- 🛡️ Ranked Placements & MMR Optimization – Get the best possible start in the new competitive season.
❓ FAQ – VALORANT Patch 12.09
Q1: Did Neon get removed from the game?
A: No. She was temporarily disabled due to an exploit (fixed in this patch). She’s back with significant nerfs.
Q2: Can Neon still regain fuel without killing?
A: Yes – passive regeneration remains. However, during her ultimate, fuel only regenerates on kills.
Q3: Is the Bucky useless now?
A: No, but it’s weaker. Damage at close range is lower, and moving accuracy is worse. Use it defensively.
Q4: Can I still run and gun with the Judge?
A: Not effectively. Spread while running has increased dramatically. Crouch walking is slightly better but still worse than before.
Q5: What is AMD Anti Lag 2?
A: A technology that reduces input latency in GPU bound scenarios. Requires compatible AMD hardware and updated drivers.
Q6: Can BuyCarry help me rank up after these changes?
A: Yes – we offer coaching for new meta agents, ranked boosts, and strategy adjustments. Contact us.
Source: Riot Games – VALORANT Patch Notes 12.09, May 12, 2026.