Brawl Stars is more than 4 years old and is still going strong. Season 18 has been positively received by fans, and it's still one of the most popular games on the mobile game market.
While the game is always adding new brawlers, game modes have remained relatively constant. Some stay, some go, but overall most still remain. We figure then, instead of giving advice for each brawler, we'll give advice for each game mode. We'll also list good brawlers that you can use, if you like.
Any brawler can technically win any game mode, but to help you out, here's a guide full of tips for each mode and good brawlers to use for them.
Brawl Stars – Solo & Duo Showdown
RULE: Last Man Standing wins. Grab Power Cubes across the map to increase your brawler's strength and health.
Perhaps the most popular mode in Brawl Stars. If you're just playing the mode to grind trophies, find a bush and pray no one finds you. You only need to end up in the top 5 to avoid losing trophies. Duo showdown is a bit more difficult, as you'll need to be one the last two teams left to get trophies.
If you're looking to win it all, then here are some pointers.
For both solo and duo, pay attention to how many power crates are in the middle of the map when the game starts. If there's only a few, then consider going there and grabbing them. It's better to have control of the center instead of trying to fight your way into it later. If there's a lot of crates at the center, then back off and focus on the ones on the outside.
In a typical match, most players rush the middle to get all the power cubes and there's a chance you might get taken out early. If you search the map you can get some power cubes and maybe chase after players with low amounts of power cubes. This won't guarantee a win, but you'll live longer and have a better chance when there's only two brawlers left.
On Duo showdown, if your teammate is down, wait to pick up any power cubes on the map until they spawn. When your teammate returns they'll appreciate you waiting, plus you'll both be a bit more powerful. The only exception to this rule is if you're being chased and need to retreat. You can also just grab the cubes if there's only two brawlers left and you need to quickly finish off the last opponent.
Recommended Solo Showdown Brawlers: Otis, Colt, Griff, Max, Rico
Recommended Duo Showdown Brawlers: Ash + Poco or Byron, Tara + Anyone, Griff + Colt, Bo + Shelly
Gem Grab
RULE: Gems pour out of the center of the map. The first team to grab 10 and hold onto them for 15 seconds wins. Dying spills all your gems and lowers the team score.
One of the first game modes in Brawl Stars history, and one of its most popular.
The key to Gem Grab is staying alive. Don't worry if the enemy team is grabbing all the gems early on. What matters is you staying in the game and finding that perfect moment to strike. This doesn't mean you should hide and do nothing, but damage the enemy if and when you can, and slowly build your super. Slow and steady wins the race in this mode.
Any brawler like Crow who jumps with their super is great to have. They can collect all the gems and use their super ability as a get-out-of-jail card. Or you can also use a brawler like Tara who can bunch all the enemies together with her super. She can instantly wipe out any team, giving you the chance to steal the gems and win the match. She is extremely clutch.
If the enemy team grabs their 10th gem and your team has seven or eight, DON'T rush after them. If they retreat, it gives your team the perfect chance to tie it up before the 15 second countdown and attain map dominance. Then you can slowly retreat back to your spawn when about five seconds remain. They'll have a tough time trying to catch up and take you down.
Recommended Brawlers: Tara, Crow, Ash, Collette, EMZ
Brawl Stars – Brawl Ball
RULE: First team to score two goals wins the match.
Tied with Gem Grab for the 2nd most popular mode in Brawl Stars is its soccer-mode.
Brawl Ball is all about map control. You don't want to group up all in the same spot, otherwise you're giving your opponent open lanes to make a quick score. Instead, you want to space out your team on the left, middle, and right sides, and only converge when approaching the goal.
Here's an example of a strategy you could use. Have a Poco lay low in the back with his Da Capo Star Power and tuning fork gadget. On the left and right side have two close range brawlers like El Primo and Griff who are a little more aggressive. Poco can provide healing for his teammates while serving as a last line of defense. His attacks pierce through enemies, so you may be able to take one (or all) of them out with just a couple shots.
The other two teammates can focus on knocking out opponents and open up lanes for potential scores. They can also both break walls, taking away obstacles in their path and making it easier to score.
Of course, you can always use a thrower like Sprout too, who's Super creates hedges that can save your team from losing. He can also be quite pesky on the battlefield, lowering enemy health with his great range if you bounce his attacks off walls.
Recommended Brawlers: Poco, El Primo, Ash, Sprout, Griff
Volley Brawl
RULE: Hit the ball back and forth on the map and send it to your opponents side. If the ball lands on their side, you earn a point. The ball moves faster after each hit. First team to score two points wins.
Here's a team comp that's done pretty well for us: Gale, Bibi, and Mortis.
A good strategy for Volley Brawl is to always have one brawler stay back and play defense. Two teammates can hit the ball and focus on knocking out their enemies. We recommend using Gale with his Blustery Blow star power and Twister Gadget. Both are great at keeping enemies away from where the ball will land. In fact, using Twister where the ball will land assures a score 9 times out of 10.
In case Gale can't do it alone, try Bibi. With a charged baseball bat, she can push opponents away from the landing spot, and she deals a lot of damage too. She easily intimidates opposing brawlers, and her super lets her attack enemies from long distances. It's great if you need a last-ditch effort to take out your opponent and score.
Mortis is great for both defense and offense. He can move quickly in case he needs to get the ball. We recommend his survival shovel ability, which lets him reload faster for 4 seconds. Creepy harvest is a great star power, which gives you health after defeating an enemy. His super ability already heals him if it lands, so keeping Mortis alive is a must.
Recommended Brawlers: Gale, Bibi, Mortis, Griff, Buzz
Hot Zone
Rule: Players must stand over the hot zones on the map, which give points over time. Whoever captures all hot zones or has the higher percentage wins the match.
Strategizing on Hot Zone revolves around one thing: how many hot zones are on the map. If it's a map with one hot zone, then we recommend two players rush the middle. A good pairing can be Rosa with EMZ or Tara. Rosa's Grow Light gadget can spawn bushes for her, and with her plant life star power, she can constantly heal herself. Having a brawler like EMZ or Tara can control the crowd and keep enemies at bay.
Tara is great for re-gaining the hot zone, as her super ability can lasso all the enemies up and wipe them out. EMZ can push enemies back with her main attack, and here super can intimidate enemies who'll want to stay out of her Super's zone.
For maps with two or more hot zones, Pet Fighters like Jessie and Penny are great. Jessie's spark plug gadget can slow down enemies in the hot zone for 4 seconds. Considering her attacks chain on subsequent opponents, she can quickly take them all out with the proper use of her turret. Penny's turret, if placed from a good distance, can keep enemies on the move and dodging your attacks. Since the opponent limited to the confines of the hot zone, they'll have no choice but to take damage sometimes.
Recommended Brawlers: Rosa, Jessie, Penny, EMZ, Darryl
Knockout
RULE: Three-on-Three battle where each brawler only has one life in each round. First to win two rounds wins the match.
It's always important to have at least one thrower in knockout, as most maps for the mode have plenty of walls. We recommend Sprout, who can grow walls with his super to defend his teammates and himself. His transplant gadget will allow you to destroy your current wall for a free super too, which is handy. Grom is also great with his attack range and damage.
The important tactic for knockout is sticking together as a team. Don't bunch up together, but always be near a teammate in case they need your help. Also fight against brawlers you'd think you do better against. If you have better luck fighting R-T than Colt, fight the R-T. Look for the opportunity and don't rush, especially if you're a brawler with high HP.
The map will eventually shrink with the gas closing in, so sometimes the best approach is just staying alive. Using a brawler like Bonnie, who has high HP in her Clyde form, is a good option. She has a lot of health, has good range, and with a charge super she can blast away on top of her enemies and crush them. Slow and steady wins the race for her.
Another good brawler is Belle. Her attacks bounce back and forth between close enemies , and each connecting hit charges her super. She can then mark her enemies with her super, which increases the damage they receive per hit. Belle's main attack doesn't do a whole ton of damage, but if it spreads around she can put her team at a good advantage.
Recommended Brawlers: Belle, Sprout, Grom, Bonnie, Fang
Brawl Stars – Bounty
RULE: Gain 20 stars by taking out enemy brawlers. A blue star on the middle of the map can be picked up and used as a tiebreaker if time runs out. Every player starts with two stars, and knocking out enemies adds more (up to 7). Losing teams can quickly comeback by defeating a high-star opponent.
The best tip for bounty is simple: Don't die. It's okay if the opponent gets the blue star first. Just be patient and choose your battles. Also stick by your teammates and don't rush the enemy spawn. There's no reason to try and rush a victory, especially since the game mode was recently re-worked.
Previously, you had to wait for the timer to end. Now you only need 20 stars.
If you ever heard the words “Ban Tick” then this is the game mode that'll make you realize why people are saying that. Tick's mines don't just explode on impact, but they stay on the field for a couple of seconds. He basically carpets the map in mines, preventing the enemy from moving forward. His Automa-tick reload star power also shortens his reload time by 9%. It doesn't seem like a lot, but it sure feels like it.
If you're playing a bounty map like Snake Prairie with a lot of bushes, then choose Bo with his circling Eagle Star Power. Have your teammates stay near you but don't shoot too much. You'll want to give your opponents the element of surprise. If it's an open map, then choose his Snare a Bear star power, which stuns enemies when they step on Bo's mines.
Recommended Brawlers: Brock, Spike, Tick, Bo,
*Snake Prairie Recommendations: Bo, Shelly, Bull, Buster, Tara, Ash, Griff, Bibi.
Heist
RULE: Both teams have a safe they must protect while destroying the enemy safe. First team to destroy the enemy safe wins.
Heist is a great mode for high damage brawlers, close or mid-range. Like Gem Grab, staying alive is key because you're the last line of defense for your safe. But it's important not to play defense too much, as you'll only give your opponents more chances to deal damage. Instead, you'll want to play to control the middle of the map.
Doing so will keep enemies at their spawn and playing defense. Using brawlers like Brock too, who create a fire field effect after each attack, also prevents enemies from advancing. If you have a Tara on your team, keep her alive at all costs. Her Support From Beyond gadget can spawn three shadow Taras, who alongside the brawler herself, can deal massive amounts of damage. We're talking a potential victory in just 10-15 seconds if done right. However, this is easier said than done.
Also, if your teammates are attacking the safe, and they both die, don't retreat. Instead, focus on staying alive on the enemy's side, forcing them to come after you. It'll give your teammates time to respawn and get back into the fight. Even if you die, don't worry, for every second you make them waste is crucial.
Also be cautious of brawlers like Amber, Buster, Tara, or Ash, who's attacks pierce through enemies. If you find yourself defending the safe, step away from it. Chances are they're just auto aiming and will target you instead, or they'll target the safe but you'll be able to knock them out.
Recommended Brawlers: Brock, Colt, Penny, Tara, Jessie, Amber
Brawl Stars – Duels
RULE: You and your opponent each pick three brawlers to face-off against each other in 1-on-1s. Defeating a brawler resets everyone back at their spawns for the next round. Whoever is able to knockout their opponents brawlers first is the winner.
Duels is either the most fun or most frustrating mode of Brawl Stars (probably the latter). It's a mode where you have to pick brawlers with annoying gimmicks to give yourself a chance at victory. Brawlers like Mandy, who have increased range when standing still are great for this mode. She basically turns the mode into tower defense, and all you have to do is stay back and line your shots. Use her In My Sights Star power, which increases the speed of your attacks by 20%.
Other brawlers like Spike with their curveball star power also have great range. It's great for charging your super, and you can pressure the enemy to retreat. You can also use his life plant gadget as a means of retreat in case the tables turn.
Essentially, you want mid/long range brawlers with capabilities to slow, stun, or knock back close range brawlers if need be. Bea, Piper, Mandy, Spike and Crow can all slow enemies. Brock can knock them back with his Rocket Laces Gadget, and Gale can either slow or stun them. Using close range brawlers is okay, but risky depending on the map's layout. Just be sure to check the layout before you press play.
Recommended Brawlers: Mandy, Bea, Crow, Spike, Piper, Brock, Gale
For more Brawl Stars content, or other gaming news, guides, and reviews, check out ClutchPoints Gaming.
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