This strange desert dweller is the last of its kind… or is he…? Spike is a Legendary Brawler with low health but high damage.
Strengths
- Excellent at crowd control
- Good damage
- Super slows down enemies
- Can shoot around walls
Weaknesses
- Low health
- Not a very long range
- Suffers in an open map
Upgrade Priorities
- Super – Spike’s Super is the strongest aspect about him. It has a large radius and both slows enemy troops and deals damage. His main use is for crowd control, and his Super is a great example of that. It also pairs well with AoE brawlers like Dynamike or Barley.
- Attack – The stronger the attacks the quicker his Super will charge, and the quicker your opponents will die. Many underestimate Spike but he can deal a lot of damage if unchecked.
- Health – Even though he doesn’t have that much health, both Attack and Super should be prioritized first. A mere 30 health per upgrade isn’t going to do much, especially since Spike hides behind walls most of the time.
Strategies
Heist
In Heist game mode, Spike isn’t too strong. He is pretty much useless on offense but does serve a purpose on defense. Due to his amazing crowd control, Spike can basically shut down the middle aisle in most maps. However, when it comes to damaging safes, he falls short. He can’t break walls or shoot over them and deal enough damage to the safe. It’s hard to get Spike all the way into the enemy base, so Spike rarely helps on offense.
Bounty
Spike performs pretty well in maps like Outlaw Camp and Star Gulch but suffers in open ones where there are few walls. It all depends on the map since Spike isn’t good for close combat and would easily die to brawlers such as Bull or El Primo in Snake Prairie.
Showdown
Although Spike certainly isn’t the best, he does do pretty well in Showdown. There are a ton of walls, so Spike can easily shoot from behind them. However, when it comes down to the final 3 or 4, close combat is key and Spike usually dies. In Showdown crowd control isn’t too important as well, meaning Spike’s biggest strength isn’t used that much.
Brawl Ball
Spike is one of the best options for Brawl Ball, as most of the time brawlers are clumped up or in the vicinity of each other. This makes his Super really effective. His only weakness is his low health, so he would make for a terrible ball-carrier. Instead, try and support the main tank on your team and finish off opponents from behind a wall.
Smash and Grab
This is where Spike shines. Controlling the center gem mine is the key to winning this game mode, so crowd control is key. If your team has control of the center, Spike can shoot into the grass to ward off and enemies, or stay behind walls waiting to use his Super. If the enemy team has control of the center of the map, use your Super on all of them to quickly finish them off with the help of a splash attacker.
Matchups
Shelly
Spike is decent against Shelly because she doesn’t have too much health. As long as you stay behind walls and hit around them, then Shelly won’t be able to get to you, even though she has a longer range.
Colt
Do not engage Colt in an open area. He will absolutely demolish you and you won’t be able to hit him once due to his long-range. That’s why you take cover behind walls, and since Colt’s bullet can’t ricochet, you’re fine.
Nita
This is a decent matchup unless Nita pulls out her bear. Then there is nothing you can do because close combat situations aren’t where you shine.
Dynamike
This is also a tough matchup. Try and engage Dynamike semi-openly. Make sure there are walls nearby. The reason for this is because Dynamike can shoot over walls and you can’t, so you want to eliminate that as much as possible.
El Primo
Keep your distance from El Primo, and hit him from afar. If he uses his Super on you, there’s pretty much nothing you can do.
Bull
Same thing as El Primo. Bull’s Super will allow him to close the gap between you and finish you off. Walls are your best bet, but he can destroy those too.
Brock
You have the advantage over Brock because his missiles are only good in open maps. The moment you take him to a place with walls, Brock suffers and can’t hit you. Unless he uses his Super, in which you run and find another spot to engage in combat.
Barley
Same as Dynamike. Do not fight behind walls because Barley will demolish you.
Jessie
Also a favorable matchup. Jessie can’t hit you if you are taking cover behind a wall, and your Super directly counter hers. Jessie’s turret is pretty much useless since both of your take-ups can easily finish it off.
Poco
A decent matchup. Beware of Poco’s wide range, so take him to a spot where that doesn’t matter. It’s the same as for many other brawlers, where you hit them from behind a wall and they can’t get you.
Ricochet
Ricochet has the upper hand here. Walls are not your friend because his bullets can ricochet off them and finish you off. In an open field, you are also vulnerable to his bullets and long-range, so this matchup isn’t good for you.
Bo
Bo’s arrows have a decent range, but they can’t hit brawlers behind walls. The only thing you need to beware of is his Super. His mines could finish you if you are caught unaware, but that’s pretty much it. It doesn’t matter that Bo has more health because you can always snipe him around obstacles.
Piper
You are only weak to Piper in the open. Other than that, you’re fine. The only way Piper is dangerous is if she uses her Super to destroy the walls you are hiding behind, in which case you find other obstacles.
Pam
Pam causes some trouble. Her wide range of bullets can quickly finish you off, even though they only deal 40 damage. Pam has a lot of health, so it’s difficult to take her down. The only advantage you have is that your Super counters hers. When Pam places down her healing station and all her teammates are there, put your Super right on top of it, effectively negating the healing and slowing down the enemy team.
Mortis
This is a hard matchup because even though you can find safety behind walls against other brawlers, this isn’t the same for Mortis brawl stars. His fast movement speed can make him dash around the obstacles and finish you off. Mortis excels in close quarters whereas you suffer.
Tara
There are 2 things that you need to be aware of against Tara. 1 is her long-range and piercing attack, 2 and is her Super. It can pull you out of your comfort zone and into the open, right where she wants you to be. A well-placed Super can also destroy the walls you are hiding behind.
Crow
Another favorable matchup. Crow has relatively low health and low damage. You can snipe him from around corners, but beware of his long-range and faster speed. Crow’s Super isn’t too useful in this scenario because a few of your attacks will finish him off when he lands.
Spike
The winner of this mirror matchup is simply determined on skill. Whoever can find the better positioning to get the upper hand on the other Spike will win.
Conclusion
In the end, Spike is an amazing crowd controller. His Super is simply a beast if used and placed correctly. He also ranks pretty well in all game modes except heist. Being 1 of the 2 legendaries in the game, Spike is a unique character and often underestimated because so few have him.
Submitted by Harkan.
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