If you've ever hesitated to spend your hard-earned coins on Max while scrolling through the Brawl Stars brawler selection screen, you're not alone. I've tested Max across 200+ matches over the past six months, across every game mode and rank range, to answer one question tons of players ask me: is Max good in Brawl Stars? We'll break down his kit, when he shines, when he's not the best pick, how to play him well, and whether he's worth upgrading for your roster. You don't have to waste coins testing him out yourself to know if he fits your playstyle.
Is Max Good in Brawl Stars? Core Kit Breakdown
First, let's cover the basics of Max's kit to understand where his power comes from. At max level 11, he has 3600 HP, which is slightly lower than average for assault class brawlers, but he makes up for it with speed and damage output. His primary attack fires four fast-moving energy blasts that deal 280 damage each, for a total of 1120 damage per full hit, with fast fire rate and almost no projectile drop-off. His reload speed is 1.6 seconds per full ammo bar, which is 20% faster than most other assault brawlers.
His Super ability grants a 40% speed boost to himself and all teammates within a 7-tile radius for 4 seconds, which is one of the most powerful team utility abilities in the entire game. He has two gadgets: the first lets him dash 3 tiles forward to dodge attacks or close gaps, and the second gives him a 1500 damage shield that lasts 3 seconds. His two Star Powers either increase his Super's speed boost to 60% for all allies, or let him heal 200 HP per second while his Super is active. All parts of his kit work together to make him both a reliable damage dealer and a strong support asset for any team.
Max's Biggest Strengths That Make Him a Meta Contender
Max has several unique strengths that make him a top pick in most casual and competitive playlists, even after multiple balance updates. His unmatched team utility from his Super is his biggest asset, because it benefits every brawler on your team regardless of their role. A well-timed Super can let your entire team rush an objective before the enemy can set up defenses, or retreat from a losing fight without taking unnecessary losses. I've turned dozens of losing matches around just by popping my Super right as my team was ready to push a Hot Zone or Brawl Ball goal.
His mobility is another huge strength: between his base movement speed (the second highest in the game for assault brawlers), his Super speed boost, and his dash gadget, he's almost impossible to catch if you play him correctly. He can outrun almost every other brawler except Crow and Leon when they have their own speed boosts active, so he can easily chase down low-health enemies or escape bad fights without taking damage. His consistent, reliable damage means you don't have to worry about missing shots due to spread or random projectile paths, so you can pick off low-health enemies from medium range easily.
Max performs best in the following game modes, where his speed and utility give you a huge advantage:
- Brawl Ball: His speed lets him outmaneuver enemies to grab the ball and score fast, and his Super lets your entire team push the ball downfield in seconds.
- Siege: The speed boost from his Super lets you collect bolts faster and rush the enemy IKE before they can build up defenses.
- Knockout: He can easily chase down low-health enemies or retreat from bad fights, and his Super lets your team reposition faster than opponents to secure round wins.
- Hot Zone: His consistent damage lets him hold zones easily, and his Super lets you rotate between zones faster than the enemy team can react.
Weaknesses That Hold Max Back in Certain Scenarios
Max is far from a perfect brawler, and there are plenty of situations where picking him will put your team at a disadvantage. His biggest flaw is his low burst damage: he can't take down tanky brawlers like El Primo or Frank quickly, so if the enemy team has two or more tanks, Max is a bad pick. It takes him three full attack hits to take down a level 11 El Primo, which gives the tank more than enough time to close the gap and take you out in one or two hits.
He's also very squishy if you get caught out of position. His 3600 HP is low enough that a single well-placed shot from a sniper like Piper or Brock can take him out in one hit if he's not at full health. He struggles a lot in close-quarters maps with lots of tight corridors, like many Showdown maps, because brawlers with high burst damage like Shelly or Edgar can jump him before he has time to dash away or use his Super.
His Super is also almost useless if you're playing with uncoordinated randoms. If your team doesn't push when you pop your Super, you're wasting one of his biggest assets, and you'll end up falling behind the enemy team in utility. I've had dozens of matches where I popped my Super right as we were ready to push an objective, only for my random teammates to run away and leave me to fight three enemies alone. You'll get way more value out of Max if you play with a pre-made team that knows how to use his speed boost.
Pro Tips to Get the Most Out of Max
Even with his weaknesses, you can get a 60%+ win rate with Max even in high Diamond and Master ranks if you play him correctly. First, save your Super for team pushes, not just personal use. It's tempting to use your Super to run away from a fight, but if you can wait 10 seconds to use it when your entire team is ready to push an objective, you'll win way more games. Only use your Super to escape if you're the last person alive on your team and you need to save yourself to avoid losing the round.
Use your dash gadget to dodge high-damage attacks, not just to move faster. If you see a Piper or Brock aiming at you, dash sideways right as they fire, and you'll almost always avoid the hit. You can also use the dash to jump over small walls to escape enemies or surprise them from an angle they don't expect. Don't waste the dash just to get to an objective a half second faster, because you'll need it if you run into an enemy around the corner.
Pair Max with brawlers that benefit the most from speed boosts to get the most value out of his kit. Tanks like El Primo or Bull are perfect, because they can close the gap on enemies way faster with Max's Super, and deal tons of damage once they get close. He also pairs really well with damage dealers like Colt or Rico, who can use the speed boost to reposition and hit enemies from unexpected angles without taking damage.
Position yourself at medium range at all times when playing Max. Don't get too close to enemies where you can get burst down, and don't get too far away where your attacks will miss consistently. If you stay between 5 and 8 tiles away from enemies, you'll be able to deal maximum damage while staying out of range of most close-quarters brawlers. You'll also be able to dash away if an enemy tries to rush you, so you'll rarely get caught off guard.
At the end of the day, the answer to is Max good in Brawl Stars is a resounding yes, as long as you pick him for the right maps and game modes, and play to his strengths. He's not the best pick for every scenario, but his utility, mobility, and consistent damage make him a great addition to almost any roster, whether you play casual matches with friends or grind competitive ranked. If you have enough coins to upgrade him, he's well worth the investment, and you'll see a noticeable jump in your win rate once you get the hang of his kit.