After a nearly two-month wait, the developers have dropped a significant patch for Brawl Stars, packed with balance adjustments for numerous Brawlers and a slew of updates for the game's ecosystem. This update, rolling out in late January 2026, aims to shake up the meta and fix lingering issues, ensuring the brawling action stays fresh and fair. Let's dive into the nitty-gritty of what this patch brings to Starr Park.
🔧 Balance Changes: The Nerf Hammer Falls
This patch sees several Brawlers taken down a peg to promote healthier gameplay. The adjustments are nothing to sneeze at.
Grom received a substantial hit, toning down his oppressive poking game.
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Basic Attack Damage: Decreased from 1000 to 900.
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Gadget - Watchtower: HP reduced from 2000 to 1500; Duration slashed from 40 to 20 seconds.
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Super Charge: Now requires 6 hits instead of 5.
These changes mean Grom can't just spam attacks from the backline for free anymore. You'll need to be more strategic with his shots, plain and simple.
Other key nerfs include:
| Brawler | Change | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Rico | Healing ability reduced. | Less sustainability in prolonged fights. |
| Meg | Supercharge now has counters. | Her mech transformation can be more easily interrupted. |
| Mortis | Healing ability reduced. | He's less of an unkillable menace in the right hands. |
| Stu | Basic attack damage nerfed. | Players must rely more on skill shots and dashes. |
| Speed Gear | Effectiveness reduced. | The overall pace of matches is slightly dialed back. |
🚀 Balance Changes: Getting a Buff
On the flip side, some Brawlers got a leg up to help them compete.
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Ash: Received tankiness buffs, making him a more reliable frontliner to peel for his teammates. He can now truly go the distance in a brawl.
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Carl: His complicated mechanics got a slight tweak, buffing his ranging ability to make him more consistent.
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Mortis & Meg: Also received minor compensatory buffs in other areas to offset their nerfs, keeping them viable but not overbearing.
🐛 Other Fixes & Polish
The devs have been busy squashing bugs and polishing the experience.
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Fixed the visual effects (VFX) for El Tigro's Super.
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Resolved a glitch with the Lunar New Year pin pack.
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Crucially, fixed an issue in Duels where high-rank players could be matched against bots—a real buzzkill for competitive integrity.
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Grom's Super now charges 1% more reliably to prevent those infuriating "one pixel away" moments.
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Friendly Power League matches no longer count toward a player's profile 3v3 victory tally.
🛠️ Maintenance & Optional Updates
A series of maintenance updates have been deployed to ensure stability:
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January 11 & 4, 2026: General stability fixes.
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Recent Optional Update (iOS & Android): Fixed duplicated Brawlers in Duels, corrected the Power League friendly match victory count, improved bot movement for Lola's clone and Duels, and squashed performance bugs on certain devices. Note: Some fixes require updating the game app itself.
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December 2025 Updates: Addressed stability issues that caused players to get stuck post-update.
🆕 Fresh Content & Cosmetics
New Brawlers (From the Archives):
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Grom (Epic): Starr Park's security guard, terrified of kids. Attack: Bud Go Boom!, Super: Grom Bomb.
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Fang (Chromatic): A cinema worker and aspiring martial arts movie star. Attack: Wu-Shoe, Super: Sneak Ahead.
Skins Galore! The skin game is stronger than ever in 2026.
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Seasonal & Event Skins:
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Classic Dynamike (was free during a past Brawlidays giveaway)
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El Corazón (Valentine's Day theme)
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Year of the Tiger Skins: El Tigro, Orochi Edgar, Sway Master Barley, Nian Nita (Power League reward)
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Brawl Pass Skins: Major Rosa (Tier 1), Furious Fang (Tier 70)
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True Silver/Gold Skins: Now available for Jacky, Lou, Penny, and Rosa.
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Pirate Skin Group: A fan-favorite theme, featuring Corsair Colt, Pirate Poco, Captain Carl, and Pirate Gene.
Pins & Profile Icons:
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New Animated Pins: For Grom and Fang.
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Themed Pin Sets: Brawlidays, Year of the Tiger (general and Brawler-specific), Valentine's Day skins set (for Primo, Lou, Piper, Poco).
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Special Pins: Grom challenge pin and the Matcherino pin.
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A variety of new Profile Icons to show off your style.
🎯 Final Thoughts
This January 2026 patch is a classic case of the devs listening to the community and tweaking the game accordingly. With significant balance shifts, Grom and other top-tier picks are brought back to earth, while underdogs like Ash get a chance to shine. The wealth of new cosmetics, from the fierce Year of the Tiger skins to the swashbuckling Pirate crew, ensures there's always a new look to grind for. Combined with crucial bug fixes, this update proves Brawl Stars is still very much in the game and keeping players on their toes. Time to log in, try out the new meta, and maybe snag that slick new skin—it's going to be a blast!
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