So You Think You Can Brawl?
So... you’ve just joined the Brawl Stars craze around the globe. I bet you want to get better as quickly as humanly possible, to beat those friends who’ve been playing for a long time. Let me tell you: God does exist, and he’s been listening to your prayers: We’ve put together a list of 50 Brawl Stars-related tips just for you.
Keep in mind, these aren’t just gameplay tips. We wanted to make sure beginners grab a hold of the entire game pretty fast, so we’ve incorporated some tricks, ‘cheats’ and advice as well. Read, take notes, and get ready to show the world what you’re made of.
We’ve divided the list into sections, so, if you think you already know enough about something in particular, just skip to the one that interests you. Let’s begin:
The Basics
- Brawl Stars is a MOBA-style mobile game. It competes against the likes of PUBG Mobile, or the ever-popular Fortnite, having gameplay that’s similar to their ‘Battle Royale’ modes. Basically, the game starts, you enter a match with up to 10 players, and begin smashing, punching or shooting your enemies to death. Seems pretty straightforward, doesn’t it? That’s part of its charm.
- You control your Brawlers with a stick that’s on the left side of the screen, and punch, smash or shoot with the one on the right. Quick tip: For some brawlers, like Shelly, you don’t always have to aim your shot. Just one quick tap of the stick, and it’ll shoot to a target for you. It’s great if you have an enemy or a crowd that’s running towards you.
- It has many game modes, all of which have a distinct element to them. For example, Gem Grab is all about, you guessed it, collecting gems and holding on to them for dear life. We’ll get to every one of them later, so keep reading to get the most useful tips and tricks on the web.
- Of course, to kick some serious ass, you’ll need a big roster of characters. Thankfully, Brawl Stars lives up to the hype here, as it has 23 unique brawlers ready to kill, grab gems, or score some goals. Want to know how to unlock all of them? Again, stick with us. We promise it’ll be worth it.
- Beside the right stick, you’ll see a skull-icon button that has a yellow-ish meter which fills up a little every time you do some damage. Fill it up, and you’ll be able to perform a Super Attack. Some of them are pretty powerful and useful, capable of killing multiple foes at once.
- The game is also very rewarding if you win -or even just play- multiple matches. It gives you Tokens, used to buy Brawl Boxes, which in turn give you Coins, Power Points, Gems etc. Brawl Boxes are also a common way to unlock some of the Brawlers.
- Play along, gain experience, tokens, event tickets and trophies.
Controls:
Some of you may never find out if your friends don’t tell you -I know I wouldn’t have- or if you don’t read it on the web, so here they go:
- There’s an option in the settings to change the stick controls to a ‘tap ‘n move’ gameplay. Instead of holding the sticks, just tap where you want to go and your character will do it on his own. Try it out and decide for yourself which works best.
- I mentioned above that some Brawlers have auto-aim. It helps sometimes, but don’t become overly reliant on it, as it’s really flawed from long range. You can’t choose who or where to shoot, so you might as well end up shooting a box instead of the 1-HP left Brawler that’s about to knock you out.
Now, on to the game modes:
- A common tip for every game mode is: don’t just go around trying to kill everyone in sight. We know it’s fun and exciting to just shoot at everything and everyone, but that won’t help you win a match in, say, Gem Grab. Always remember what game mode you’re in, and ask yourself: does playing so recklessly help or hurt your team?
- Another great tip for beginners is: don’t believe in the ‘United we stand, Divided we fall’ motto. I’ve seen it fail miserably way too many times. Sticking together -literally-, standing right next to or behind each other makes you easy targets. Granted, it’s useful if you have the upper hand, but try to avoid it if you’re just getting started.
- Try to play with friends in the same room whenever possible. That’ll boost your chances of winning. And, of course, the best part: you can blame them if you lose the match or your plan doesn’t work.
- Don’t think that just because you have your Super Attack ready to go, you should use it right away. Sometimes, playing like that does more harm than good to your team.
- That said, look for circles around players. Circles indicate they’ve charged up their Super, and aren’t afraid to use it.
- Know your maps. Try to play in every map a few -dozens- of times to grab a hold of each one and use it to your advantage. Knowing the field will give a huge upper hand in matches, no matter the game mode.
Gem Grab tips and tricks:
Don't let the enemy steal the goods.
We’ll start off with Gem Grab, as it’s the first game mode available to the user. It’s simple: the goal is to have more gems than the opposing team when the 16-second timer runs out. It starts ticking once a team collects 10 gems. Nothing more, nothing less. Here, it’s useful to keep in mind the following:
- Try to stay as close to the center of the map as possible. Gems come out every few seconds and, if you’re close to the spot, it’ll be easier to take them and run away.
- Be on the lookout for each other. Don’t just center on yourself. Remember, this is a team game. Put yourself on a strategic spot where you can fight both the enemies coming your way and aid your teammates in need.
- Don’t be afraid to run away. It won’t make you less of a man or woman if you run away once your team is in possession of the precious 10 gems. Go to your respawn point and stay there as long as possible without becoming an easy target.
- As it’ll be the first game mode you play, try to learn as much as possible. And I mean play. Hide in bushes. Go behind cover. Take full advantage of obstacles. Some things are pretty game-mode specific or even map-specific, but you can take home one or two valuable lessons.
- Go after the opposing team member with the most gems on his hands. Once you kill him, you’ll be right there to pick them all up, possibly gaining the lead in the match in a matter of seconds.
- Which gives way to this tip: Always protect the teammate with the most gems. This is what sets good and excellent teammates apart. You have to consider this: one kill and all the gems are gone. If you’re nearby, it’ll be easier to pick them up before the opposing players get them all.
- If you are the one on your team with the most gems, back off a little. Think bigger. Every foe is going to want to kill you, so you’ve got to make them crazy or frustrate them. Hide. Run. Be in constant movement. Make them scream at their phones.
- All this neediness to hold onto gems -and run like chickens- makes it a good game mode for long-range brawlers. Try using one of those.
There they are. Some might seem pretty obvious, but those are the kinds of things that you forget about once the match begins, so it’s always good to have someone else tell them to you.
(Duo) Showdown tips and tricks:
Kill them all.
Showdown is the first unlockable game mode, which is why you’ll jump right to it. It’ll feel new and exciting. Different. No gems to grab onto, no more nonsense. Just a gamer and his brawler, willing to kill everyone and claim the top spot in the 10-man free for all match. Here, we recommend the following:
- The first thing you’ll notice when the match begins is a box with a health bar on top. Break it ASAP. Those are ‘charge crates’. If you break them, it’ll give you an overall buff. Break as many as you can, it’ll make you a powerhouse nobody’s going to want to face!
- If you really, really want to win -and you do-, try preying on other players. Think of it as playing it smart rather than playing it safe. Wait until their current 1 on 1 or mob is almost over, and then just go and finish them off with a blow or two. We know it can be a little boring, but it’s a way to win. And everyone likes to win.
- Remember the boxes you had to break? If you didn’t, you still can get buffs if you kill other players. It might sound bully-ish, but look for weaker players, as they’ll be easier to eat alive, and will up your overall stats.
- Avoid using Penny or Piper. You’ll thank me later.
- For Duo Showdowns, choose Brawlers that complement each other. It’ll make it harder for other teams to kill you both, as you won’t be a ‘one-trick pony’. You’ll also have a wider array of strategies to choose from. In short: it’ll make it easier for you to survive and not be the first team to die, keeping your trophies out of danger.
Bounty tips and tricks:
Golden stars for everyone.
Bounty is just a fancy name for Team Deathmatch, only it doesn’t directly count the kills made, but the total tally of stars each team collected during the match. You earn stars by killing opponents. Each kill earns you a star. The team that has a higher number of stars when the match ends, wins. Tips here are pretty simple:
- First and foremost: Try not to die. What a challenge, right?
- Jokes aside, it’s really important to not rush into things at the very start. Let them come to you, hide in bushes or behind cover, let them be the open target. Remember, the more you die, the more starts the opposing team collects. Don’t be embarrassed to shy away from a fight.
- Look for a good matchup at the start. Don’t try to bite more than you can chew, or you’ll get your ass handed to you. Look for similar health and Brawler type, and wait for the best moment to start your offensive.
- That said, Bounty is a game mode that benefits tank-type Brawlers. The big amount of health works immensely in their favor.
- This one is useful only if you’re on the winning team: just like on Gem Grab, be prepared to run away. Once the clock hits 16 seconds, run. Run for your life. Literally. Never look back. Even the game tells you to play defense. Can’t go wrong with that…or can you?
- If you’re on the losing side and there’s only a minute or a few seconds left, here’s a protip: ignore the rest of this list. I know, right? Forget about good matchups, hiding in the bushes or waiting for the precise moment to attack. Just smash, punch and shoot anything that comes your way.
Heist tips and tricks:
Give me all your gems! Now!
Heist is a really fun game mode. In order to win, you must destroy -or deal the most damage to- the opposing team’s safe box before they destroy yours. It means, the overall focus of this game mode, as Gem Grab, isn’t to kill players, which is why we recommend following these tips:
- Plan a good strategy before starting, even if you’re playing with strangers. Heist lasts for 2:30 minutes, which means you’ll need a good plan in order to beat time.
- Don’t go all out on the offensive. Remember, you also have a safe that you need to protect, so rushing into the midfield or the opposing team’s base will likely end up on you being killed and your safety being compromised.
- Use your Super Attack on the safe, not on enemies -unless strictly necessary-.
- Supers can also be used to destroy obstacles and clear the way.
- Use long-range Brawlers to stall enemies as long as possible, be it to help a teammate who’s destroying the opposing safe, or to protect your own. This also works with tank Brawlers.
- As always, hide in bushes. It’s of great use when Heist-ing. Enemies are most likely to keep running towards the midfield than to check the bushes, making way for you to steal their candy.
Brawl Ball tips and tricks:
The Chaaaaampionsss...
Brawl Ball kinda reminds me of Mario Strikers, which pretty sums up the game: it’s soccer with a destructive twist. Again, the focus isn’t killing the enemy, and here you must play as a team more than in any other game mode. Score 2 goals and you win. Simple as that. You have 2:30 minutes to do it. If it ends in a draw, you’ll go to Overtime, where the next goal wins and lasts for 1 minute.
Take note:
- Teamwork matters a lot here, just like on regular soccer. Don’t try to be Messi or Ronaldo when you control the ball. It’s best to pass it on to a better-positioned teammate.
- Teamwork includes defending. As it’s a low-scoring game (2 goals), try to cover more ground. Defend the sides more intensely, as some players will use them as a path to escape or win your back.
- Focus on destroying your foes’ obstacles. It’ll clear the way for a full-blown offense strike, and will help you a lot towards getting the W.
- Use your Super to shoot towards goal, or when clearing it. The Super will cause the ball to go further away.
- Speaking of clearing the ball: don’t play the ball near your goal. Like in regular soccer, getting the ball in your own net will earn the opposing team a point.
- Tanks are awesome for ball-carrying.
- Lastly, don’t rush into the ball at the start of the match. It’ll leave your goal defenseless.
Brawlers: Types, Tiers, How to Unlock Them All and Tips
You know you want them all.
Let’s keep the good stuff coming. As I said before, there are 24 Brawlers in total. Every one of them is unique, but some of them fall in the same category. Let me outline it for you:
- Common Brawlers: Bo - Brock - Bull - Colt - Dynamike - Jessie - Nita - Shelly
- Rare Brawlers: Barley - El Primo - Poco
- Super Rare Brawlers: Carl - Darryl - Penny - Rico
- Epic Brawlers: Frank - Pam - Piper
- Mythic Brawlers: Gene - Mortis - Tara
- Legendary Brawlers: Crow - Leon - Spike
And, as is the case with almost every other arena fighter, there are Tiers that rank every Brawler. I’m not getting that much into it, as it’s very subjective, but I’ll leave a link of interest you at the end of this piece.
As for how to unlock them all, let me outline this, too:
There are two ways to unlock Brawlers: Trophy Road and Brawl Boxes.
- Trophy Road: Nita (gain a total of 10 trophies) - Colt (60 total trophies) - Bull (250 total trophies) - Jessie (500 total trophies) - Brock (1000 total trophies) - Dynamike (2000 total trophies) - Bo (3000 total trophies).
- Brawl Boxes: The rest.
Chances are you’ll have a hard time getting Brawlers like Pam, Spike or Leon, due to their power and Brawler type. We only have one tip for this: don’t despair. Brawl Stars isn’t a game you play to complete 100% -especially if you don’t have any money to spend on it-, it’s a game you play when you want to have fun.
Here’s some good advice I wish somebody would’ve told me when I started playing:
- Don’t be a one-brawler player. It’s not good. Of course, everyone has their main Brawler, their favorite, but keep an open mind. Have a second, third or even fourth option. All game modes and maps are different, which is why your options should be too.
- That said, there’s a way you can jump your way to the top: using low-rank Brawlers will pump your trophies a little.
- Try using every Brawler at least a few times. That way, you’ll know what to expect when facing them, lowering your chances of being ambushed or something of the sort.
Coins, Gems, Tokens, and So On
Wanna go shopping?
The game rewards you with stuff like Coins, Gems, Tokens, and Star Tokens, Power Points, etc. when you play -and win-. It can be a little bit confusing as to what does each buy or do, so I’ll clear it up for you:
- Coins: You get Coins in Brawl Boxes and in Big or Mega Boxes. If you don’t want to wait until you get the required amount of Tokens to get boxes, go to the shop and trade your well-earned real money for Coins -That’d be the worst deal in the history of trade deals, maybe ever-.
- Tokens: 100 tokens get you a Brawl Box. You get 20 Tokens each time you play, for a maximum of 5 times. It resets -and rises in 20s- every 3 hours. You can also gain Tokens by leveling up or increasing a Brawler’s rank. There’s also a 2x multiplier on Tokens. You can get it in Brawl Boxes or in the shop.
- Star Tokens: You can find them in Brawl Boxes, or gain them by completing Events. 10 Star Tokens get you a Big Box.
- Gems: Get them on Brawl Boxes or buy them directly from the shop. Spend them on Brawl Boxes, skins or other items.
- Trophies: You get trophies every time you win or achieve a certain rank -such as in Showdown-. Beware, you can also lose lots of them if you’re not careful and go on a losing streak.
- Power Points: They’re used to upgrade Brawlers. Found both in Brawl Boxes or the shop.
Now that the air has cleared, it’s time for some more tips:
- Don’t use your Coins to buy Power Points. Coins are far more useful than that, and you’ll need them in the long run.
- If you want to buy as many Brawl Boxes as possible, set an alarm every three hours. It’s a bit of a stretch but hey, 5 matches don’t take a lot of time anyway.
- Be on the lookout for deals in the shop. They give away free stuff every now and then. Freebies always come in handy, especially if you’re not looking to break your ‘free to play policy’.
Lastly, some tips that don’t fall into any of the previous categories:
- Playing on phones is better than playing on tablets. The smaller screens go a long way in helping you have better control of your Brawler.
- Don’t play unless you have a good connection. We know it’s an obvious tip -and kind of patronizing- but all gamers give in to their bloodthirst. A bad internet connection will be your worst enemy. It’ll vanish your hard-earned trophies in a flash due to losing streak you’ll probably get into.
- Be humble and watch replays of your losses to see what went wrong and improve.
And that wraps it up! The game has many more game modes and is pretty deep, but you’ll do just fine during your ‘noob’ phase. Follow all tips and become a great player in no time! Surprise your friends kicking their ass, and earn the respect of your opponents. Oh, and don’t forget to have fun.
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