Assassins in Brawl Stars are built to create sudden advantages. They close distance, burst a target and escape before the opponent can reset. In 2026, the strongest assassin is not automatically the one with the biggest damage number: mobility, approach tools, matchup spread and objective value decide whether a dive actually wins a game.
Assassin Tier List at a Glance
| Tier | Brawlers | Draft profile |
|---|---|---|
| S | Leon, Cordelius, Melodie, Kenji, Crow | Reliable approach tools, strong finishing pressure and useful resets or control. |
| A | Mortis, Fang, Lily, Buzz, Stu, Shade | High carry potential with clearer map, timing or matchup requirements. |
| B | Edgar, Mico, Sam, Alli, Gigi, Kaze, Nori, Starr Nova | Specialists or newer kits that need the right geometry, build or player mastery. |
S Tier: Consistent Dive Threats
Leon
Leon combines stealth, burst and flexible range. Invisibility lets him choose the timing of a fight instead of announcing every approach. Use the Super to secure an isolated target or force defenders away from an objective, not to dive blindly into grouped enemies.
Cordelius
Cordelius can remove a key opponent from the main fight and create a temporary numbers advantage. His threat is greatest when he tracks enemy escape tools and chooses a target whose disappearance changes the objective. Avoid wasting the Super on a low-value target.
Melodie
Melodie’s mobility and repeatable dash pressure let her enter, deal damage and reposition before a team can focus her. She excels around open objectives with multiple approach angles. Her tier drops when enemies can chain stuns or hold every exit.
Kenji
Kenji rewards timing and target selection with a threatening close-range pattern plus sustain potential. He can turn a successful first hit into a full wipe, but should not start fights into stacked control. Use cover to reach the first target safely.
Crow
Crow applies poison, reduces healing windows and uses mobility to finish weakened enemies. He is less about one instant deletion and more about making every retreat unsafe. Track enemy health and keep the jump available for escape as often as for offense.
A Tier: Strong and Draftable
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Mortis remains a premier cleanup assassin when he can chain dashes through low-health enemies, but wasteful entries leave him without an exit. Fang converts one confirmed hit into a fast chain and is excellent against grouped targets; watch for stuns and knockbacks. Lily creates surprise pressure with her mobility and is strongest when bushes or side lanes hide her approach.
Buzz brings stun threat and lane control around walls or water, while Stu uses repeated short dashes to outplay slower opponents and contest objectives. Shade can exploit walls and unusual movement angles, but his value depends heavily on whether the map gives him safe routes. These picks are excellent when the draft reveals a clear target.
B Tier: Matchup Specialists
Edgar can punish teams without a dependable anti-dive answer, yet predictable jumps are easy to bait. Mico and Sam reward mechanical practice and close-range timing, while Alli, Gigi, Kaze, Nori and Starr Nova should be judged against the current map and balance values because their newer kits have less long-term matchup data.
B tier is not a ban list. It means you should know why the pick works before locking it. If the enemy has layered control, open sight lines or a tank that denies your entry, choose a safer assassin or another role.
Best Assassins by Mode
- Gem Grab: Crow, Leon and Cordelius can pressure the carrier, but never trade your life for a low-value chase.
- Brawl Ball: Fang, Mortis, Buzz and Melodie create goal openings after defenders spend their control tools.
- Knockout: Leon, Lily and Kenji reward patience and isolated picks; one failed dive can end the round.
- Bounty: Crow and Leon can finish wounded targets, while Mortis is best used as a cleanup threat.
- Hot Zone: Melodie, Fang and Buzz can displace defenders, but coordinate the entry instead of feeding the zone.
- Heist: Fang, Mortis or Edgar can punish a weak defense, yet objective damage is worthless if the counter-push reaches your safe.
How to Build and Engage
Wait for Information
An assassin’s most valuable resource is uncertainty. Track enemy ammo, Super charge and escape gadgets before you reveal yourself. Ask a teammate to poke first, then enter when the target has fewer answers.
Keep an Exit
Do not spend every dash, jump or invisibility tool on the approach. Reserve one movement option for the moment a second enemy arrives. A failed kill with an escape is recoverable; a trade that loses the objective usually is not.
Draft for Follow-Up
Pair an assassin with a controller or marksman who can punish the space you create. Your job is often to force defenders to turn, not to secure every elimination alone.
How to Counter an Assassin
Protect the backline with overlapping control, keep lanes lit with vision and avoid splitting so far that no teammate can trade. Save a stun, knockback or burst gadget for the moment the assassin commits. After a failed dive, push the opposite side while their mobility tools are recharging.
Common Mistakes
- Jumping first: wait until the target’s escape or stun is unavailable.
- Chasing tanks: switch to a softer target or pressure the objective instead.
- Using Super on cooldown: save it for a confirmed kill, isolation or escape.
- Ignoring ammo: enter during reload windows, not into three loaded attacks.
- Copying old tier lists: check the patch and current map rotation first.
Related LDPlayer Brawl Stars Guides
Compare this class with our Brawl Stars tier-list hub, Damage Dealer tier list and Marksman tier list. For numeric updates, read the Brawl Stars balance changes guide.
Competitive context is available in LDPlayer’s Last Chance Qualifier preview and Esports 2027 overview.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Is the Best Assassin in 2026?
Leon, Cordelius, Melodie, Kenji and Crow are the strongest general recommendations in this baseline. Map geometry and the enemy’s control tools still decide the final pick.
How Many Assassin Brawlers Are There?
The current category page lists 19 Assassin brawlers, including newer names such as Alli, Gigi, Kaze, Nori and Starr Nova.
Are Assassins Good for Beginners?
Crow and Buzz provide clearer feedback and safer utility than a pure all-in pick. Mortis, Mico and Kenji require more timing practice.
Why Did an Assassin Move Tiers?
Balance changes, new Hypercharges and map rotations alter access to targets and escape routes. Recheck official notes after each major update.
Conclusion
Assassins are strongest when they control the moment of contact. Start with Leon, Cordelius, Melodie, Kenji or Crow on maps that reward hidden approaches; choose Mortis, Fang, Lily, Buzz, Stu or Shade when the draft gives you a clear target; and use B-tier specialists only with a defined plan.
Keep this tier list living: check balance notes, test your build on the current rotation and judge success by objective wins rather than highlight-reel eliminations.
