Quick answer: The August 4, 2026 Brawl Stars maintenance nerfs 8 brawlers with zero general buffs — Surge (unload speed 400 to 470, Power Shield ammo 2 to 1), Damian (Super speaker bounce halved 800 to 400), Starr Nova (health 4,000 to 3,700), Max, Bolt, 8-Bit, Crow, and Griff — and rebalances 23 NanoPowers (9 nerfs, 14 buffs) two days before Windstock Fusions went live on August 6.
Newer patch available (September 1, 2026): Supercell has since shipped the September 2026 update — a Chuck rework, 19 buffed and 12 nerfed brawlers, two new brawlers (Cosmo and Vince), and Brawler Blast replacing Starr Road. This page stays accurate for the August 4 maintenance; for the current balance state read the September 2026 update guide.
The August 4, 2026 maintenance contains 45 individual balance changes — 22 general nerf lines across 8 brawlers, 9 NanoPower nerfs, and 14 NanoPower buffs — plus 7 bug fixes, and not one general buff anywhere on the list. It is a pure correction patch: five of the eight nerfed brawlers (Surge, Starr Nova, Max, 8-Bit, Crow) had already been nerfed at the July 8 maintenance, and the other three (Damian, Bolt, Griff) had been untouched since the June 30 update; August walks that power back further. The timing matters more than usual — the Windstock season (Season 53, August 6 to September 3) launched two days later with Fusions, which are unlocked through Smoothie Drops, carry their own 3 Fusion Powers (2 fuse at random at match start), and replace a brawler's NanoPower when gained — so every NanoPower line below governs the brawlers that have not yet rolled a Fusion.
Complete August 2026 Changes Table
| Brawler | Change | Old | New | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Surge | Main attack unload speed | 400 | 470 | +17.5% slower |
| Surge | Power Shield Gadget reload ammo | 2 | 1 | −50% |
 Damian | Main attack fire punch damage | 1,000 | 800 | −20% |
| Damian | Main attack explosion damage | 500 | 400 | −20% |
| Damian | Super speaker bounce damage | 800 | 400 | −50% |
| Damian | Super speaker health | 2,000 | 1,500 | −25% |
 Starr Nova | Health | 4,000 | 3,700 | −7.5% |
| Starr Nova | Main attack reload speed | 1,400 | 1,600 | +14.3% slower |
| Starr Nova | Floaty Time Gadget decay rate | 10s max | 7s max | −30% duration |
| Starr Nova | Power Level: Maximum damage per stack | 5% (30% cap) | 4% (20% cap) | −33.3% at cap |
 Max | Super charge rate | 92 | 80 | −13% |
| Max | Phase Shift (Buffie) second-dash window | 3s | 2s | −33.3% |
 Bolt | Super shield | 40% | 30% | −25% |
| Bolt | Trait: Super charge from moving | — | — | −23% |
 8-Bit | Super charge rate | 99 | 80 | −19.2% |
| 8-Bit | Extra Credits Gadget cooldown | 15s | 18s | +20% |
| 8-Bit | Plugged In (Buffie'd) ally speed bonus | 15% | 10% | −33.3% |
 Crow | Main attack damage | 380 | 320 | −15.8% |
| Crow | Slowing Toxin Gadget damage | 1,600 | 1,200 | −25% |
 Griff | Piggy Bank Gadget explosion radius | 800 | 600 | −25% |
| Griff | Piggy Bank (Buffie) bonus radius | 25% | 30% | +5pp (compensation) |
| Griff | Keep the Change Star Power spread | — | — | +55% wider |
Stat values are Supercell's published base-level numbers from the official maintenance notes.
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Which Brawlers Were Nerfed in August 2026?
Did Surge Get Nerfed in August 2026?
Impact: significant. Surge's main attack unload speed slows from 400 to 470 (+17.5%) and his Power Shield Gadget now reloads 1 ammo instead of 2. This is Surge's second pass in four weeks: the July 8 maintenance cut four Hypercharge and Gadget lines (Power Shield cooldown 18s to 22s, Hypercharged Super range 6.67 to 5.33 tiles, Stage 5 Hypercharge damage 1,000 to 800, Buffied second shot 70% to 50%) without touching his base kit, and he stayed ban-priority through July. August finally hits the base kit. The unload nerf costs him close-range burst races, and half a Gadget refund guts his most efficient defensive trade — but neither change touches his upgrade loop, so expect Surge to fall from must-ban to strong pick rather than out of the meta.
Did Damian Get Nerfed in August 2026?
Impact: massive. Damian takes the heaviest hit of the patch — four separate lines. Both main-attack components drop 20% (fire punch 1,000 to 800, explosion 500 to 400), his Super's speaker bounce damage is halved from 800 to 400, and the speaker itself loses 25% health (2,000 to 1,500). On top of that, his 1st NanoPower's punch size shrinks from 0.5 to 0.3 (−40%). The Super was Damian's zone-control identity; at 400 bounce damage with a 1,500-health speaker, opponents can now walk it down and break it. Expect Damian to drop a full tier on the next tier list refresh.
Did Starr Nova Get Nerfed in August 2026?
Impact: massive. Starr Nova loses on four general lines plus a NanoPower: health falls from 4,000 to 3,700 base — exactly reverting the June 30 update's +300 health buff (3,700 to 4,000) — reload slows from 1,400 to 1,600 (+14.3%), Floaty Time's decay rate rises 50% (max duration 10s to 7s), and Power Level: Maximum drops from 5% damage per stack capped at 30% to 4% capped at 20%. Her 2nd NanoPower slash range also shrinks from 1.5 to 1. This is her third consecutive balance list (June 30 health buff, July 8 poke nerf with base-form damage 540 to 480, August full walk-back), and the Power Level cap cut is the real story: her late-game damage ceiling falls by a third.
Did Max Get Nerfed in August 2026?
Impact: significant. Max's Super charge rate drops from 92 to 80 (−13%) and her Phase Shift Buffie's second-dash window tightens from 3 seconds to 2. Her 2nd NanoPower's Super speed boost also falls from 150% to 100%. All three changes tax the same resource — Super uptime — which is the entire Max gameplan. She keeps her speed identity but cycles it noticeably less often.
Did Bolt Get Nerfed in August 2026?
Impact: significant. Bolt's Super shield drops from 40% to 30% and his trait now charges 23% less Super from moving. This is the second patch to hit him in five weeks — the June 30 update already cut his max attack damage 15.6% (900 to 760) and gutted Unstoppaball, and the July 8 maintenance left him alone. August attacks the last thing that made him frustrating: passive Super generation. Bolt has now lost Super charge speed, Super durability, and attack damage across the June 30 and August 4 patches; he is no longer a blind-pick.
Did 8-Bit Get Nerfed in August 2026?
Impact: significant. 8-Bit's Super charge rate falls from 99 to 80 (−19.2%), Extra Credits' cooldown rises from 15 to 18 seconds, and the Buffie'd Plugged In ally speed bonus drops from 15% to 10%. A bug fix in the same maintenance also stops Extra Credits from shooting over walls — a shadow nerf worth as much as the stat lines on wall-heavy maps. His consolation prize: the 2nd NanoPower's Super area jumps from 35% to 50%, so turret-focused builds keep a Fusion-relevant upside.
Did Crow Get Nerfed in August 2026?
Impact: significant. Crow's main attack damage drops from 380 to 320 (−15.8%) and Slowing Toxin's damage falls from 1,600 to 1,200 (−25%). The June 30 update rebuilt Crow as a commit-assassin, buffing his dagger damage 31% from 320 to 420; the July 8 maintenance trimmed that to 380, and August returns him to his pre-June 320 while the rework's health cut and 3-second poison stay in place — leaving him the least favorable version of the trade: still committed to all-ins, now with less reward per volley.
Did Griff Get Nerfed in August 2026?
Impact: small. Griff's Piggy Bank explosion radius shrinks from 800 to 600 (−25%, with the Buffie's bonus radius nudged from 25% to 30% as partial compensation) and Keep the Change's projectile spread widens by 55%, cutting his long-range consistency. His base kit and the June 30 update's 15-second Coin Shower cooldown buff are untouched, so this trims his wall-break and snipe reliability without changing his role.
Which NanoPowers Were Nerfed in August 2026?
| Brawler | NanoPower | Change | Old | New |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Sirius | 2nd | Shadow health buff | 40% | 30% |
| Sirius | 3rd | Shadow spawn time | 8s | 16s |
 Frank | 3rd | HP buff | 50% | 35% |
 Alli | 1st | Enrage reload speed | 60% | 45% |
 Ziggy | 2nd | Super area | 50% | 35% |
| Damian | 1st | Punch size | 0.5 | 0.3 |
| Max | 2nd | Super speed boost | 150% | 100% |
 Tick | 1st | Main attack extra mines | 2 | 1 |
| Starr Nova | 2nd | Slash range | 1.5 | 1 |
Sirius is the only brawler hit twice — his 3rd NanoPower's shadow spawn time doubles from 8 to 16 seconds, the single largest relative nerf in the patch (+100%). Tick losing 1 of 2 extra mines and Starr Nova losing a third of her slash range are straight 33–50% cuts to what those picks were taken for.
Which NanoPowers Were Buffed in August 2026?
| Brawler | NanoPower | Change | Old | New |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Belle | 1st | Projectile bounce range | 50% | 120% |
 Tara | 2nd | Super Shadow health | 8,500 | 10,000 |
 Fang | 1st | Popcorn drop cooldown | 3s | 1.5s |
 Mr. P | 1st | Main attack size | 40% | 50% |
 Sprout | 1st | Main attack size | 30% | 40% |
 Buzz | 3rd | Hypercharge charge buff | 50% | 100% |
 Bo | 3rd | Super charge buff | 25% | 40% |
 Edgar | 2nd | Super auto-charge speed | 100% | 150% |
| 8-Bit | 2nd | Super area | 35% | 50% |
 Mortis | 3rd | Heal from damage dealt | 30% | 40% |
 Rico | 1st | Bouncing gumball cooldown | 3s | 1.5s |
 Penny | 1st | Burst projectile range | 50% | 100% |
 Barley | 1st | Main attack size | 20% | 30% |
 Angelo | 3rd | Main attack charge speed | 40% | 50% |
The buff list has a clear shape: 14 buffs, and 6 of them (Belle, Penny, Mr. P, Sprout, Barley, Angelo) enlarge or extend main attacks on mid-tier ranged and thrower picks. The headline numbers are Belle's bounce range more than doubling (50% to 120%), Penny's burst range doubling (50% to 100%), and the Super-economy trio — Buzz's Hypercharge NanoPower doubling to 100%, Edgar's auto-charge jumping to 150%, Bo's Super charge to 40%.
Why Do the NanoPower Changes Matter More in Windstock?
Windstock (Season 53, live August 6 to September 3) activates Fusions. A Fusion is unlocked through Smoothie Drops and comes with its own 3 Fusion Powers, 2 of which fuse at random at the start of each match; when a brawler gains a Fusion, it replaces that brawler's NanoPower, because Fusions are the more powerful variant. That has two consequences for this rebalance: the 23 NanoPower lines above do not compound inside Fusion pairs, and they remain the live power layer for every brawler that has not yet rolled a Fusion — which in the first week of Windstock is most of the roster. Edgar, Buzz, and Bo — whose buffed NanoPowers generate Supers and Hypercharges passively — are the clearest winners while you wait on Smoothie Drops.
What Bugs Did the August 4 Maintenance Fix?
The maintenance shipped 7 fixes alongside the balance pass:
- Ability effects now apply while respawn protection is active.
- Meg's Heavy Metal Star Power only heals her when her Super actually hits an opponent.
- 8-Bit's Extra Credits Gadget can no longer shoot over walls (a functional nerf on wall maps).
- Nori can jump over obstacles after his attack fully charges with his 1st NanoPower equipped.
- Nori's Super no longer cancels when thrown while dashing.
- Nori's dash no longer breaks Gene's Super.
- Assorted text and description corrections.
Three of seven fixes target Nori — his dash interactions were the buggiest mechanic of the Ramen Rebellion season, and two of the three fixes (Super-cancel and the NanoPower jump) are effectively small buffs to his consistency.
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Which Brawlers Won and Lost in the August 2026 Patch?
Big losers
- Damian — four general nerfs plus a 40% smaller NanoPower punch; his halved Super bounce (800 to 400) removes the zone-control threat.
- Starr Nova — health revert, slower reload, weaker Gadget, and a damage cap cut from 30% to 20%; five total lines.
- Sirius — both meaningful NanoPowers nerfed, including a doubled 16-second shadow spawn.
- Surge — the predicted correction landed; slower unload and half a Gadget refund end his must-ban status.
Small losers
- Bolt — Super-economy cuts on top of the June 30 damage cut; no longer a blind-pick.
- Max and 8-Bit — matching ~13–19% Super charge taxes on Super-dependent kits.
- Crow and Griff — reliability trims that soften their June 30 gains without changing their roles.
Big winners
- Edgar — 150% Super auto-charge is the strongest passive NanoPower in the game heading into Fusion pairs.
- Belle and Penny — bounce range 50% to 120% and burst range 50% to 100% turn both into long-lane NanoPower priorities.
- Buzz and Bo — doubled Hypercharge generation and +60% relative Super charge on two already-playable picks.
- Throwers as a class — Sprout, Barley, and Mr. P all get 10-point attack-size increases in the same patch.
What Should I Do After the August 2026 Balance Changes?
If you play Surge: keep playing him — he lost burst racing and Gadget economy, not his upgrade engine. Expect fewer bans, which means you'll actually get to pick him.
If you play Damian or Starr Nova: shelve them until the next tier list data lands; both lost their win conditions, not just stats.
If you play Bolt, Max, or 8-Bit: budget for slower Super cycles — all three lost 13–23% of their charge economy.
If you're still on NanoPowers in Windstock: prioritize Edgar, Buzz, and Bo — passive charge-rate NanoPowers stay live until a Smoothie Drop replaces them with a Fusion.
If you play throwers: push Sprout and Barley now; 10-point attack-size buffs are quietly large on lob patterns.
Frequently Asked Questions
What changed in the Brawl Stars August 4, 2026 maintenance?
The August 4 maintenance shipped 45 balance changes — 22 nerf lines across 8 brawlers (Surge, Damian, Starr Nova, Max, Bolt, 8-Bit, Crow, Griff), 9 NanoPower nerfs, 14 NanoPower buffs — plus 7 bug fixes. There were no general buffs.
Did Surge get nerfed in August 2026?
Surge was nerfed twice: main attack unload speed slowed from 400 to 470, and his Power Shield Gadget now reloads 1 ammo instead of 2. It follows the four Hypercharge and Gadget nerfs of July 8 and ends the run that made him the top ban through July.
Is Damian still good after the August 2026 nerfs?
Damian is significantly weaker: both attack components lost 20%, his Super's speaker bounce was halved (800 to 400), the speaker lost 25% health, and his 1st NanoPower punch shrank 40%. He is the patch's biggest loser and likely drops a full tier.
Were there any buffs in the August 2026 patch?
No brawler received a general buff — the only buffs are 14 NanoPower changes, led by Belle (bounce range 50% to 120%), Penny (burst range 50% to 100%), Edgar (Super auto-charge 100% to 150%), and Buzz (Hypercharge charge 50% to 100%).
Did Starr Nova get nerfed again in August 2026?
Starr Nova took 5 nerf lines — her third straight month on the balance list. The health cut (4,000 to 3,700 base) exactly reverts the June 30 buff, and her Power Level: Maximum cap fell from 30% to 20% bonus damage.
Do the August NanoPower changes affect Fusions in Windstock?
Not directly — a Fusion (live August 6 with Season 53, Windstock) fuses 2 of its own 3 Fusion Powers and replaces the brawler's NanoPower when gained, so the 23 NanoPower changes apply only to brawlers that have not yet unlocked a Fusion through Smoothie Drops.
Where did Supercell publish the August 2026 balance changes?
On the official Brawl Stars blog: the Release Notes June 2026 page, updated August 3, 2026, carries the complete "Maintenance – August 4" list (45 balance changes plus 7 bug fixes) directly under the "Maintenance – July 8" list, so one page holds every change from June 30 through August 4.