Quick answer: The July 2026 Brawl Stars balance patch (live July 8, 2026) changes 8 brawlers — the headline moves are R-T's attack damage jumping 67.6% (1,480 to 2,480), Mandy's attack rising to 2,960 (+13.8%), Starr Nova gaining 600 health (7,400 to 8,000), reworks that trade damage for durability on Crow (damage 640 to 840, health 6,000 to 5,600) and Bolt (Super damage 1,100 to 1,400, main attack 1,800 to 1,520), and a 38.5% cut to Ninja's Super landing damage (1,300 to 800).
The July 2026 balance patch contains 15 individual stat changes across 8 brawlers — 4 straight buffs (Mandy, R-T, Starr Nova, Griff), 1 straight nerf (Ninja), and 3 reworks that move power around inside a kit (Crow, Spike, Bolt). The direction is unmistakable: damage numbers go up, survivability numbers go down, and the community's "tanks feel weaker" verdict from the first post-patch week is backed by the list itself — not one tank was buffed, while four damage dealers hit harder than they did in June.
Complete July 2026 Changes Table
| Brawler | Change | Old | New | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R-T (buff) | Attack damage | 1,480 | 2,480 | +67.6% |
| Mandy (buff) | Attack damage | 2,600 | 2,960 | +13.8% |
| Starr Nova (buff) | Health | 7,400 | 8,000 | +8.1% |
| Starr Nova (buff) | Super sword healing | 324 | 432 | +33.3% |
| Griff (buff) | Gadget cooldown | 20s | 15s | −25% |
| Crow (rework) | Attack damage | 640 | 840 | +31.3% |
| Crow (rework) | Health | 6,000 | 5,600 | −6.7% |
| Crow (rework) | Reload speed | — | — | −14.3% |
| Crow (rework) | Poison duration | 4s | 3s | −25% |
| Spike (rework) | Attack damage | 980 | 1,120 | +14.3% |
| Spike (rework) | Super charge rate | — | — | −15% |
| Spike (rework) | Life Plant Gadget cooldown | 18s | 20s | +11.1% |
| Bolt (rework) | Super damage | 1,100 | 1,400 | +27.3% |
| Bolt (rework) | Max attack damage | 1,800 | 1,520 | −15.6% |
| Ninja (nerf) | Super landing damage | 1,300 | 800 | −38.5% |
Bolt also loses 10% Super charge rate, and his Unstoppaball Star Power now grants only 1 second of crowd-control immunity with the +15% movement bonus removed entirely.
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Which Brawlers Got Straight Buffs in July 2026?
Did R-T Get Buffed in July 2026?
Impact: massive. R-T's attack damage jumps from 1,480 to 2,480 — a 67.6% increase, the single largest number in the patch. R-T was an A-tier map specialist on the July 15 tier list; with a two-thirds damage increase on his mark-and-detonate pattern, he now threatens snipers and mid-rangers who previously traded into him for free. Expect R-T bans to appear from Diamond upward within the first two Ranked weekends.
Did Mandy Get Buffed in July 2026?
Impact: significant. Mandy's attack damage rises from 2,600 to 2,960 (+13.8%). The number matters because it moves her one-two shot thresholds: squishy brawlers in the 5,600–5,900 health band (which now includes reworked Crow) fall to two focused hits. Mandy sat in A-tier on July 15; this buff is the kind that promotes a sniper into first-pick territory on open maps.
Did Starr Nova Get Buffed in July 2026?
Impact: significant. Starr Nova gains 600 health (7,400 to 8,000, +8.1%) and 33.3% more Super sword healing (324 to 432 per tick). After June nerfed her poke damage (540 to 480), July compensates in durability — she now survives engage windows she previously lost, and her Hypercharge dash (invulnerable while dashing, from June) plus higher sustain makes her the patch's most complete S-tier holdover.
Did Griff Get Buffed in July 2026?
Impact: small. Griff's Gadget cooldown drops from 20 seconds to 15 (−25%). More Gadget windows per match is real value on control maps, but a cooldown-only change with no stat movement rarely shifts a draft on its own.
Which Brawlers Were Reworked in July 2026?
Is Crow Better or Worse After the July 2026 Rework?
Impact: massive. Crow trades survivability for burst: damage up 31.3% (640 to 840), but health down 6.7% (6,000 to 5,600), reload 14.3% slower, and poison duration cut from 4 seconds to 3 (−25%). The net effect changes Crow's job. The old Crow was a chip-and-deny attrition pick whose 4-second poison shut down healing; the new Crow is an assassin who must commit, hit harder per volley, and leave. With 5,600 health he now dies to Mandy's two-hit threshold — the two changes interact directly.
Is Spike Better or Worse After the July 2026 Rework?
Impact: significant. Spike's attack damage rises 14.3% (980 to 1,120), paid for by a 15% slower Super charge rate and a Life Plant Gadget cooldown increase from 18 to 20 seconds. Spike ranked only B-tier on July 15; the damage buff improves his lane presence, but the Super tax means fewer curveball zones per match. Verdict: better in poke matchups, worse in Super-cycling comps.
Is Bolt Better or Worse After the July 2026 Rework?
Impact: significant. Bolt is the patch's clearest power-shuffle: Super damage up 27.3% (1,100 to 1,400) while max attack damage drops 15.6% (1,800 to 1,520), Super charge slows by 10%, and the Unstoppaball Star Power keeps just 1 second of crowd-control immunity with its +15% movement bonus deleted. Bolt keeps his June wall-destroying Hypercharge identity, but the Star Power gutting removes his most frustrating engage pattern. Net: worse overall — he charges his best button more slowly and gets punished during it more easily.
Which Brawlers Got Nerfed in July 2026?
Did Ninja Get Nerfed in July 2026?
Impact: significant. Ninja's Super landing damage drops from 1,300 to 800 — a 38.5% cut, the largest percentage nerf in the patch. The Super-jump opener was Ninja's kill-confirm on squishy targets; at 800 it's an engage tool, not an execution. Ninja remains playable as a map-pressure assassin, but the free elimination on landing is gone.
Why Wasn't Surge Nerfed in July 2026?
Surge holds a 54.28% win rate across the first 19 days of the current competitive window — the highest of any S-tier brawler on our July 2026 tier list — and took zero changes in this patch. The likely reason: Surge already absorbed four separate nerfs in June (Gadget cooldown 18s to 22s, Hypercharge range 20 to 16, second-shot damage 70% to 50%, Hypercharge projectile damage 1,000 to 800), and Supercell historically waits a full season before re-nerfing. Expect Surge to stay ban-priority in Ranked through August; if his win rate holds above 54%, he leads the next balance list.
Which Brawlers Won and Lost in the July 2026 Patch?
Big winners
- R-T — +67.6% attack damage turns a map specialist into a ban candidate.
- Mandy — 2,960 damage moves her two-shot thresholds onto reworked Crow and other 5,600-health targets.
- Starr Nova — 8,000 health plus 432-per-tick sword healing makes her the safest S-tier engage pick.
Big losers
- Bolt — slower Super, weaker main attack, and a gutted Unstoppaball Star Power (1s immunity, no movement bonus).
- Ninja — the 1,300-damage landing execution is now an 800-damage poke.
- Tanks as a class — untouched by buffs while Mandy, R-T, and Crow all hit harder; the "tanks feel weaker" consensus is arithmetic, not vibes.
Small winners
- Griff — 25% more Gadget uptime.
- Spike — better laner, worse Super cycler; a wash that leans positive on open maps.
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What Should I Do After the July 2026 Patch?
If you play Crow: relearn him as a commit assassin — 840 damage per volley rewards all-ins, but 5,600 health and 3-second poison punish the old chip-and-run loop.
If you play Bolt: drop him from blind first picks; his Super-window playstyle now charges slower and dies faster.
If you play Mandy or R-T: push them now — both hit harder than their July 15 tier-list placement assumes, and Ranked lobbies take 1–2 weekends to catch up.
If you draft against Surge: keep banning him; 54.28% win rate survived the patch untouched.
If you main tanks: wait — no tank was buffed, three damage dealers were, and the next list is the earliest relief window.
Frequently Asked Questions
What changed in the Brawl Stars July 2026 balance patch?
The July 2026 patch (live July 8) changes 8 brawlers with 15 stat lines: buffs for R-T (+67.6% attack), Mandy (+13.8%), Starr Nova (+600 health), and Griff; reworks for Crow, Spike, and Bolt; and a 38.5% Super landing nerf for Ninja.
Did Crow get buffed or nerfed in July 2026?
Both — it's a rework. Crow's attack damage rose 31.3% (640 to 840), but he lost 400 health (6,000 to 5,600), reloads 14.3% slower, and his poison lasts 3 seconds instead of 4.
Is Bolt still good after the July 2026 patch?
Bolt is weaker. His Super hits harder (1,100 to 1,400) but charges 10% slower, his main attack fell from 1,800 to 1,520 max damage, and Unstoppaball now gives only 1 second of crowd-control immunity with no movement bonus.
What is the biggest buff in the July 2026 patch?
R-T's attack damage increase from 1,480 to 2,480 — a 67.6% jump, the largest single change in the patch by percentage and by raw number.
Why didn't Surge get nerfed in July 2026?
Surge took four separate nerfs in June 2026, so July left him alone despite a 54.28% win rate over the first 19 days of the window. He remains the top ban in Ranked.
Is Ninja still worth playing after the Super nerf?
Ninja remains playable as a mobility assassin, but his Super landing damage fell 38.5% (1,300 to 800), so the jump is now an engage tool rather than a kill-confirm on squishy brawlers.
Does the July 2026 patch change the tier list?
Yes — our tier list was published July 15 and already reflects the patch's early data, but Mandy, R-T, and Spike are trending up and Bolt down as post-patch results accumulate.