The Ultimate Best Brawlers for Every Game Mode

Ever wondered why you keep getting your ass kicked in a specific game mode? Maybe it’s Heist, or Gem Grab, or Bounty. Don’t feel so frustrated. It might not be entirely your fault. Perhaps you’re doing all the right things to win, but you’re playing with a Brawler that’s prone to sucking on that game mode. I’m not saying it’s impossible to win -after all, some modes are 3v3-, but it becomes way more difficult.

There was a time when you had to test each Brawler on every game mode… not anymore. We’re here to make things easier for you, so just read, take notes and start turning tables around with the best Brawlers for each and every game mode!

Top 3 Brawlers For Gem Grab:

If only it were that easy.

3. Penny

Penny might not be one of the best Brawlers overall, but she’s a more than a solid choice for Gem Grab. She defends the mid very well, allowing your team to get all the gems and gaining the upper hand early on. Her attacks pierce through enemies she has decent range, and her Super is so useful here. Play Penny and thank me later.

Why Penny is awesome in Gem Grab:

• Her Cannon is very frustrating, does good damage and can help you conquer the mid if you place it next to or in front of the mine.
• Her normal attack is perfect when the opposing team is trying to stick together, as it pierces through and deals damage to anyone standing behind.
• Her Star Power can surprise enemies. When destroyed, her cannon fires the one last shot that does crazy damage, not only if it hits, but also if someone is near the target. It can be the decisive blow when trying to kill the Gem Carrier of the opposing team.

2. Leon

This one’s an easy pick. Prepare yourselves to see Leon feature in multiple lists. I’m not going to get into details with him, as he’s pretty much broken despite all the nerfs that he’s suffered since his inception. To top it off, both is Super Attack and Star Power are OP for me, making him a force to be reckoned with and a solid choice for Gem Grab.

Why Leon is awesome in Gem Grab:

• His Super is just so freaking good. Let’s say you’re winning the match, there are 8 seconds left and you’re the one carrying all the gems. Trigger your Super and you’re done. With his invisibility, enemies will lose some precious seconds trying to figure out where you are -if they ever do-.
• I know his Star Power is closely linked with his Super but it’s so OP, it becomes another point entirely. Besides going invisible, he turns into a Ferrari. No, really. His speed increases a lot. Use this deadly combination to go for the enemy with the most gems, kill him, take them all and run away. You’d probably still have plenty of time to spare.
• His health might be a little low, but he more than makes up for it with his strength -and speed-, which allows him to aid teammates in need or deal the final blow to an enemy.

1. Pam

Pam is an absolute powerhouse when played on Gem Grab. She’s a tank with tons of health, she deals some serious damage and both her Star Power are spots on for Gem Grab. Put her up against anyone and she’ll most certainly give them a run for their money!

Why Pam is the best in Gem Grab:

• In general, tanks are pretty good here, but Pam kicks it up a notch. With the huge amount of damage she does, opposing players are prone to be killed if they don’t manage to land all blows.
• She’s a team Brawler. With her ‘Healing Station’ she can contribute like no one else to the team, and turn the match around.
• Besides dealing some good damage and having crazy health, she also has a pretty good range. Honestly, in Gem Grab, she’s a do-it-all for me.

Top 3 Best Brawlers For Heist:

Now that's what I call 'one-sided'.

Heist is a super fun, unique and more strategic game mode. In order to win here, you must destroy the enemy’s safe first. That might be oversimplifying it a little, as it’s one of the game modes that requieres more coordination and sync between teammates. You have to protect your sides, know when to go all-out on the offensive, among other things, Let’s take a look at the top 3:

3. Spike

Spike is one of these Brawlers you just don’t want to face. He’s crazy versatile, good in attack and great in defense. Spike defends his side so well. It’s one of the main reasons he’s #3 here. His main attack is very helpful when trying to make the opposing team retreat or attempting to hit the safe from a long range. His enemy-slowing Super is also of great use, allowing you to kill enemies really quickly before they deal with any damage to your safe or your teammates.

Why Spike is awesome in Heist:

• The spikes that come out of his grenades boost his range significantly, giving a slight edge over opposing Brawlers (except maybe throwers). His attack can go over walls, which, the way I see it, is the most important thing in Heist
• He’s the perfect fit for almost any Brawler. Imagine this: You use your Super on the safe and everything slows down, but you’re not alone. You have a tank like, say, Pam, right next to you. She can take all the damage while you focus on destroying the safe. That’s what I call teamwork. That’s what Spike’s all about.
• His Star Power makes him a prime defender. While on his Super, he’ll regain 500 health each second he stays inside the area of effect. Good when attacking, great when defending. He’s basically impossible to kill when he’s there!

2. Dynamike

Dynamike is a thrower, which gives him a huge advantage in Heist. His attacks clear walls, he has good range, deals a decent amount of damage with each blow, and he can jump over walls when using his Star Power. That last ability was the key for him to be ranked so high. Let’s dig a little deeper:

Why Dynamike is awesome in Heist:

• His wall jumping perk makes him much more difficult to deal with. It can be really hard to get to him or even deal some damage if you’re not using a long-range Brawler.
• He can use his range to defend the safe pretty well and recover some ground if your team is on trouble.
• His sole presence makes the opposing team be a little bit more on the defensive. They know Dynamike is capable of clearing walls and getting to the safe faster than any other Brawler in the game, which is why they will want to pay some extra attention to it, putting the odds ever-so-slightly in your favor.

1. Barley

Barley and Dynamike could’ve easily been on each other’s spot. They’re both really good and you definitely can’t go wrong with either. What gives Barley the upper hand when going head-to-head with Dynamike is his strength and his Super. He deals so much damage and his attack is somewhat on the wide side too, sometimes forcing people to get back or try another route. And if you use his Super on the safe, nobody’s going to deal more damage.

Why Barley is the best in Heist:

• He’s a thrower with amazing range. Not only that, but his attack is a little wide too, and forces opponents to look for alternatives when trying to win some ground.
• Like Dynamike, he’s really hard to deal with since he can hide behind walls without stopping his attacks. It’s hard to catch up to him if his attacks are used correctly and he leaves a trail of acid in his wake.
• His Super does some serious damage to the safe, giving a very real shot at winning the match, even if the odds aren’t that much in your favor. Barley is the definite game-changing Brawler for Heist.

Top 3 Best Brawlers For Bounty:

Doesn't look so serious, does it?

Bounty is the game’s take on a more traditional Team Deathmatch. Here, every time you get a kill, you also collect stars. You can see the number of stars each player has right above them. If you kill the one that has, say, 10 stars, you’ll collect all of them, possibly gaining the lead in the process. Pretty fun, but also pretty frustrating if you’re high on stars, get killed at the last second, and lose. True story.

3. Pam

Pam slides into this top because of her huge health, destructive damage, long range, and team-friendly Super. Honestly, her Super did her many favors into getting here. She can protect team members that have a good amount of stars thanks to her health, and stall enemies with her range, among other things.

Why Pam is awesome in Bounty:

• Pam’s healing turret extends to teammates, which is a great asset to have in a game mode where the main concern (at least for some) is staying alive.
• Aside from her healing station, she’s also good on offense. Her long range and super damage up close make her a two-way beast. Who wouldn’t want one in their team?
• She adapts to many different strategies. One that I’ve seen many times is having her collect the least amount of stars, instead of kind of escorting or protecting her teammates. While they do all the heavy lifting, she takes all the damage she can. Pretty neat, huh?

2. Spike

Spike earns the silver medal because of his well-rounded nature. His Super is good for killing all 3 opposing team members at once or making you immortal. Speaking of immortality, being very hard to kill is something that definitely comes in handy in Bounty. You can preserve all your precious stars, while your teammates do the dirty work while on your Super. Let’s see Spike’s key aspects here:

Why Spike is awesome in Bounty:

• As I said in my Top 50 Tips For Beginners Guide, the first and most important advice for Bounty is trying your hardest not to die, and Spike is king when it comes that with his Star Power.
• Spike is also very good playing defensively if you’re just trying to secure your win. His somewhat long range can stall enemies looking to smash your teammates’ brains out until time runs out.
• I know I already established it above, but Spike’s Super can change the course of a match entirely (in your favor, of course). It makes killing all opposing team members easier, or it can your teammates from getting killed as well.

1. Leon

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: he’s the best pure killer in the game. He is so strong, even after constant nerfs, and his Super is really helpful here for ambushing enemies. Also, with his Star Power, he catches up to anyone that’s trying to run away, which is really, really useful when you’re losing and the opposing team just goes to its spawn point to wait for the match to end. A closer look:

Why Leon is the best in Bounty:

• He can take on almost any Brawler by himself, especially if he triggers his Super Attack. He deals so much damage it’s ridiculous. He’s also pretty fast, even without his Star Power, which means you can run away when the match is about to end.
• Like in Gem Grab, you can just go invisible for the last 8 seconds and escape (if you’re the one with the most stars and you can’t afford to be killed). Honestly, his invisibility is of great help. With it, you can go ahead and wait for enemies to respawn, trigger your Super and being the massacre.
• All of the above makes Leon a genuine game changer in Bounty, and that’s the reason he earned the #1 spot. When people play against a Leon, they’ll always be on the lookout for him, maybe losing some focus on the actual goal: killing other Brawlers. That’s just how powerful he is.

Top 3 Best Brawlers For Showdown:

Beware the gas. It's as toxic as your ex.

Showdown is Brawl Stars’ spin on the free-for-all royale we all know and love. When the match starts, you’ll be spawned near some boxes with health indicators above them. Break them to pump up your stats, and then go to war. Every time you kill someone, all the power-ups they’ve collected will drop to the ground and be yours to take, making you stronger with each kill, until there’s only one man standing: not you…  Just kidding!

3. Darryl

Darryl might just be one of my favorite Brawlers. He’s got good health, does big damage, and his Super is effective when going against long-range Brawlers. It has many other uses too, like running away from really bad matchups. Let’s get to it:

• If used at the right time, his Super can help you kill many Brawlers at a time. Ambush them when they’re low on health, kill them, and go again. His Super can go on forever like this. Isn’t that great?
• He does insane damage up close but can hold his own against long-range players, even without his Super. At least until you find your way out of the hassle, or another player comes and ‘teams up’ with you.
• His Super charges itself! Really helpful when the match’s just starting and you’re waiting around the bushes and you’re looking to get a quick kill to get a power-up. Good for normal players, great for bush campers. See? Darryl is for everyone.

2. Spike

Yeah, Spike gets to be runner-up yet again. I think I introduced him pretty well just above, so let’s get to what really matters:

Why Spike is awesome in Showdown:

• He can destroy boxes quickly, allowing you to gain more and more power-ups as the match goes on. It might not seem like much but if you manage to survive until the later stages of the match, you’ll be thankful for this.
• As always, he does so much damage, and that goes a long way in a game mode where the objective is to kill ‘em all. His spikes let him attack from unthinkable places and reach those unthinkable places.
• His Super is just convenient here. It can stop enemies from running away, from getting close to you. And his Star Power will breathe life into you. Literally. Chances are, if used well, both his Super and Star Power will give you the upper hand in the endgame.

1. Leon

Hey, don’t get mad at me. I have to be true to my words, and I said Leon is the best pure killer in the game. It only makes sense for him to be at the top here too, you know? Same as above, he deals tons of damage, his Super never ceases to amaze me and his Star Power is downright nuts. Let’s dive in from a different angle here:

Why Leon is the best for Showdown:

• Here, you don’t have any teammates to rely on or to worry about, leaving you to simply get out there and start a killing spree. And Leon’s the best to do it. You can just hide and fool around until the end of the match, trigger your Super and end it in the blink of an eye. It is that simple. Opponents might not even remember you’re playing with Leon, making them more vulnerable.
• If you are playing with someone else, Leon’s Super comes in handy when your teammate dies and you have to wait for him to respawn. Use it and run away until he comes back.
• With Leon, you might not even need to have collected a big amount of power-ups. Instead, you must nail your blows. Once you get the first hit, the rest comes naturally. Oh, all this while using your Super, of course.

Top 3 Brawlers For Brawl Ball:

Soccer like never before.

Brawl Ball is one of the game modes that, in order to win there, you have to switch your mentality to ‘team-oriented’. It’s basically soccer with obstacles. The first to score 2 goals, wins. Matches last two and a half minutes, which is plenty of time to do business. That said, let’s unveil the top 3:

3. Spike

Hey, it’s not my fault he’s good at everything!

Why Spike is awesome in Brawl Ball:

• Brawl Ball is more defensive-minded as of late, giving Spike the advantage. I’ve said it before plenty of times: he’s great at defense and a team player.
• With his Super slowing down opposing players looking to score, you can take the ball out of their feet and pass it on while they’re trapped. Most of the time, it ends in a goal for your team.
• He won’t destroy obstacles, but he’ll work around them pretty neatly with his spikes, maybe clearing the way for teammates to score. He’s really good at controlling his area here.

2. El Primo

El Primo finds new life when on Brawl Ball. His Super has great uses, his health helps a lot, and overall he’s a solid choice when trying a more offensive approach to the match.

• His Super can either land him right in front of the opposition’s goal to score or in front of his own goal to clear the ball. Comes in handy when your whole team is far away and your net is left wide open.
• With his Super, he can kill or deal good damage to enemies when they’re attacking the ball carrier, clearing the way for him to score, or pass the ball.
• When at full health, he can afford to suffer a few direct blows and still take a shot. He also can protect Ball Carriers, even if for a short while, thanks to his ‘tank status’. As I said, El Primo seems like another Brawler entirely.

1. Tara

Tara is just awesome in Brawl Ball. Her Super helps a ton, killing more than one enemy 80%+ of the time and it’s awesome when trying to score or defend, as enemies can’t do much against it, and that’s what puts her ahead of the rest.

Why Tara is the best at Brawl Ball:

• Her Super works wonders here. It has literally no comparison. Some might even say it’s cheating, but what are you gonna do?
• Her Attacks pierce through enemies, which is a good way to counter strategies such as the last one on El Primo’s bullet points and just outright getting the ball without facing any threats.
• She can get easy kills when the match starts. Opposing team players will (almost) always run towards the ball without thinking. It’s a good way to charge her Super, too.

Top 3 Best Brawlers For Robo Rumble:

Terminator would be proud.

In this mode, you fight 3 vs a wave of killer robots, and you have to protect a safe. After a number of waves, you get a boss fight, although when going past wave 28, they stop. It’s an unranked game mode so no Trophies here. Basically, the first wave comes immediately after the game starts and then they all last 13 seconds, increasing in difficulty as you go on. It’s a really good way to get good rewards. Let’s dance:

3. Bull

This one was hard to make out, but the truth is Bull shows his worth here. With a good amount of health, a Super than can help you gain the upper hand and kill some robots early, and a respectable DPS. I ultimately went with him because I always hope there’s one on my team.

Why Bull is awesome in Robo Rumble:

• You can start the offensive and stall robots (at least on your end), giving your team some room to breathe and gain control of what’s happening.
• Due to his high DPS, he can take on two robots at once with great results. In my opinion, he’s the best for this in the game.
• His Star Power doubles his recharging speed, meaning he can deal even more damage and, when teamed up well (looking at you, Pam) he’ll keep going despite his low health.

2. Jessie

Jessie is really good here because of her Super Attack and her Star Power. Of course, they’re most useful at the beginning of the game, but they hold value even after playing for a long while. This mode was made for her, I’m sure of it.

Why Jessie is awesome in Robo Rumble:

• Her gun turret works as a distraction for robots when placed right in front of the safe, as they’ll have something else to destroy first.
• Placing her turret in front of the safe also ensures you hit any robot that comes close enough to the prize, regardless of where he came from.
• Her bouncing bullets help a lot when the game gets really hard. You’ll find yourself thanking God for that extra damage more times than you’ll care to admit.

1. Pam

Pam is queen yet again, and her healing station and great health have something to do with it. Pam is a must-have in every Robo Rumble team because you’ll always need a tank, and she’s your best option.

Why Pam is the best in Robo Rumble:

• She can go up against melee robots. Those have tons of health, so Pam can level the playing field a little bit.
• Her healing station is always going to be a key point, especially if you have a Jessie on your team, or are just overwhelmed. It’ll save you countless times.
• Her serious ass-kicking, insane-damage-dealing attacks will be a godsend against shooting and mini robots.

Top 3 Brawlers For Big Game:

Just like in school: a team against the big bully.

This is a 5v1 game mode. 5 mini Brawlers are pit up against a ‘boss’ that’s bigger and has more health than them. You have 2:15 minutes to kill the boss,, which is chosen at random, so the wisest thing to do is choose Brawlers that do just fine on both roles. That being said, the top 3 Brawlers are:

3. Barley

Barley is great here, as he can throw over obstacles and keep his distance while at it. That last part works in his favor since his health isn’t very good. He’s good both at being the boss or one of the ‘mini’ 5. Why? Let’s see:

Why Barley is awesome in Big Game:

• His attack will keep the boss away from the team or stall his killing spree.
• As the boss, you’ll have the upper hand with him not only because of normal attacks, but Supers too. Barley’s Super can do so much damage as the boss, it’s unbelievable.
• The acid -and the damage it deals- will keep Brawlers away, letting you run and fool around somewhat freely when there’s little time left.

2. Jessie

Jessie’s on a roll! Her turret and bounce shots help her climb the ladder up to number two. Her turret will work both wonderfully both ways, making her really difficult to figure out.

Why Jessie is awesome in Big Game:

• If you’re the boss, her turret is just the best thing that will happen to you. No more words are needed. Her shots bounce off of it, potentially killing multiple mini Brawlers.
• As part of a team, it might not last that long, but her turret remains a good asset to have. It acts, at the very least, as a distraction for the boss, letting the team come to him and deal the most damage possible.
• She’s hard to figure out. Once the turret’s out, the team will surely need to rethink its plan.

1. Nita

Finally, the recognition Nita deserves! Her normal attack is good, her bear is a serious threat, and her range also helps a lot. Granted, she might better as the boss, but you’ll always be glad to have one Nita on your team.

Why Nita is the best in Big Game:

• Her bear is the most annoying thing I’ve faced in my entire life. When he’s out, it’s basically 2v5. He does good damage, provides a distraction, and can last longer than you’d like it to. Unfair, right?
• Her normal attack pierces through enemies, hitting the ones behind the target. Works charms when enemies cluster together to try and kill her fast.
• Chances are, when you kill her bear, she’ll just drop another one on you. Why bother?

Top 3 Brawlers For Boss Fight:

Prepare for insanity.

This is a 3v1 mode where you’ll fight against a Boss Robot that chases you around the map. You’ll face other robots, too. After a minute and a half, the Boss’ state changes and his stats increase. The same happens at a little more than 3 minutes. And it goes on until it gets ‘Insane’. Once you get there, say your last words, because you won’t last long. For this mode, we’ll go with:

3. El Primo

Another good game mode for El Primo. His health, DPS and most importantly, his Super, all come together to form a great Boss Fight Brawler. Besides, who doesn’t love his catchphrases? I know I do!

Why El Primo is awesome in Boss Fight:

• As usual, his health is very important. Tanks are favored here because of the nature of the game mode. It’ll be key in allowing others to keep going.
• His Super helps you escape when you think you’re way in over your head and about to let your team down. And of course, you can use it to attack and kick some robotic ass, too.
• He also can buy time until his teammates come back, ready to wreak havoc and kill every robot that comes in his way. His DPS is really good.

2. Pam

The key here is to stay alive. You need at least one teammate to be alive at all times, so Pam uses that to her benefit and fights her way to the third spot, edging out Spike. Teamwork is imperative here, and as such, her Healing Station is necessary to last as long as possible. She loses value in later stages, but it’s already really hard to survive with anyone else.

Why Pam is awesome in Boss Fight:

• Her Healing Station shows its worth here more than in any other game mode. It’ll be the cornerstone to success in the early stages.
• The combination of health and damage per second is good enough to take on the little robots, letting teammates focus fully on the Boss.
• If you prefer to ignore the little guys and focus on the Boss, you can also take this approach. Her range allows this to happen. Versatile much?

1. Leon

If you want to last long, you go with Leon. He’s really good here, and his Super (as always) comes in handy when your teammates have been killed and you need to wait 17 whole seconds for them to respawn. As usual, he does lots of damage and is overall a great choice.

Why Leon is the best in Boss Fight:

• His Super is great for taking on the little guys and clearing the way for your teammates to fight the Boss. Thing is, it won’t be like this all the time.
• His Star Power is the best thing in the world when trying to survive while your teammates are waiting to respawn. You might be your team’s last hope, its designated survivor.
• His attacks will do great damage to the boss, at least before things get Insane.

Top 3 Brawlers For Siege:

The goal is here is to destroy your base while destroying the enemy one. It’s a 3v3 affair, which doesn’t help its chances of getting compared to Heist. For me, it’s Heist with robots. That pretty much sums it up quite nicely and hopefully helps you understand it a little better without the need to explain more. For the newest game mode, the winners are:

3. Pam

What more can I say about Pam? Just that she’s really good here, too.

Why Pam is awesome in Siege:

• No need to keep repeating the same thing about her Super, but this time it adds something extra. Put it next to or behind the base and just profit. Given that the base has a turret, enemies will have a hard time destroying it. They’ll have to choose which one is more important, too.
• She can damage the enemy base a ton, even with normal attacks (even after the nerf).
• She’s good at getting the Bolt, she’s hard to kill… Need I go on?

2. Spike

Long time no see, huh? He’s been barely edged out of other tops in this piece, but he definitely has a well-earned spot here. His Super continues to be as useful as ever, and the fact that he’s very strong also benefits him.

Why Spike is awesome in Siege:

• It’s nothing new that hasn’t been established, but his Super has an added value because of the turret. Slow enemies down, and let it take care of them.
• Deals a ton of damage up close and generally is great for distracting or taking on multiple enemies.
• Spike is great at helping the team grab a hold of the mid, which basically means, getting the most Bolts, which is a huge part of this mode.

1. Jessie

This game mode works in Jessie’s favor because she’s not going to be the only one with a turret. Pair her Super with the base’s turret, and your enemies will be in for a frustrating match.

Why Jessie is the best in Siege:

• Her Super + Star Power just makes her perfect for this mode. Placing her turret next to the base lets you play with more confidence and will be a nightmare for enemies.
• Every time she hits the base, shots will bounce off and deal damage to enemies nearby, meaning you don’t have to focus on them to get rid of them. That’s insane.
• See a Bolt that has your name on it, but an enemy is trying to get to it? Use the turret! It’s as simple as that. No, really. Jessie is so OP here.

Aaaaaand it’s gone! The intent of this piece is to help you notice that just because a Brawler isn’t that good in your favorite game mode, it’s automatically trash. Open your eyes, your mind, and try out these tops. Who knows, maybe one of these Brawlers will grow on you?

You may also be interested in:

• Brawl Stars Guide: Top 50 Brawl Stars Tips For Beginners
• Top 5 Brawl Stars Best Star Powers
• Top 10 Brawl Stars Best Brawlers