My Brutally Honest Brawl Stars Tier List for 2026

Okay, confession time: I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve loaded into a match only to realize my teammate is rocking a brawler that got gutted two patches ago. With over 90 characters and Supercell dropping fresh faces every couple of months, keeping up with who’s carrying and who’s dead weight feels like a second job. That’s why I sat down, crunched the numbers from Noff’s latest 30-day data, and poured my own Legendary-rank sweat into building a tier list that actually means something.

Before we dive in, let me be real with you: Brawl Stars is still surprisingly balanced. If you’re a god on Mortis, no S-tier pick on the enemy side will save them from your dash chains. Personal skill and comfort still beat dry stats — I’ve seen it happen a thousand times. That said, knowing where the meta sits can save you a lot of unnecessary trophy bleeding.

We’re sorting 99 brawlers into five familiar buckets:

• S-tier: The absolute menaces. These are the brawlers that dictate the match from the loading screen.

• A-tier: Consistently strong, versatile, and reliable across most maps.

• B-tier: Solid, but you need to think about your comp a bit more.

• C-tier: Situational. Their performance hinges heavily on the mode and map.

• D-tier: Rough right now. Either too niche or outright struggling.

S-Tier: The Current Rulers

Right now, Mortis, Emz, and Mandy are calling the shots. Mortis — that flashy purple cloak — has been glued to the top for ages. His mobility and lifesteal turn him into a finisher that deletes squishies in two beats flat. I’ve watched Mortis mains just... glide through the backline like they own the place. Meanwhile, Emz is the queen of zone control; her creeping poison goes straight through walls and cover, turning Brawl Ball and Hot Zone into her personal playground. (Step into her radius unprepared and you’ll be writing your will before you can hit the thumbs down.)

Don’t sleep on Mandy either. Her variable attack range is a textbook glass cannon — keep her at a safe distance and she’ll melt faces from across the map. But let someone close the gap? She crumbles faster than a cookie in milk. That’s the trade-off, and it’s one you need to play around.

Now let’s talk numbers for a second, because a tier list without stats is just vibes. At power 11 (with gears but no Star Powers), Mortis with damage gear chunks over 700 HP per swing on low-health targets — that’s the infamous snowball-on-finishing effect. His tabletop DPS looks conditional, but in practice? Pure magic. Emz’s poison ticks 5 times for 600 each, stacking relentlessly. Spike’s DPS might seem middling, but his fan-spike spread can wipe 3-4 targets in tight corridors. And Mandy without focus loses 17% damage and 30% range; her power only shines when you can calmly stand your ground and charge those shots. The lesson? Raw damage numbers mean nothing without positioning and execution.

A-Tier & B-Tier: The Reliable Core

A-tier is surprisingly sparse this season — a sign that the balance team hasn’t completely lost the plot. Shelly, Bea, Frank, and Fang are my go-to picks when I just want a stable match. Fang’s ultimate can solo team-wipe, and that flying boot of his applies pressure from halfway across the map (yes, I call it a boot, don’t @ me). These are the best assassins and versatile brawlers for 2026.

B-tier is the fattest section of the list, and honestly? That’s great. It means the roster is balanced pretty flat. Brawlers like Mina used to be terrifying S-tier monsters, but a string of nerfs has brought her down to earth. She struggles now against long-range pokes, and her chain finisher’s slowdown messes with quick frags. Still, if you’ve got her timings down cold, she’s a headache for the opposition. The meta is so fluid that any B-tier could rocket up after a minor patch.

C-Tier & D-Tier: The Struggle Bus

C-tier is packed with situational brawlers. Take Kenji — a Legendary whose mobility would make Mortis jealous, but his damage output is... well, it’s like bringing a pool noodle to a gunfight. The entry curve is brutal, and the payoff just isn’t there. As of February 2026, he’s a doubtful investment unless you’re just in love with his design.

At the very bottom, D-tier houses the unloved. Clancy’s pick rate in the top 200 is a miserable 0.43%, with a 41% win rate. The issue? He’s a late-game powerhouse trapped in a brawler that can’t survive the early and mid game. Carrying him on your back hoping for a miracle is a losing strategy — trust me, I’ve tried. But hey, Supercell patches fast, so even these outsiders might come roaring back someday.

Role Matters More Than Tier

Unlike classic MOBAs with rigid roles, Brawl Stars gives you a lot of flexibility. The same brawler can behave wildly different depending on the mode and map. If you’re the aggressive type, look at the assassin list: Mortis, Edgar, Lily. Tanks: Bibi, Bull, El Primo. Damage dealers: Shelly, Surge, Chester. Marksmen: Bea, Mandy, Piper. Artillery: Tick, Dynamike, Juju. Controllers: Otis, Gale, Meeple. Support: Byron, Kit, Max.

A brawler who dominates in Brawl Ball might be useless in Heist or Knockout. Even an S-tier marksman loses the edge on a map packed with walls. So first figure out where you play most, then pick accordingly. Or do what I do: main your favorite and only queue into modes where they shine.

Finding Your Ride-Or-Die Brawler

The “jack of all trades, master of none” rule applies 100% here. New players should zero in on a couple of brawlers, grind mastery until the mechanics are muscle memory, and only then expand. That’s the fastest path to trophy hauls — and you’ll level them up while you’re at it.

Watch pros and streamers for practical insights, not just theory. Training mode is your best friend before dragging a new brawler into ranked. Get comfortable with the range, reload, and Super before you risk your trophies.

At the end of the day, there’s no universal "best brawler." Our tier list is a compass, not a verdict. Personal comfort and fun almost always beat dry stats — you’ll simply put up better numbers on a brawler that clicks with you. The meta will shift update to update, but your skill stays. So pick the ones that feel good in your hands; if they happen to be strong too, consider yourself doubly lucky.

FAQ in a Nutshell

Who’s the best right now? Favorites are Mortis, Emz, Rico, Spike, Colt, and Mandy — check the S-tier for the full lineup.

Which brawler should I level in 2026? Steady all-rounders like Gene, Max, or Spike work everywhere. Or invest in the one who dominates your favorite mode.

Who deals the most damage? Mandy with a charged Super and Charlie can one-tap targets if you time it right.