If you’ve ever faced a Hank on Siege or Heist who single-handedly held down an objective while wiping your entire team, you know how powerful this heavy-duty brawler can be when played right. Too many new players pick him up assuming he’s just a slow tank that only spams shots, but he has way more nuance than most casual players give him credit for. We’ve logged over 120 hours of gameplay with this brawler across all ranked modes, so we’re breaking down exactly how to play Hank in Brawl Stars to turn him from a clunky pick to your go-to for rank pushes.
Core Mechanics You Need to Master to Play Hank in Brawl Stars Effectively
Hank’s main attack is a charged water blast that deals more damage the longer you hold it before firing, capping at 3x base damage when fully charged. A lot of new players assume you need to fully charge every shot to be effective, but that’s not true at all. You don’t have to fully charge every shot — tap fire works perfectly for finishing off low-health enemies running away, or applying light pressure to enemies hiding behind cover.
His super ability deploys a wide, stationary shield that blocks all incoming enemy projectiles, heals Hank for 500 health per second while active, and lets friendly shots pass through without issue. His super charges twice as fast when you hit enemy brawlers with fully charged shots, so prioritize accurate fully charged hits over spamming tap fire if you want to get your shield up faster. If you’re used to playing fast brawlers, the learning curve to play Hank in Brawl Stars can feel a little steep at first, but you’ll get the hang of timing after a few matches.
Most common mistakes with Hank come from misunderstanding these core mechanics, so avoid these missteps at all costs:
- Spamming uncharged shots: these only deal 1/3 of maximum damage, and barely charge your super, so only use them to finish off low-health enemies running away
- Holding your charge too long: you can’t hold it indefinitely, and you move 30% slower while charging, so you’ll be an easy target for snipers if you stand still holding a charge for more than 2 seconds
- Wasting your super on small skirmishes: your shield can turn entire team fights around, so don’t use it just to save yourself from 1000 points of chip damage when you’re still at 70% health
Best Positioning Strategies for Every Game Mode
Hank’s biggest weakness is his slow movement speed, so where you stand at the start of a match determines 80% of your success, no matter how good your aim is. For Heist and Siege, you want to position yourself just behind your team’s front line, at a 45-degree angle to the objective. That way you can charge shots at the enemy defense or attackers without being the first target, and you can drop your super to cover your team when they push. I’ve won so many Heist matches by holding this position, taking potshots at the enemy safe while covering my teammates that are pushing up to deal extra damage.
For Gem Grab, hang back near the gem spawn area, not right in the middle of the fight. You can pick off enemies trying to grab gems from a safe distance, and if your team gets wiped, you can hold the spawn point until they respawn. For Showdown, stick to areas with lots of cover early on, so you can charge shots without being ambushed by assassins like Edgar or Mortis. I’ve lost way too many early Showdown matches with Hank by running straight into open areas to collect power cubes, only to get focused by two or three players before I can even charge a shot.
For open maps like Snake Prairie or Dry Season, always keep an exit path behind you with cover. Never turn your back on an enemy sniper when playing open maps — Bea or Piper can take you out in two shots if you’re not facing them and ready to drop your shield. If you see a sniper on the enemy team, prioritize taking them out first before pushing any objectives.
Gadget and Star Power Picks for All Skill Levels
Hank has two gadgets and two star powers that fit completely different playstyles, so picking the right loadout for your skill level and game mode makes a huge difference in how effective you’ll be. These picks will make it way easier to play Hank in Brawl Stars even if you’re still learning how to time your charged shots.
His first gadget is Torpedo Dash, which lets him dash a short distance forward and stun any enemies he hits for 0.5 seconds. His second gadget is Pressure Valve, which instantly reloads his shot to full charge with no charging time needed. For beginners, Pressure Valve is the better pick, because it lets you get a full damage shot off fast when an assassin jumps on you, no charging needed. For more experienced players, Torpedo Dash is game-changing, because it fixes his biggest weakness of slow movement, letting you reposition or escape bad fights fast.
His first star power is Full Tank, which gives him 1000 extra health when his super is active. His second star power is High Pressure, which makes fully charged shots slow enemies by 20% for 2 seconds. Full Tank is the best all-around pick for 90% of game modes, because the extra health lets you hold your shield for longer, turning you into an unbreakable front line for your team. High Pressure is only worth using in modes like Brawl Ball, where slowing enemies trying to score can make all the difference. If you’re playing with a team that has a lot of squishy damage dealers like Brock or Rico, pair Full Tank with Torpedo Dash, so you can get to your teammates fast and drop a shield that lasts longer to protect them.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Playing Hank
The biggest mistake new Hank players make is trying to 1v1 close-range brawlers. A lot of players think Hank’s high health means he can take on El Primo or Bull up close, but that’s never true. Those brawlers deal more damage per second than you can output even with fully charged shots, so you’ll lose every time. If a close-range brawler runs at you, back up while charging a shot, and if they get too close, use your gadget to either stun them or dash away, then call for backup.
Another common mistake is overextending without backup. Because Hank is slow, if you push too far ahead of your team, you’ll get trapped and can’t escape, even with your dash gadget. Always make sure you have at least one teammate within 5 tiles of you when you push an objective so they can cover you if you get focused. I’ve made this mistake so many times, pushing a Siege bot alone only to get ganked by three enemy players before my team can catch up.
Don’t save your super for too long either. I’ve seen so many Hank players hold their super until they’re at 100 health, and then they get taken out before they can even activate it. If your entire team is pushing the objective and the enemy is throwing all their damage at you, pop that super early to keep everyone alive, it’s worth it. You can charge another super fast with a few well-placed fully charged shots, so don’t hoard it for a perfect moment that never comes.
Hank is one of the most underrated brawlers in the current meta, especially for players who prefer playing a supportive front-line role instead of being the main fragger. You don’t need lightning-fast aim to be good with him, just a solid understanding of his mechanics and good map awareness. If you practice the tips we’ve covered here, you’ll be able to master how to play Hank in Brawl Stars and climb ranks faster than you ever have before. Next time you’re picking a brawler for a Siege or Heist match, give Hank a try — you might be surprised how many wins he can get you.