Brawl Stars’ November 2026 release notes deliver a broad balance pass, but a few changes stand far above the rest. Shade and Gus receive multi-part nerfs that affect their survivability, pressure, and utility, while Draco gets a major Super upgrade. Shelly, Hank, Chuck, Melodie, and several others also move upward.
Supercell notes that when main attack or Super damage changes, Super charge is generally adjusted to preserve the previous number of hits needed, unless the notes say otherwise. That detail prevents a raw damage increase from automatically becoming a hidden charge-rate buff.
Shade receives the hardest overall nerf
Shade loses health, Super uptime, shield strength, and gadget efficiency in the same update. Health drops from 3,700 to 3,400, Super charge rate falls by 12%, and Super duration shrinks from six seconds to four. Shade’s area-based trait charge is reduced by 13% as well.
Jump Scare now has a 24-second cooldown instead of 18 seconds, and its shield falls sharply from 1,000 to 400. Hardened Hoodie also drops from 30% damage reduction to 20%.
The likely result is less room for aggressive chaining. Shade will have fewer opportunities to enter safely, remain empowered, and escape with shields intact. Players who used Super duration to force extended fights will need to choose engagements more carefully.
Gus loses much of his map control
Gus can now keep only three spirits on the map instead of ten. His Super charge rate is reduced by 8%, while Knockback Spirit’s cooldown jumps from 18 to 26 seconds and its damage falls from 540 to 260.
Healing Bonanza’s bonus healing drops from 75% to 50%, its Buffie spirit movement speed is cut in half, and the Hypercharge Buffie projectile becomes 15% smaller. Together, these changes reduce how often Gus can threaten space while still supporting teammates.
The three-spirit cap is the most immediately visible change. It limits long-term setup and should make old spirit fields easier for opponents to read and clear.
Amber, Max, and other notable nerfs
Amber’s Super damage over time falls from 480 to 400, and her Hypercharge Super radius drops from 1,600 to 1,200. Dancing Flames moves from a 14-second to a 20-second cooldown. Fire Starters also receives a longer cooldown and a lower-health barrel.
Max loses Super charge from movement, a second of shield duration from Super Charged, and frequency on Sneaky Sneakers. The gadget’s active duration falls from three seconds to two. Maisie’s main attack damage drops from 1,500 to 1,360, Brock’s Hypercharge rate falls by 28%, and Colette’s second Hypercharge Super projectile generates 75% less Super charge.
These are not all equal in practice, but each targets repeated access to a high-impact tool rather than only shaving a tiny amount of base damage.
Draco leads the buffs
Draco’s Super is updated for more consistent damage application. Its damage rises from 1,120 to 1,620, while its damage reduction increases from 20% to 25%. On paper, that makes the transformation more threatening and more durable at the same time.
Shelly’s main attack damage increases from 300 to 340 and her Super damage from 320 to 360. Hank gains 500 health, moving from 5,500 to 6,000. Ziggy’s main attack climbs from 950 to 1,050, although The Great Ziggini Star Power bonus falls from 18% to 7%, making Ziggy’s change more mixed than the “buff” section label suggests.
Chuck’s reload improves from 2,000 to 1,800, and both Chuck and Darryl no longer lose unused Super charges on death. Melodie receives higher main and note damage and keeps unused Super charges after being defeated. Those retention changes should make a lost fight less punishing in the next engagement.
Important reworks and mixed changes
Surge’s Hypercharge Super no longer grants an immediate level-five upgrade, but main attack unload speed improves and Power Shield’s cooldown is reduced. Squeak gains main attack and Super damage while Chain Reaction’s bonus drops from 15% to 10%.
Cosmo receives more health but a weaker, slower Telescope Trap. Damian’s jump speed falls, while both regular and fire punch damage rise. These mixed packages require more than a simple “buff” or “nerf” label because they move power between abilities.
What players should do first
Read the complete official November 2026 release notes before spending resources based on a single tier list. The update also contains Brawl Arena-specific tuning and rotation changes that do not apply identically to standard modes.
If you main Shade or Gus, adjust your build around less frequent gadgets and shorter windows of safety. Draco players should test whether the more consistent Super changes previously awkward matchups. Shelly and Hank players can expect clearer stat gains without learning a new mechanic.
The update also introduces seasonal content beyond balance. If you are returning after October’s events, our guide to the Brawl Stars Loony daily rewards explains the earlier six-win bonus structure, but the November notes are the source to use for the current balance values.