Short answer: Sword, Spear, Bow, Gauntlets, and Axe are Brawlhalla's most reliable weapon picks for ranked play, while Scythe, Greatsword, Battle Boots, and Blasters have the highest specialist ceiling. The strongest all-purpose Legends include Val, Queen Nai, Mako, Jaeyun, Koji, Magyar, and Red Raptor, but the best choice depends on whether you want safe neutral, explosive damage, edge-guards, or hard reads.
This ranking covers every weapon class currently available in Brawlhalla, then connects each weapon to the Legends who get the most from it. The important distinction is that a weapon's tier describes consistency, not raw damage. A lower-tier weapon can still dominate in expert hands, especially when its Legend signatures cover an obvious weakness.
Brawlhalla weapon tier list at a glance
The table below ranks weapons for 1v1 ranked matches, where neutral wins, recovery safety, edge-guarding, and matchup consistency matter more than spectacular combo videos. In 2v2, Hammer, Cannon, Blasters, and Greatsword can move up because teammates create the grounded openings those weapons want.
| Tier | Weapon | Why it ranks here | Best Legend examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | Sword | Fast neutral tools, dependable recovery, simple confirms | Koji, Val, Jiro |
| S | Spear | Excellent range, safe pokes, strong edge-guard routes | Orion, Queen Nai, Hattori |
| S | Bow | Great grounded control and reliable damage strings | Koji, Yumiko, Diana |
| S | Gauntlets | Explosive chase-dodge conversions and recovery pressure | Val, Wu Shang, Petra |
| A | Axe | High damage and broad hitboxes, with slower neutral | Ulgrim, Teros, Jiro |
| A | Scythe | Outstanding reads and offstage control, difficult confirms | Mordex, Nix, Fait |
| A | Battle Boots | Fast approach and long string potential | Red Raptor, Seven, Loki |
| A | Blasters | Excellent spacing and damage-over-time pressure | Diana, Nix, Cassidy |
| A | Orb | Flexible aerial routes and strong recovery coverage | Petra, Fait, Thor |
| B | Hammer | Huge reward and kill power, but punishable whiffs | Scarlet, Magyar, Yumiko |
| B | Cannon | Dangerous corner pressure, awkward when forced to approach | Lin Fei, Xull, Sidra |
| B | Katars | Fast strings and excellent damage building, weaker range | Asuri, Mako, Queen Nai |
| B | Greatsword | Massive damage routes, demanding timing and positioning | Jaeyun, Mako, Magyar |
| B | Lance | Strong horizontal threat, predictable against patient players | Artemis, Scarlet, Orion |
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Sword is the benchmark weapon because it rarely asks you to solve an awkward problem. Neutral light reaches quickly, down light catches grounded approaches, and side air gives you a dependable aerial poke. Its recovery is useful both as a return tool and as a way to force an opponent away from the wall. Val's Sword adds especially threatening signature coverage, while Koji's Sword rewards players who can confirm bow damage into a clean knockout.
Spear controls the space where many players try to land. Down light and side light create a sturdy grounded wall, and neutral air is excellent for intercepting jumps. Don't spam signatures: Spear's strength is that its light attacks already make opponents uncomfortable. Hattori is the speed specialist, Queen Nai brings heavy signatures and defensive stats, and Orion adds lance access for players who want a larger horizontal threat.
Bow is the best weapon for players who enjoy deliberate neutral. Down light can start grounded strings, side light checks movement, and neutral air helps protect your own jump. Koji is the cleanest all-rounder because his Dexterity supports quicker attacks, while Diana turns Bow and Blasters into a spacing-heavy kit. Yumiko is more trap-oriented, using Mine and Hammer signatures to punish predictable landings.
Gauntlets have the highest immediate reward among the S-Tier weapons. A grounded opener can become a chase-dodge sequence, then an offstage edge-guard. Their weakness is range: against Spear or Sword, careless approaches get stuffed before the string begins. Val's Gauntlets are a superb fundamentals pick; Petra gives you frightening Orb and Gauntlet damage; Wu Shang offers a slightly more forgiving stat profile for newer players.
A-Tier weapons and the Legends that maximize them
Axe is the answer when you want every clean hit to matter. Its attacks have generous threat zones and strong knockout potential, but the startup makes empty swings easy to punish. Ulgrim is the safest Axe recommendation because Lance covers a different range band. Teros is the power pick, with high Strength and signatures that can end stocks early. Jiro's Axe is less conventional, but his faster assassin statline changes how aggressively you can challenge.
Scythe is not a beginner weapon, despite appearing constantly in highlight clips. It does not hand you a conventional true-string game plan; instead, it rewards directional reads, chase dodges, and edge-guard decisions. Mordex is the famous all-round choice, pairing Scythe with Gauntlets. Nix combines Scythe with Blasters for brutal offstage coverage, while Fait uses Orb to give her a more stable grounded option. If you dislike guessing where an opponent will dodge, Scythe will feel worse than its A-Tier label suggests.
Battle Boots are fast, aggressive, and unusually good at carrying momentum across the stage. Their strings can look oppressive when the opponent burns dodge early, but experienced defenders interrupt the sequence or retreat to reset neutral. Red Raptor is the natural recommendation for players who want Boots paired with Orb, while Seven supplies Cannon for a more explosive second weapon. Loki remains a pressure-heavy choice, although his signatures are easier to punish when thrown out predictably.
Blasters reward spacing more than reaction speed. Side light, down light, and aerial attacks can stack damage while keeping opponents at the edge of your preferred range. The catch is that a missed grounded attack leaves you vulnerable to a jump-in. Diana is the best complete Blasters package, Nix adds Scythe's read-based threat, and Cassidy's Hammer gives her a way to punish opponents who finally close the distance.
Orb sits just behind the top group because its routes are flexible but less universal than Sword or Spear. It is excellent in the air and dangerous near the blast zone. Petra is the damage specialist, Fait is the read-and-spacing hybrid, and Thor offers Hammer as a hard-hitting backup. Orb players should avoid autopilot aerial pressure; grounded opponents can anti-air predictable jumps and turn your momentum around.
| Weapon | Primary strength | Main weakness | Best player profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Axe | Damage and kill power | Slow startup | Patient punisher |
| Scythe | Reads and edge-guards | Harder confirms | Adaptive mind-game player |
| Battle Boots | Approach momentum | Predictable strings | Aggressive chaser |
| Blasters | Spacing and chip damage | Weak when rushed | Neutral-control specialist |
| Orb | Aerial coverage | Less direct grounded pressure | Movement-focused player |
B-Tier weapons that still win games
Hammer has some of the best single-hit reward in the game. Its down air and side air can make offstage recoveries terrifying, while grounded strings lead to powerful kill setups. The problem is neutral: whiffing a slow attack against Sword or Gauntlets often means losing the exchange. Scarlet pairs Hammer with Lance for relentless horizontal pressure, Magyar gives it Greatsword access, and Yumiko adds trap control.
Cannon thrives when the opponent is cornered. Its explosive side air and grounded routes create nasty stage-control sequences, but it struggles to begin those sequences against someone who refuses to approach. Sidra is a balanced Cannon choice with Sword, Xull maximizes raw damage with Axe, and Lin Fei brings Katars for faster close-range scrambles.
Katars build damage quickly once you get inside, and their short-range strings are excellent against players who panic-dodge. Range is the tax. Spear, Bow, and Blasters can force you to spend too much time approaching. Asuri is the fundamentals pick, Mako combines Katars with Greatsword for massive reward, and Queen Nai's high Defense can help newer players survive failed approaches.
Greatsword is a route-planning weapon rather than a button-mashing weapon. Its connected attacks can branch into different follow-ups, but each decision requires spacing and timing. Jaeyun is the safest entry point because Sword covers his neutral gaps. Mako offers Katars for speed, while Magyar trades mobility for Defense and enormous punishment potential.
Lance remains dangerous in the hands of a player who understands horizontal spacing. Side air can dominate careless approaches, and recovery routes are threatening near the wall. It falls in the ranking because grounded opponents can bait its predictable movement and punish the landing. Artemis is the speed-and-pressure choice, Scarlet is the damage option, and Orion is the durable all-rounder.
Best Legend picks by playstyle
There isn't a single best Legend because Brawlhalla's eight-stat system changes how every weapon feels. Strength increases damage and knockback, Dexterity affects attack speed breakpoints, Defense reduces incoming damage, and Speed changes both movement and acceleration. The visible stat icons are not a substitute for fundamentals, but they do shape a Legend's progression curve.
| Playstyle | Best Legends | Weapon pairing | Why pick them |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner fundamentals | Val, Koji, Hattori | Gauntlets/Sword, Bow/Sword, Sword/Spear | Clear neutral tools and dependable recoveries |
| Maximum damage | Teros, Xull, Petra | Axe/Hammer, Cannon/Axe, Orb/Gauntlets | High Strength and explosive signatures |
| Fast pressure | Hattori, Artemis, Red Raptor | Spear/Sword, Scythe/Lance, Orb/Boots | Speed creates more approach and chase options |
| Read-heavy play | Mordex, Nix, Fait | Scythe/Gauntlets, Scythe/Blasters, Scythe/Orb | Multiple ways to punish defensive habits |
| Defensive control | Queen Nai, Magyar, Orion | Katars/Spear, Greatsword/Hammer, Lance/Spear | Defense and large threat zones reward patience |
For a first ranked main, choose Val if you want two universally useful weapons, Koji if you like Bow's spacing, or Hattori if speed matters more than raw damage. Don't bounce between ten Legends because a tier list says one signature is strong. Learn one weapon pair deeply: its neutral light range, recovery angle, common dodge follow-ups, and safest way back from the wall.
How to turn a tier-list pick into wins
Start in Training Mode with Brawlhalla's official site and set the bot to dodge randomly. Practice one grounded damage string, one anti-air, one edge-guard, and one recovery route for each weapon. The goal isn't memorizing a flashy montage combo; it's recognizing which attack remains safe when the opponent does nothing.
Weapon throws also deserve deliberate practice. A thrown weapon can interrupt a recovery, force a dodge, or buy time to return to stage, but throwing your only weapon from center stage can hand the opponent a free pickup. Against Scythe and Gauntlets, save your dodge until the attacker commits to the next read. Against Axe, Hammer, and Cannon, approach after the whiff rather than challenging the active hitbox.
Finally, optimize the basics. Brawlhalla is highly sensitive to input consistency, so prioritize a stable frame rate, low controller latency, and a comfortable key layout over decorative settings. If your PC stutters, compare the troubleshooting advice in our PC performance fixes and stutter guide. For controller players, Steam Input can help remap dodge and jump, but test every change in Training Mode before taking it into ranked.
Keep an eye on official patch notes because balance updates can move individual Legends without changing a weapon's core identity. For matchup practice, the Brawlhalla Wiki is useful for checking signatures, weapon pairings, and frame data. Tier lists are a starting point; the real ranking is the weapon you can space, recover, and edge-guard without panic.