If you’ve ever stared at your Brawl Stars unlock screen debating which legendary brawler to save up for, or wondered if the one you just pulled is worth upgrading first, you’re not alone. I’ve spent 4 years grinding ranked matches, competing in local community tournaments, and testing every legendary brawler across every mode to answer the question: what is the best legendary in Brawl Stars? The answer isn’t one-size-fits-all, of course, because it depends heavily on your playstyle, the mode you’re queuing for, and what your team composition looks like. In this guide, I’ll break down each top-tier legendary, their best use cases, and which ones you should prioritize for different types of play.
What Is the Best Legendary in Brawl Stars for General Play?
When you’re queuing for random matches, bouncing between modes, or just want a brawler that works well in almost every scenario, there are three clear standouts that top almost every community tier list. I’ve tested each of these for over 100 matches apiece, and each has clear strengths that make them worth investing in first if you have the option:
- Spike: The cactus brawler has been a fan favorite for years, and for good reason. His super deals area-of-effect damage and slows enemies, making him perfect for both defense and offense in every mode from Gem Grab to Showdown. His main attack splashes through walls, so you can hit enemies hiding behind cover without exposing yourself. The only downside is his low health, so you’ll need to play him at a distance to avoid getting picked off quickly.
- Crow: This toxic crow brawler is a nightmare for enemy teams that rely on healing. His poison attacks stop enemies from regaining health for 4 seconds, which completely negates brawlers like Poco or Pam that rely on team heals to hold objectives. He’s also one of the fastest brawlers in the game, so you can easily escape bad fights or chase down low-health enemies. His main weakness is low per-hit damage, so you’ll need to play patiently and chip enemies down over time instead of going for direct 1v1 fights against high-damage brawlers.
- Surge: The upgrading brawler is a monster once you get him to level 3, with a long-range attack that splashes and slows enemies, plus a super that lets him teleport short distances. He’s great for both casual and ranked play, because he scales incredibly well as the match goes on. The only catch is he’s very weak in the first minute of a match before he upgrades, so you’ll need to play safe early on to avoid feeding the enemy team.
For most players, Spike is the best all-around pick if you can get him. He’s easy to learn, works in every mode, and can carry matches even if your team is underperforming. But if you prefer a more aggressive, hit-and-run playstyle, Crow or Surge might be a better fit for you.
Best Legendary Brawlers for Specific Game Modes
While the general top picks work well across most matches, you’ll get way more wins if you pick a legendary that’s tailored to the mode you’re playing. I’ve broken down the top picks for each popular mode below based on my own ranked win rates and data from top competitive players:
For Gem Grab, the best legendary by far is Sandy. His super lets his entire team turn invisible for 9 seconds, which is perfect for sneaking past enemy lines to grab gems, or escaping with a full load of 10 gems to win the match. He also has decent area-of-effect damage to clear out enemies camping the gem spawn point, and enough health to survive a few hits if you get caught out of position.
If you’re playing Solo Showdown, Leon is the undisputed king. His invisibility super lets him sneak up on unsuspecting enemies to take them out quickly, and he has high enough damage to 3-shot most brawlers at close range. Just make sure you don’t use your super too close to enemies, because they can still see your footprints if you’re within a few tiles of them. For Duo Showdown, Spike is still the top pick, because his area damage can take out both enemy brawlers at once if they’re grouped together.
For Brawl Ball, Surge is the best option. His teleport super lets him jump past enemy defenders to score goals easily, and his slow attack makes it hard for enemies to get past him to push the ball into your side of the field. Once he’s fully upgraded, he can also take out most defenders in just two hits, so you can clear the goal area before scoring without needing help from your team.
If you’re queuing for Heist or Siege, Amber is the top legendary pick. Her continuous fire attack deals massive damage to stationary targets like the Heist safe or the Siege bot, so you can burn through objectives way faster than any other brawler. She also has enough range to hit the safe from behind cover, so you don’t have to expose yourself to enemy fire while you’re attacking.
For competitive tournament play, Crow is the most commonly picked legendary right now, because his anti-heal effect completely shuts down most popular team comps that rely on constant healing to hold objectives. He’s also incredibly hard to catch, so he’s great for scouting enemy positions and poking at teams from a safe distance.
Factors to Consider When Picking Your Main Legendary Brawler
There’s no point investing all your coins and power points into a top-tier legendary if it doesn’t fit the way you like to play. Even if you’re asking what is the best legendary in Brawl Stars for climbing ranked fast, the answer still depends on your playstyle more than anything else. I’ve seen so many players waste resources upgrading Spike just because everyone says he’s the best, only to find they hate playing slow, long-range brawlers and perform way better with a more aggressive option.
First, think about your preferred playstyle. If you like hanging back, dealing damage from a distance, and supporting your team, Spike, Sandy, or Amber are great picks. If you prefer running in, getting close to enemies, and taking them out quickly, Leon, Crow, or Byron are better fits. If you like playing a hybrid role that can switch between offense and defense depending on what your team needs, Surge is the perfect option for you.
Next, consider the upgrade cost and requirements. Legendary brawlers cost way more to upgrade to level 11 than rare or super rare brawlers, so you’ll want to pick one that you’re actually going to use regularly, not just one that’s meta right now. If you only have enough coins to upgrade one legendary to max level, pick the one that works in the modes you play most often, not the one that’s top of the tier list for a mode you never queue for.
You should also think about what brawlers you already have in your roster, and what your usual team comp looks like if you play with friends regularly. If your team already has a lot of long-range damage dealers, you don’t need another one, so picking a close-range brawler like Leon or a support like Byron will fill the gap in your team and help you win more matches. If your team lacks healing, Byron is easily the best support legendary you can pick, because he can heal his team and deal damage to enemies at the same time with his dual-function attack.
One mistake a lot of new players make is writing off a legendary just because it’s not at the top of the current meta. Meta shifts all the time with every balance update, so a brawler that’s weak right now might be the best in the game in a month. If you have fun playing a certain legendary, don’t let tier lists stop you from upgrading it—skill with a brawler always beats meta picks for most casual players.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Legendary Brawlers
Even the strongest legendary won’t help you win matches if you’re using it wrong. I’ve made all of these mistakes myself when I first started playing with legendaries, so avoiding them will save you a lot of lost matches and frustration:
The first big mistake is overextending with low-health legendaries. Brawlers like Spike, Amber, and Leon have very low health, so you can’t run into the middle of a team fight like you would with a tank brawler. You need to stay behind your team’s tanks, deal damage from a safe distance, and only move in to finish off low-health enemies or secure objectives when the coast is clear. I can’t tell you how many times I lost Gem Grab matches early on because I ran in to grab a single gem and got picked off by a Shelly waiting around the corner.
Another common mistake is wasting your super on small, meaningless fights. Most legendary supers are game-changing, so you should save them for moments where they can help you win the match, not just take out one random enemy. For example, Spike’s super is way better used to slow an entire enemy team that’s pushing your gem spawn, than to take out one low-health brawler running away. Sandy’s invisibility super should be saved for when your team has 10 gems and needs to escape to win, not just to get one easy kill on an unsuspecting enemy.
You also don’t want to ignore your legendary’s star power and gadget picks. The right star power can completely change how a brawler plays, and make a mediocre brawler feel like a top-tier pick. For example, Spike’s Fertilize star power lets him heal 800 health per second while he’s standing in his super area, which fixes his biggest weakness of low health and lets him hold objectives almost alone. Crow’s Extra Toxic star power makes his poison reduce enemy damage by 20%, which makes him an incredible support for team fights even if he’s not dealing a lot of damage himself.
Finally, don’t forget to adjust your playstyle when you’re facing counter brawlers. Every legendary has counters that can shut them down completely, even if they’re max level. For example, Leon is almost useless against a good Brock player, because Brock can see his footprints from far away and take him out before he gets close enough to attack. If you see the enemy team has a counter to your legendary, play more safely, and focus on picking off other enemies first instead of trying to fight the counter directly.
At the end of the day, the answer to what is the best legendary in Brawl Stars depends on you, your playstyle, and the matches you play most often. If you want a safe all-around pick that works in every mode, Spike is your best bet. If you main Solo Showdown, Leon will help you climb ranks faster than any other brawler. If you play mostly team modes with friends, pick a legendary that fills the gap in your team comp, whether that’s healing from Byron, invisibility support from Sandy, or fast objective damage from Amber. Don’t get too caught up in tier lists—pick the brawler you have the most fun playing, and you’ll win more matches in the long run than you would forcing yourself to play a meta brawler you hate.