The November Brawl Stars balance preview highlights nerfs to Shade, Gus, and Amber, alongside retained Super uses for Chuck, Darryl, and Melodie. The changes affect more than damage: they also adjust how long a Brawler can sustain an advantage and how ready they are for the next fight. Choose upgrade priorities around the roles you need in your favorite modes, rather than simply picking names from the buff list.
However, the released content is a preliminary adjustment plan ahead of the update in November 2026. These patch notes should not be taken as official release dates and final figures. The numbers below represent before and after the change in the notice, and performance evaluation is the interpretation of that change.
Separate base abilities from Buffie effects
Buffie is a progression element that enhances the effects of gadgets, Star Power, and Hypercharge. These are not just cosmetics, but change things that actually affect combat, like movement speed, shields, and attack patterns. This is why even the same Brawler uses different strengths depending on which Buffie they have.
However, the phrase ‘Buffie Brawler is being nerfed’ contains different adjustments mixed in. Changes that reduce base health or Super duration will have far-reaching implications for anyone using that Brawler. Conversely, if you lower the buffie effect of a specific Star Power, it may have little effect on people using other builds. Rather than judging the loss just by looking at the name of the buffie you have, you should check what the actual lowering ability is.
When Supercell introduced Buffies, it described extending existing abilities and improving older Brawlers’ kits. The question is whether opponents retain ways to respond. If mobility, shields, and repeated Supers remove a build’s weaknesses, one setup may become effectively mandatory instead of an interesting choice.
This notice is also worth looking at from that perspective. However, there is no basis to conclude that the motive is to weaken existing buffies in order to sell new buffies. It's more useful to focus on what actual changes are reducing play and leaving open choices.
Shade and Gus lose some staying power
Shade has a particularly big change in that its Super duration is reduced from 6 seconds to 4 seconds. In addition, a decrease in health, a decrease in the Super charge obtained as a characteristic near enemies, a decrease in gadget shields, and a decrease in the damage reduction effect of Star Power were also announced. The ability to withstand one entry and the ability to prepare for the next entry are weakened at the same time.
The 2-second reduction in duration may seem short if you only look at the numbers. However, it is a different story if you have to enter, attack, and exit within the same time limit. When you spend a lot of time following the enemy, you have less room to attack or escape. Since the shield is also weakened, there is a high possibility that the counterattack you can handle will be different even if you enter the same position as before.
But that doesn't mean that all of Shade's characteristics of using walls disappear. The possibility of use in maps where walls and movement paths are important and the stability of being able to choose first in any situation must be considered separately. If you are already a skilled main Brawler, it is worth first considering setting a conservative entry distance rather than giving up right away. On the other hand, if you were trying to train a new character just because it is strong, there is enough reason to check the final adjustment.
Gus notices that the maximum number of ghosts he can leave on the map has been reduced from 10 to 3. The cooldown of the Knockback Ghost Gadget has also been increased from 18 seconds to 26 seconds, and its damage has been significantly lowered. The additional recovery amount of Recovery Pump Bboom is reduced from 75% to 50%, and the ghost movement speed of the Star Power Buffie is also slowed down.
This change doesn't just reduce the value of a single ghost. There is less room for operational leeway in storing up ample recovery means on the battlefield and allowing allies to utilize them when needed. The gap between using a gadget and being able to use it again is longer, making the choice between protecting your allies and pushing back enemies more important. The decision to leave ghosts where they are needed becomes more important than the amount of ghosts collected.
Amber and mobile Brawlers face longer gaps
It was revealed that the cooldown of Amber's Dancing Flames would be increased from 14 seconds to 20 seconds, and that of Kindling would be increased from 24 seconds to 28 seconds. The health of the tinder barrel, the continuous damage of Supers, and the oil range of Hypercharge Supers are also being nerfed.
In particular, if you read the adjustment from 14 seconds to 20 seconds only as a ‘6 second increase’, it is easy to miss the perceived difference. Simple calculations show that waiting time increases by about 43%. However, this does not mean that the number of actual gadget uses or win rates will be reduced by 43%. It depends on the timing of engagement and the situation in which use is postponed. What's important is that there's a greater chance that your gadgets won't be ready when the next engagement begins.
If the range and durability of the barrel are reduced, it may become difficult to maintain the advantageous space once created. When evaluating Amber, it is necessary to distinguish between the pressure it provides through continuous attacks and the power it takes up space using gadgets and oil. Even if the advantage of using basic attacks remains, it is difficult to expect the same stability in all situations.
Rico and Max can be seen in a similar context. Rico's Star Power and Buffie's movement speed increase effect will be reduced, and Max's Super charge and some protection abilities gained from movement will be reduced. Even if there is no significant change in the attack power table, the actual selection criteria may change if the ability to change positions quickly or return alive from a dangerous battle is weakened.
Why retaining Chuck, Darryl, and Melodie’s Super uses matters
One notable buff is that unused Super uses are retained after being defeated for Chuck, Darryl, and Melodie. This preserves remaining uses; it does not refund spent uses or refill the Super on every respawn.
For Brawlers who use Supers once charged multiple times, the remaining number of attacks is a resource for the next action. If you lose those resources when you are defeated while only partially using them, it will be a burden to create new opportunities after respawn. By conserving the remaining rounds, you can reduce the chance that one failure will significantly derail your readiness for the next engagement.
In particular, Chuck gained a 4-time charge structure for Supers in the previous reorganization, and was changed to use the number of times for installing a signal and charging. Considering the background that the respawn process was different when the charge was full and when some of it was used, preserving the remaining count is a change closer to the operational flow than a simple convenience improvement. A reduction in reload time is also announced, so it is worth taking a look at the part about continuing basic attacks.
Melodie also includes basic attack and note damage increases. Darryl's Super damage also increases. However, it is difficult to include the three in the recommended picks for all modes for the same reason. Their roles are different, such as whether they require movement ability or whether a specific route can be used repeatedly. Rather than a signal that you absolutely need to level up a new Brawler, it is more reasonable to take this buff as a reason to bring out the Brawler you already have.
Shelly and Draco’s fundamentals, and Surge’s build choices
The increase in damage and health cannot be ignored. However, we must also look at how much the increase in numbers solves existing weaknesses.
| Brawler | Changes to note in the preview | Part to judge |
|---|---|---|
| Shelly | Normal attack damage increased by approximately 13%, Super damage increased by 12.5% | Benefits and access conditions of close combat |
| Hank | Health increased from 11,000 to 12,000 | Secure the opportunity to hold on and attack |
| Draco | Improved consistency of attacks during transformation, damage reduction from 20% to 25% | Actual hit stability and survival in transformation |
| Angelo | Reduces basic attack maximum charge time by 10% | Interval to prepare buffer attack |
| R-T | Increases basic attack projectile size by 15% | Aiming Burden and Chance to Hit |
Hank's health in the table is a Power 11 value. Even if Shelly's attack becomes stronger, the conditions for approaching an opponent from a distance do not automatically improve. As Hank's health increases, there will be situations where he can withstand additional attacks, but he cannot always be calculated to withstand one more attack. It varies depending on the opponent's damage and existing remaining health. This is why the upward rate should not be immediately changed to tier increase.
Draco's damage is not only increased, but it is also worth seeing that his attacks are adjusted to be more consistent during transformation. Even if the theoretical damage is high, if it is difficult to hit properly, it will not be as effective. The actual degree of improvement will have to be confirmed after final application, but it is meaningful that it is aimed at both numerical values and stability of use.
Surge is a mixture of upward and downward aspects. This adjustment removes the effect of immediately reaching level 5 with the Hypercharge Super, but reduces the delay in firing basic attacks and the basic cooldown of gadgets. On the other hand, Gadget Buffie's latency return rate is lowered from 50% to 30%. As basic gadgets become easier to use, the benefits of repeated use using Buffie may decrease. Which one has the greatest impact depends on your build and engagement method.
Upgrade around the roles your account needs
If you are planning to spend a lot of coins and Power Points on a Brawler that you have not trained yet, there is less reason to rush to complete a target that is expected to receive a major nerf. In particular, if you are trying to choose a specific Buffie based on its strength, it is worth considering first whether you want to use the same Brawler even if its effectiveness is lowered.
The judgment is different for the main Brawler that has already been sufficiently trained. It is one thing that it becomes difficult to win as comfortably as before the downgrade, but it is another thing that familiar controls and understanding of the map become useless. Considering the resources required to raise a new Brawler from scratch, it may be better to adjust the entry point or build of the existing main force.
If you are a returning user, it is less burdensome to first check which Brawler has already been trained. Changes that improve the flow of operations, such as preserving the remaining count of Chuck, Darryl, and Melodie, are reasons to reevaluate, but the benefits are only effective if they match the mode you usually enjoy. Conversely, if your account has an empty role that you need, such as ranged check or melee response, it may be more practical to fill that role outside of the upward list.
The changes expected in this adjustment go beyond just changing the name of the strongest Brawler. The choice to read the time when the opponent's strong skills are missing and re-engage with prepared resources becomes more important. Try applying that standard when choosing a new training target. If you are a Brawler who has a clear role in the mode you frequently play and have reasons to use it even if the core enhancement effect decreases, it is a basis for selection that will last longer than a temporary upgrade.
This article is fan content and not official material produced or approved by Supercell. Sources and terms of use for images are summarized in the data memo provided.
