The Brawl Stars meta has shifted significantly in September 2026, with the latest balance changes reshaping several of the game’s strongest picks. Wendy, Shade, and Amber are very prominent in competitive Ranked data, while Cosmo and Bolt are also producing exceptional results across broader match samples.
However, competitive play and the regular ladder do not always tell the same story. Therefore, this tier list focuses on current performance, competitive usefulness, versatility, and how well each Brawler fits the present meta.
Brawl Stars Tier List (September 2026)
| TIER | CURRENT ROLE IN THE META | BRAWLERS |
| S+ Tier | Elite picks that consistently influence high-level drafts or perform exceptionally well across the current game | Wendy, Shade, Amber |
| S Tier | Highly effective Brawlers with strong competitive or mode-specific value | Cosmo, Bolt, Gus, Nori, Rosa, Ash, Bibi |
| A Tier | Reliable options that remain strong with the right map or composition | Starr Nova, Willow, Lola, Brock, Rico, Emz, Bo, Melodie, El Primo, Colette |
| B Tier | Usable specialists with more noticeable matchup or map restrictions | Piper, Mandy, Belle, Gene, Sandy, Sprout, Mr. P, Mortis, Bull, Frank |
Tier placement should not be treated as a permanent ranking. Latest balance changes directly affected Wendy, Shade, Nori, Amber, El Primo, Gus, and Bolt, and live performance has continued to fluctuate since then.
S+ Tier: The Meta Defining Brawlers
These are the Brawlers currently making the biggest impact when selected by strong players.
Wendy
Wendy remains one of the most important Brawlers in the current meta. Her ability to provide shields gives her team tremendous staying power, while her own defensive mechanics allow her to remain relevant during extended engagements. She was nerfed in September, including reductions to her Super charge rate, shield generation, generator health, and damage reduction, yet she continues to perform extremely well in current data.
In competitive Ranked data, Wendy remains one of the most consistently successful picks. She is especially useful on maps where teams can exploit her defensive zone rather than being forced into constant close-range engagements.
Shade
Shade combines mobility, burst damage, and an unusual ability to manipulate positioning. That makes him dangerous in coordinated compositions because he can exploit openings created by teammates instead of having to initiate every engagement alone.
Latest balance changes reduced several of Shade’s tools, including his Super charge rate, Gadget effectiveness, and Hypercharge bonus damage. Despite those nerfs, he remains near the top of current competitive Ranked data.
Amber
Amber’s long-range pressure and area denial make her one of the most flexible Controllers in the current environment. She can control approaches, punish grouped enemies, and maintain pressure without exposing herself to every engagement.
The latest update nerfed her Fire Starters Gadget, Wild Flames Star Power, and Hypercharge burn damage. Even after those changes, current Ranked data still places her among the strongest Brawlers available.
S Tier: Elite Picks
These Brawlers may not dominate every competitive list, but they currently have enough statistical or strategic value to remain major options.
Cosmo
Cosmo is one of the most interesting additions to the current meta. His Orbit attack gives him unusual area pressure, while Gravitational Pull can cause teammates’ projectiles to home toward the affected enemy. His Telescope Trap can also reveal an area and prevent movement abilities from being used within it. That combination gives coordinated teams several ways to create favorable fights.
Bolt
Bolt has become one of the strongest performers in broader current data. His acceleration and ability to pressure the enemy team make him particularly effective in modes where mobility and rapid engagements matter.
However, latest balance pass reduced his acceleration speed, while a separate Brawl Arena adjustment reduced his damage scaling. His exceptionally high overall win rate needs to be considered alongside the distinction between standard Brawl Stars and Brawl Arena.
Gus
Gus combines ranged pressure with support utility, making him valuable in compositions that need both lane control and survivability. He received a September nerf to his Knockback Spirit Gadget and Health Bonanza Star Power, reducing some of his previous defensive flexibility. Even so, he remains highly effective in broad match data.
Nori
Nori is still a dangerous assassin when used correctly. His ability to charge his attack, move through the battlefield, and build around Fish gives him several ways to engage and escape. However, Nori’s September nerfs were significant.
His maximum attack charge time increased, his Hypercharge rate was reduced, and additional changes lowered his health, damage, and Gadget availability. He remains useful, but the current version demands more precise execution than the pre-nerf version.
Rosa, Ash & Bibi
These Brawlers have also become increasingly relevant in competitive Ranked data. Rosa’s ability to control space and survive prolonged engagements gives her strong value when maps allow her to reach objectives safely. Ash offers aggressive frontline pressure, while Bibi combines mobility, survivability, and knockback utility.
A Tier: Strong and Reliable
A-tier Brawlers remain perfectly capable of carrying matches, but they tend to require more favorable maps, team compositions, or player expertise.
- Starr Nova: Starr Nova remains a useful aggressive option with enough mobility and burst to fit into coordinated compositions. Her current performance is respectable, although she does not have the same consistency as the strongest picks.
- Willow: Willow has been one of the more notable risers in current Ranked data. Her ability to influence enemy movement and create unusual situations gives experienced players plenty of room to outplay opponents.
- Lola: Lola remains a strong option for players who understand how to manage her Ego and maintain lane pressure. She is less forgiving than the very best meta picks, but a skilled player can still extract considerable value from her.
- Brock: Brock continues to offer strong long-range pressure and valuable area damage. His Hypercharge damage was reduced and his Rocket Laces Gadget cooldown increased, but he remains a useful option on open maps.
- Rico: Rico remains especially dangerous on maps with walls that allow his projectiles to bounce. His September nerfs reduced his Robo Retreat speed bonus and weakened several Gadget interactions, but his fundamental strength on favorable geometry remains intact.
- Melodie: Melodie is still capable of making a major impact in Brawl Ball and other aggressive modes because of her mobility and ability to quickly reach vulnerable targets. Her strongest value comes from the right maps and compositions rather than universal dominance.
B Tier: More Situational Picks
These Brawlers can absolutely win matches, but their success depends more heavily on map geometry, enemy composition, or player specialization.
Piper, Mandy & Belle
Long-range Marksmen can still dominate open maps where they have enough room to operate. The issue is that their value drops sharply when enemies can consistently close the distance or use walls to deny their sightlines. Piper and Mandy remain powerful in Bounty and Knockout, but they should be drafted with the map in mind rather than automatically selected because they have long-range attacks.
Gene & Sandy
Both Gene and Sandy continue to offer useful control and team utility. Their strength is less about overwhelming individual damage and more about shaping how a fight develops. That can make them excellent strategic picks in coordinated teams, although current data does not place them among the very strongest overall performers.
Sprout & Mr. P
Both Brawlers can still work when their teams are able to exploit their zoning and defensive mechanics. Their problem is consistency: Highly mobile enemies can reduce the value of their controlled setups, especially when the map provides several ways to approach from unexpected angles.
Ladder Meta vs. Competitive Meta
This distinction matters throughout the entire tier list. Current overall data has Wendy, Cosmo, Bolt, Shade, Gus, Amber, and Nori among the strongest performers depending on the sample and weighting method.
Competitive Ranked data tells a somewhat different story, with Shade, Amber, and Wendy particularly prominent alongside Brawlers such as Rosa, Ash, and Bibi. That does not mean one set of numbers is incorrect: They are measuring different populations and play environments.
Regular ladder matches include a huge range of skill levels and team compositions, while competitive Ranked samples are more sensitive to drafting, map selection, communication, and coordinated play.
How to Use This Tier List
Tier lists are most useful when they answer a specific question. If you are playing Ranked, pay more attention to map compatibility, draft flexibility, and whether your team needs damage, control, mobility, or support. If you are pushing the regular ladder, raw consistency and ease of execution can matter more.
If you are playing solo, self-sufficient Brawlers have an obvious practical advantage because you cannot depend on teammates to create every opening. And when a Brawler is ranked lower, that does not make them unusable: It usually means they have fewer situations in which their strengths outweigh their weaknesses.
The current Brawl Stars meta is defined less by one unstoppable Brawler and more by a group of flexible picks that can shape how a match is played. The recent balance changes also demonstrate why old tier lists become unreliable quickly. Wendy, Shade, Nori, Amber, Gus, Bolt, and several others have all received adjustments that changed how their kits function.
For that reason, do not choose a Brawler solely because they occupy an S-tier row. The map, mode, enemy draft, and your team’s composition still matter. A Brawler who is merely strong on paper can look ordinary on the wrong map, while a more specialized pick can become extremely difficult to deal with when the conditions favor its kit. That is the real meta: flexibility, matchup awareness, and knowing when a Brawler’s strengths actually matter.
