If you’ve ever been caught off guard by a giant sledgehammer swing that deleted half your health bar in Brawl Stars, you’ve run into Frank. This slow, bulky heavy brawler is a fan favorite for players who love tanking damage and turning team fights around with one well-timed ability, but new players often ask is frank good brawl stars before they spend their coins unlocking or upgrading him. I’ve been playing Brawl Stars since its global launch, and I’ve mained Frank for three consecutive ranked seasons, hitting top 2,000 global with him last month. I’m breaking down exactly where he shines, where he struggles, and how to get the most out of him if you decide to add him to your roster.
Is Frank Good in Brawl Stars? A Look at His Core Strengths
At his max level, Frank has 9,200 health, one of the highest health pools in the entire game, and each of his sledgehammer swings deals 3,080 damage across a wide 3-tile arc. His area control potential is unmatched among common free-to-play heavy brawlers, as a single swing can hit up to three enemies at once, clearing clustered pushes in seconds. His super ability, a wide shockwave stun that hits all enemies in a 4-tile line, freezes opponents for 1.5 seconds, enough time for your whole team to unload damage and wipe the enemy squad before they can react. He also gains a 30% movement speed boost when his super is fully charged, which helps him close gaps on enemies that would normally kite him easily.
Frank is also one of the most accessible high-impact brawlers for new players. He’s a rare brawler, so you won’t have to grind for months to unlock him, and his base kit doesn’t require fancy mechanics to use effectively. You don’t need to pull off complicated trick shots or fast movement to get value out of him; you just need to be patient and pick your battles wisely. Even players with less than 100 hours of playtime can get consistent wins with Frank once they learn his basic attack timing.
Frank’s Weaknesses That Hold Him Back in Certain Matches
For all his strengths, Frank has some very noticeable flaws that make him a bad pick in certain matchups and game modes. His 0.8 second attack windup is his biggest flaw, as even average players can dodge his swing if they see him start to raise his hammer. His reload speed is also painfully slow, at 2.4 seconds per swing, so missing a single attack can leave you vulnerable for several seconds with no way to defend yourself.
He’s also one of the slowest brawlers in the game when his super isn’t charged, so mobile brawlers can run circles around him and chip down his health without ever getting in range of his hammer. Long-range snipers can also take him out from across the map before he ever gets close enough to swing, making him useless on open maps with very little cover. He also struggles in solo showdown, where most players will target you first because they know you can’t chase them down if they run away with power cubes.
Best Game Modes, Builds, and Playstyles for Frank
Frank is a situational pick, but he’s an S-tier choice in the right game modes and with the right loadout. The best game modes to play Frank in are:
- Heist: Frank can tank 7+ turret shots while smashing the enemy safe, and his stun super can wipe enemy defenders trying to stop your team’s push before they get a chance to deal damage.
- Brawl Ball: His wide swing can clear multiple enemy blockers near the goal in one hit, and his stun can freeze opponents long enough for your teammate to run the ball in for an easy score.
- Knockout: His high health and area damage let him hold narrow chokepoints easily, and he can wipe clustered enemy teams in close-quarters maps with just two well-placed swings.
- Hot Zone: He can hold a single zone alone against 2-3 opponents if you play around cover, using his stun to push enemies out of the capture area before they can finish capping it.
For builds, the most versatile loadout for Frank is the Hardened star power and Spare Hammer gadget. We recommend running Hardened and Spare Hammer for 90% of casual and ranked matches, as Hardened makes him 40% more resistant to damage during his attack windup, fixing his biggest vulnerability, and Spare Hammer lets him reset his attack cooldown immediately to get two quick swings off to finish low-health enemies or charge his super faster. If you’re playing with a coordinated team, you can swap Hardened for Stunning Blow, which adds 0.5 seconds to his super’s stun duration, giving your team even more time to unload damage on stunned enemies.
When playing Frank, don’t rush into fights first. Stay behind your support brawlers until you see enemies clustered together, and only swing when you’re 100% sure you’ll hit your target. Wasting a swing leaves you open for several seconds, so patience is key when playing him. You can also use your super’s movement speed boost to surprise enemies who think you’re too slow to reach them, catching them off guard with a swing before they can dodge.
How to Counter Frank (and Avoid Being Countered When Playing Him)
If you’re facing off against a Frank in your matches, there are a few easy ways to shut him down before he can do any damage. Mobile brawlers like Edgar, Mortis, and Crow can easily dodge his slow swings and chip down his health from close range without ever getting hit, and long-range brawlers like Colt, Piper, and Brock can take him out from across the map before he gets close enough to swing. The easiest way to beat a Frank is to force him to swing at empty air, then attack him while he waits for his hammer to reload.
Never use your super unless you can hit at least two enemies, or stun an opponent that’s about to take out your teammate; wasting your super is the most common mistake new Frank players make, and it leaves you without your only way to turn around bad team fights. If you’re playing Frank and you run into a counter, don’t chase them into open areas. Stick near cover and wait for your teammates to take them out, or use your super charge speed boost to run away and reposition to a different part of the map.
You can also use your Spare Hammer gadget to catch enemies off guard; if they dodge your first swing, use the gadget to immediately swing again before they have time to get away. This trick works especially well against Edgar players who try to jump over you to dodge your first attack; the second swing will hit them as they land before they can attack you.
So if you’ve been asking is frank good brawl stars, the answer is a resounding yes, as long as you pick the right game modes and play to his strengths. He’s not a top-tier pick in every mode, and he’s definitely not the easiest brawler to learn for new players, but he’s incredibly fun to play and can carry entire matches when used correctly. If you like tanky brawlers that can turn team fights around with one well-timed ability, Frank is absolutely worth unlocking and upgrading. I still pull him out for all my Heist and Brawl Ball matches, and he’s one of my go-to picks when I’m playing with friends who run support brawlers to cover his weaknesses.