If you’ve ever bragged about your Brawl Stars skills in your group chat, you know there’s only one way to prove you’re the best: go head to head. Knowing how to 1v1 your friends in Brawl Stars isn’t just about bragging rights, either—it’s a low-pressure way to practice your mechanics, test new brawlers, and settle silly debates about who’s the better player without risking your trophy count. Most players don’t realize there’s a lot more to a friendly 1v1 than just picking your main and spamming attacks, though, and small tweaks to your setup and playstyle can make the difference between a clean win and a humiliating loss.
How to Set Up a Custom 1v1 Lobby for Brawl Stars
To start a 1v1, open the Brawl Stars main menu and tap the "Play" button, then select "Custom Games" from the bottom of the menu. You can create a private lobby and send an invite directly to your friend, or set a password so only people who know the code can join. Always pick a symmetric, small map for 1v1 matches to avoid giving either player an unfair advantage – maps like Snake Prairie or Rockwall Brawl work great, as they have even cover and equal spawn points for both players. You can also adjust match settings like respawn time, match length, and whether or not modifiers are active, but make sure you and your friend agree on all rules before you start playing to avoid arguments mid-match.
Top Brawler Picks for Friendly 1v1 Matches
The best brawler for your 1v1 depends almost entirely on the map you pick, but there are a few solid picks that work well across most common 1v1 layouts. If you’re not sure which brawlers are currently performing best in 1v1 scenarios, you can check updated tier lists from trusted Brawl Stars content creators to narrow down your options. Many top players reference Remi101 for regularly updated 1v1 tier rankings that take into account recent balance changes and meta shifts, so you don’t have to waste time testing brawlers that are underpowered right now. We’ve broken down the best picks by map type to make your choice easier:
- Close-quarters maps: El Primo, Bull, Shelly – these high-health, high-damage brawlers can take opponents down in seconds if you can close the gap without taking too much chip damage
- Medium-range maps: Colt, Rico, Bea – consistent damage output and decent range let you pressure opponents without putting yourself at too much risk of getting rushed
- Long-range maps: Piper, Brock, 8-Bit – high burst damage from far away lets you pick off opponents before they can get close enough to land meaningful attacks on you
If you and your friend want to keep things extra fair, you can agree to ban 1-2 brawlers each before picking your character, to avoid anyone using an overpowered pick that ruins the fun.
Advanced Tricks to Win When You 1v1 Your Friends in Brawl Stars
Once you’ve got your lobby set up and your brawler picked, small playstyle tweaks can help you secure more wins even if your friend has more experience than you. Master your dodging and basic aim first before trying fancy tricks – 90% of friendly 1v1s are won by the player who lands more regular attacks, not the one who uses their super as soon as it charges. Save your super for moments when you can guarantee a kill, like when your opponent is trapped against a wall or has used their gadget already, instead of wasting it on a low-health target that you can take out with a single basic attack. Another great trick is to fake a retreat to make your opponent chase you around a corner, where you can land a few surprise shots before they have time to react. I’ve used this trick dozens of times against my friend who mains Piper, who always chases low-health targets thinking she can get an easy kill, only to run straight into a point-blank El Primo punch. Keep an eye on your opponent’s super charge bar at all times so you can avoid getting caught off guard by a sudden, high-damage attack that takes you out before you can escape.
Easy Ways to Keep 1v1 Matches Fun for Everyone
Not every 1v1 has to be a hyper-competitive grind for bragging rights, and adding silly rules or challenges can make your matches even more fun for both players. For example, you can agree to only use brawlers you have never played before, or only get kills using your super attack, to level the playing field if one of you is much more experienced than the other. If one player is losing every match, you can adjust small settings to give them a small edge, like letting them pick the next map or giving them a 10% health buff at the start of each round. Never take friendly 1v1s too seriously – the point of playing with friends is to have a good time, not to get into fights over a lost match or a perceived unfair rule. You can even turn your 1v1s into a small tournament with a silly prize, like the loser has to buy the winner a snack next time you hang out, to add a little extra fun without the pressure of risking trophies or rank.
At the end of the day, learning how to 1v1 your friends in Brawl Stars is as much about spending time with people you enjoy as it is about improving at the game. You don’t need to be a pro player to have a good time, and even if you lose more matches than you win, you’ll still walk away with better mechanics and a deeper understanding of how different brawlers work. Next time your group chat starts debating who the best Brawl Stars player is, you’ll be ready to set up a lobby, pick the perfect brawler, and prove your skills without any confusion or unfair advantages.