Step 1: Shelly

Shelly is the first brawler you'll unlock. Her abilities are really simple and easy to understand, but to become effective, you'll need to close the distance between you and your target. At the same time, her mobility is not the best, which makes her hard to play in coordinated team modes. That said, there is one mode where she really shines: Solo Showdown. Her burst damage and survivability make her a top-tier brawler in this mode.

Comparative Mode Performance

Brawler	Brawl Ball	Knockout	Gem Grab	Hot Zone	Heist	Bounty	Wipeout	Solo Showdown
SHELLY	B	C	B	C	C	C	C	S+

Power Curve

Short Term Verdict

While Shelly is a great brawler for Solo Showdown, you might want to master and invest in brawlers that perform well in team-based modes.

Long Term Verdict

After you build your base lineup for Ranked (team) modes, Shelly might be an excellent choice for a more relaxing Solo Showdown mode. Our data suggests that one-tricks that master Shelly achieve a stunning win rate over 20% and up depending on the commitment.

Step 2: Nita

Nita is a brawler that you'll unlock quickly after Shelly and the first summoner that you'll get. Her attacks are quite wide but her range is not the best and her summon can be annoying to deal with. Her best mode is Heist, but she is surely useful in other modes where close-range fight is prelevant.

Comparative Mode Performance

Brawler	Brawl Ball	Knockout	Gem Grab	Hot Zone	Heist	Bounty	Wipeout	Solo Showdown
NITA	A	D	B	A	S	D	C	B

Power Curve

Short Term Verdict

Avoid putting too much resources into Nita before unlocking Colt or Jessie, as they might turn out to be better choices for Heist.

Long Term Verdict

While in the lower rank, Nita is a great brawler for Heist, our data suggests that her best mode for elite players is Brawl Ball. Once you learn its basics, Nita might turn out to be a refreshing choice versus melee brawlers that dominate in that mode.

Step 3: El Primo

El Primo is your first melee brawler. He combines a high health pool, decent damage and an excellent mobility comparing to other tanks.

Comparative Mode Performance

Brawler	Brawl Ball	Knockout	Gem Grab	Hot Zone	Heist	Bounty	Wipeout	Solo Showdown
EL PRIMO	S	A	A	A	B	D	B	S+

Power Curve

Short Term Verdict

El Primo seems to be a great brawler, although not that simple to pick up. Our data shows that in most modes, beginners are likely to achieve win rates below 50%. However he seems to have a high skill ceiling and by playing him, you'll learn many aspects of piloting melee brawlers.

Long Term Verdict

A dedicated El Primo main is likely to achieve an excellent 70% win rate in Brawl Ball. He also looks quite capable in Gem Grab, most likely due to his high risk, high reward Super which well placed can steal gems from a key target. For some reason, he looks quite strong in Knockout where mostly long-range brawlers dominate.

Step 4: Jessie

Jessie is a first Super Rara brawler that you'll unlock. She is a long-range summoner which, like Nita, looks quite strong in Heist mode. Her summon turret is stationary and rather easy to clear, but can turn the game around if placed in a key moment.

Comparative Mode Performance

Brawler	Brawl Ball	Knockout	Gem Grab	Hot Zone	Heist	Bounty	Wipeout	Solo Showdown
JESSIE	A	B	A	A	S	C	A	D

Power Curve

Short Term Verdict

The verdict is similar to Nita's Jessie is a great Heist brawler, but you might wait to unlock Colt first, as he might turn out to be a better choice for Heist.

Long Term Verdict

For one-tricking or elite play, there might be better choices that Jessie. However, she is very fun to play and can surprise opponents with her bouncing shots and hipercharged turret.

Step 5: Poco

Poco is the first support that you'll unlock. He grants a lot of healing and if correctly build, he becomes a tank-healer hybrid.

Comparative Mode Performance

Brawler	Brawl Ball	Knockout	Gem Grab	Hot Zone	Heist	Bounty	Wipeout	Solo Showdown
POCO	A	A	A	S	D	C	B	D

Power Curve

Short Term Verdict

Our stats show that Poco is a very versatile and strong brawler, but with low investment he'll feel very lacking due to his low damage and reliability on team - consider putting resources into brawlers that feel more fun to play first.

Long Term Verdict

Once you learn the basics and gather enough resources to experiment, Poco can be a strong position in your roster. His mains achieve >70% win rate in Brawl Ball and Knockout. Also he looks consistent in Hot Zone due to his ability to hold ground but for that mode there are better choices like Hank or Tick.

Step 6: Jacky

Jacky is a brawler that you'll unlock after Poco. She is a melee brawler with powerful AoE attacks and a great Crowd Control Super. Her downside is rather low mobility - if she can't close the distance, she's likely to not be able to do much.

Comparative Mode Performance

Brawler	Brawl Ball	Knockout	Gem Grab	Hot Zone	Heist	Bounty	Wipeout	Solo Showdown
JACKY	A	C	B	B	D	D	D	B

Power Curve

Short Term Verdict

While Jacky is totally playable in Brawl Ball and Hot Zone, she probably needs full investment, especially Hipercharge, to really be effective. Consider putting resources into other brawlers unless you really like to play her.

Long Term Verdict

Our data shows that if you master Jacky, you could achieve a win rate over 80% in Brawl Ball, which is extraordinaire but probablt requires some specific teammates that are able to offset Jacky's weaknesses.

Step 7: Brock vs Barley

Now you get to make your first choice! Brock is a very long-range brawler that deals a lot of damage from safe distance and leaves burning circles on the ground. Barley is a first thrower that you are able to unlock. He throws bottles that leave behind a big area of effect that deals damage over time. They are both very good at zoning - an ability to deny enemy movement in particular places.

Comparative Mode Performance

Brawler	Brawl Ball	Knockout	Gem Grab	Hot Zone	Heist	Bounty	Wipeout	Solo Showdown
BROCK	C	A	B	C	B	A	A	D
BARLEY	B	C	C	B	A	C	C	D

Power Curve

Short Term Verdict

Brock - by choosing him, you'll learn to aim skillshots and earn a first brawler that is good in Knockout and Bounty modes.

Long Term Verdict

Long term it's a tough choice - Brock will remain a very good pick for Knockout, while Barley sees some good win rates in Brawl Ball. That said, there is a lot of excellent choices for Brawl Ball, so you might want to pick Brock anyway.

Step 8: Bo vs Emz

In this step you'll unlock your first Epic brawler. Bo is a long-range archer with high skill ceiling due to his base attack mechanics and strategic expression with his Super - invisible traps that can be used to bait enemies into a kill. EMZ is an AoE damage dealer with some good anti-engage tools thanks to her gadgets and star powers.

Comparative Mode Performance

Brawler	Brawl Ball	Knockout	Gem Grab	Hot Zone	Heist	Bounty	Wipeout	Solo Showdown
BO	B	B	A	A	B	B	A	C
EMZ	B	C	B	B	B	C	B	D

Power Curve

Short Term Verdict

To be completely honest, both seem mediocre. Many players are baited into maxing them due to their Epic rarity, but there are much better choices. Short term, you might want to pick Bo, because he might be a bit more fun to play and our data shows that he performs a little bit better than EMZ.

Long Term Verdict

Long term, EMZ might turn out to be a better choice, as she can find success in top-tier Brawl Ball with enough mastery, probably due to her ability to control choke points, slow down enemy pushes and deal with melee engagers.

Step 9: Colt vs Barley

Assuming you picked Brock in Step 7, you'll get to choose between Colt and Barley. Colt is a long-range damage dealer with high skill expression due to his ability to sligtly adjust his aim with his movement.

Comparative Mode Performance

Brawler	Brawl Ball	Knockout	Gem Grab	Hot Zone	Heist	Bounty	Wipeout	Solo Showdown
COLT	A	A	B	B	S	A	A	B
BARLEY	B	C	C	B	A	C	C	D

Power Curve

Short Term Verdict

Definitely Colt. He is very fun to play, good in most modes and an excellent choice for Heist. He remains usable at any investment and is a safe choice to put resources into.

Long Term Verdict

Colt remains a Heist powerhouse even at the highest level of play achieving over 70% win rate in that mode. He is also an interesting and well performing pick in Brawl Ball due to his ability to destroy terrain. Barley can also find success in Brawl Ball, but he seems less universal.

Step 10: Dynamike vs 8-BIT

In this step you'll unlock Dynamike or 8-BIT. Dynamike is quite agile thrower with high damage output and playmaking potential after unlocking his stunning gadget. 8-BIT is extremely slow but has a high damage output and his Super buffs his entire team.

Comparative Mode Performance

Brawler	Brawl Ball	Knockout	Gem Grab	Hot Zone	Heist	Bounty	Wipeout	Solo Showdown
DYNAMIKE	B	B	B	C	B	B	B	D
8-BIT	C	B	A	B	A	B	S+	C

Power Curve

Short Term Verdict

8-BIT - while Dynamike is fun to play, 8-BIT has extremely good win rate and pick rate in Wipeout, which is a 5v5 mode which makes his Super more effective. Combining it with his high damage from safe distance, he's a great choice if you want to learn this mode.

Long Term Verdict

8-BIT still seems to be a better choice due to his insane > 80% win rate at the most elite level of play. That said, if you want to focus on Ranked, Dynamike should be your choice - he can turn around lost games with his stun gadget and terrain destruction.

Step 11: Bea vs Emz

Comparative Mode Performance

Brawler	Brawl Ball	Knockout	Gem Grab	Hot Zone	Heist	Bounty	Wipeout	Solo Showdown
BEA	A	B	B	B	C	A	B	C
EMZ	B	C	B	B	B	C	B	D

Power Curve

Short Term Verdict

We recommend picking Bea based on her better mode performance, although this choice could depend on your playstyle. Bea will fit better players that like to snipe from safe distance and some players might prefer EMZ due to her unique zone control tools and engage denial.

Long Term Verdict

Long term, we still recommend Bea as our stats show that she can dominate Brawl Ball but she probably needs some specific tanky teammates with heavy CC to be effective.

Step 12: Bull vs Barley

Assuming you picked Colt in Step 9, you'll get to choose between Bull and Barley. Bull is a high-health damage dealer that desperately needs to close the distance to be effective. Thankfully his Super is a great mobility and terrain destruction tool at the same time.

Comparative Mode Performance

Brawler	Brawl Ball	Knockout	Gem Grab	Hot Zone	Heist	Bounty	Wipeout	Solo Showdown
BULL	B	C	C	C	A	D	D	S+
BARLEY	B	C	C	B	A	C	C	D

Power Curve

Short Term Verdict

If you are short on resources (you probably are), we recommend picking Barley despite his worse potential as he might be more fun to play with lower investment. Bull is somewhat dependant on his investment and playing him might feel sometimes unrewarding.

Long Term Verdict

Long term, Bull is definitely a better choice, he looks decent in Brawl Ball, great in Heist (probably due to being able to reach the safe quickly) and he is exceptionally good in Solo Showdown.

Step 13: Tick vs Carl vs Dynamike

This is a first time when you'll choose between three options - Tick, Carl or Dynamike (assuming you picked 8-BIT in Step 10). Tick is a thrower with exceptionally good zoning potential and can be very frustrating to play against if you lack the tools to clear him. Carl is a very fun to play brawler due to his unique boomerang-like attack and a very mobile Super.

Comparative Mode Performance

Brawler	Brawl Ball	Knockout	Gem Grab	Hot Zone	Heist	Bounty	Wipeout	Solo Showdown
TICK	S	S	A	S	B	A	S	D
CARL	A	A	S	B	A	A	B	B
DYNAMIKE	B	B	B	C	B	B	B	D

Power Curve

Short Term Verdict

This choice is quite hard because Tick works with lower investment and is great in many modes, and most importantly at that moment he'd be your best Hot Zone pick. Carl is slightly weaker without full investment but he might be your best brawler for Gem Grab. Our verdict is that Tick wins slightly due to being useful more quickly.

Long Term Verdict

Long term, we'd recommend picking Carl as he seems to cap higher than Tick and Dynamike. He is also less popular, so some players might be less likely to know how to counter you.

Step 14: Frank vs Stu vs EMZ

Assuming you picked Bo in last Epic choice, you'll choose between Frank, Stu or EMZ. Frank is a high-health tank with decent AoE damage and a devastating Super and Hipercharge. Stu is a high-mobility brawler that gains a charge of dash (his Super) each time he lands an attack.

Comparative Mode Performance

Brawler	Brawl Ball	Knockout	Gem Grab	Hot Zone	Heist	Bounty	Wipeout	Solo Showdown
FRANK	A	B	B	A	B	C	C	S
STU	A	B	B	B	D	B	C	B
EMZ	B	C	B	B	B	C	B	D

Power Curve

Short Term Verdict

Short term, we recommend picking Frank as he is simply easier to play and requires lower investment. Landing a game changing Super will feel very rewarding - however, beware of relying too much on him in Ranked, as he is quite often banned.

Long Term Verdict

Long term, Stu achieves higher win rates than Frank in multiple modes and he seems to have a higher skill ceiling due to having to master his movement effortlessly.

Step 15: Mortis vs Tara vs Gene

In this step you'll unlock your first Mythic brawler. Mortis is a high-skill assassin that can be very effective against squishy brawlers but struggles against tanks and requires good timing. Tara is a high-mobility brawler that can turn the tide of a game with her Super, but charging it can be slow. Gene is a utility brawler that can pull enemies with his Super and chip damage.

Comparative Mode Performance

Brawler	Brawl Ball	Knockout	Gem Grab	Hot Zone	Heist	Bounty	Wipeout	Solo Showdown
MORTIS	A	A	A	A	C	A	A	B
TARA	S	B	S	S	A	B	B	S
GENE	D	A	A	D	D	S	B	D

Power Curve

Short Term Verdict

Definitely not Mortis. Most beginning players will struggle to find success with him. Tara seems to be a great choice due to her versatility and a powerful performance in Gem Grab. Her priority is even higher if you haven't picked Carl previously. Gene seems nice if you want a solid pick for Bounty that can setup a kill for his team.

Long Term Verdict

Tara still looks like a better choice, but fully mastered Mortis can be quite effective - pick him if you really want to max him and put a lot of effort into learning his limitations. Expect to dive into enemies and lose most of the time until you learn correct timing.

Step 16: Leon vs Crow vs Spike

In the last choice that we cover, you'll unlock your first Legendary brawler. Leon is an assassin that needs to get close to his target but he can charge his super from safe distance. Crow is a high-mobility brawler that can apply pressure with his poison and Spike is a high-damage brawler that can deny area effectively and his attack are hard to dodge.

Comparative Mode Performance

Brawler	Brawl Ball	Knockout	Gem Grab	Hot Zone	Heist	Bounty	Wipeout	Solo Showdown
LEON	A	A	A	A	B	A	A	S+
CROW	A	A	A	A	S	B	A	S+
SPIKE	A	S	A	S	S	B	S	S+

Power Curve

Short Term Verdict

We recommend picking Spike as he seems most well-rounded but this choice is the closest to a coin flip. You can't go wrong here and a personal taste could be a deciding factor.

Long Term Verdict

Same as above, their investment requirements are very similar and all of them can find great success in different modes. Crow might be the only negative outlier as his win rate at the elite level are not that impressive.