Once you've hit the Diablo IV endgame, you'll bump into Judgment and probably think, "Okay… what am I meant to do with this." I felt that way too, and I ended up digging into it while tweaking builds and comparing clears. If you're also gearing, trading, or just trying to smooth out the grind, a lot of players keep an eye on U4GM while they plan upgrades, because Judgment setups can be weirdly gear-sensitive. At face value, Judgment is a mark with a little holy orb over the target, and if you ignore it, it pops after about three seconds for a chunk of weapon damage. That baseline detonation works, but it's not where the mechanic starts paying rent.
How Detonating Actually Feels in Real Runs
The moment you stop waiting for the timer, Judgment gets way more useful. You mark, then you choose when it blows. That's the whole vibe. With Udicator's Oath, you can trigger the pop early off core skills, so the mark turns from "passive extra damage" into something you're actively steering. In practice, it's the difference between tagging a tough elite and watching it slowly tick down, versus snapping the detonation right as a pack stacks up. You'll also notice the pacing change: fights feel less like you're babysitting a debuff and more like you're setting up little bursts on demand.
Two Playstyles People Keep Mixing Up
Most players end up in one of two lanes. First is Active Judgment: you apply the mark, then detonate it on purpose, usually while you're already in your damage loop. It's cleaner for leveling, Helltides, and general farming because you're in control and you're moving fast. Second is Passive Judgment: you mark and let the timer do the work. That can make sense in high-pressure pushing when your attention is split, especially if your rotation is already tight and you can't afford extra inputs. But if your build doesn't have the cooldowns and rhythm to support it, Passive just feels sluggish, like you're always waiting for damage that's slightly late.
Scaling and the Stuff That Quietly Matters
If you want Judgment to hit like it's supposed to, you can't treat the scaling as optional. Aspect of Golden Hour is a big deal because it amps your Judgment damage and helps marks chain through nearby targets, which is where the screen-wide clear starts showing up. Then you layer Aspect of Dejudicator to push detonation size and punch, so you're not wasting pops on half a pack. Also, don't sleep on the boring gear checks. Shields matter more than people admit, and a strong Strength roll can be the difference between "nice" and "why did everything just vanish." In groups, one more gotcha: credit sticks to whoever applied Judgment, not whoever triggered the blast, so coordinate if you care about who's getting the payoff.
Making Judgment Worth Building Around
The best way to think about Judgment is that it's not a bonus, it's a routine. You mark on entry, you herd enemies into a spot that makes sense, then you detonate when it's going to delete the most bodies. Once you play it that way, the mechanic stops feeling mysterious and starts feeling like a tool you can lean on, even when content gets nasty. If you're at the point where your setup is almost there but not quite clicking, it's usually a gear breakpoint problem, and browsing d4 gear for sale can help you spot what slots other Judgment builds are prioritising before you sink more hours into trial and error.
