Buster, the Mythic movie projector Tank from the Protector class, is Brawl Stars’ ultimate frontline shield. With piercing cone light attacks that shred close-up, a frontal barrier Super that blocks and reflects enemy projectiles, and a team-charging Trait for rapid Supers, Buster anchors teams in objective modes. Buster holds a solid 53.2% win rate and 3.5% use rate across ranked (topbrawl data), shining in Masters with 54-56% WR in Heist/Hot Zone.
Dive with reflect counters or heal your squad? This wow-detailed 2025 guide covers PL11 stats, meta builds, maps, counters, pro plays.
Buster Stats (Power Level 11)
Tanky health, medium cone pierce, slowish reload—position for max DPS!
| Stat | Value (PL11) |
|---|---|
| Health | 4,800 |
| Attack Damage | 1,380 (close; drops at range) |
| Super Damage | Constant reflect (no scale) |
| Range | 5.33 tiles (medium) |
| Super Range | Frontal barrier (short deploy) |
| Reload Time | Moderately slow (~1.7s) |
| Movement Speed | Fast (770) |
Trait: Super charges 2.5%/s per ally in 2.83-tile radius (5%/s w/1 ally).
Abilities Breakdown
Main Attack: Lens Flare
Cone-shaped light wave pierces enemies—max 1,380 dmg close, falls off at range. 0.35s cooldown for spam.
Super: Montage
3s frontal reel barrier blocks/deletes projectiles (piercing too), reflects as counter reels (constant dmg, 0.25s CD). Breaks walls? No. Vulnerable to lobs/melee.
Hypercharge: Plot Armor
360° circular barrier (same rules), +20% speed, +5% dmg/shield. God-tier for surrounded teams.
Best Builds for 2025 (Ranked Meta)
Slo-Mo Replay + Kevlar Vest dominates (88%/76% picks)—pull + CC immunity for +2-4% WR.
| Build Type | Gadget | Star Power | Gears (Top Picks) | Win Rate Boost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontline Tank | Slo-Mo Replay (pull 3 tiles) | Kevlar Vest (-10% dmg/immune CC) | Damage (36%) / Shield (22%) / Speed | +3% |
| Team Sustain | Utility Belt (691 heal/ally) | Blockbuster (+15% dmg/ally) | Shield / Damage / Health | +2% |
| Showdown | Slo-Mo Replay | Kevlar Vest | Speed / Vision / Damage | Top Solo |
Damage Gear: 15% extra <50% HP.
Best Game Modes & Maps (December 2025)
Barrier shines vs projectiles in teamfights.
| Mode | Win Rate | Use Rate | Top Maps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heist | 56%+ | High | Hot Potato |
| Hot Zone | 54% | High | Open Business |
| Knockout | 54.7% | Med | Enclosed chokes |
| Bounty | 52% | Med | Hideout |
| Trio SD | 55% | Low | Lilypond Grove |
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros:
- Tanky + reflect wrecks projectile comps (Rico, Colt).
- Trait rapid-fires Supers in teams.
- Pull Gadget + cone = close shredder.
- HC 360° survives dives.
Cons:
- Slow reload punished by melee.
- Super weak to lobs/area/melee (no block).
- Short duration (3s), interruptible.
- Range falloff.
Counters & Synergies
| Counters (Hard) | Why? | Easy Matchups |
|---|---|---|
| Melee (Fang, Mortis) | Bypass reflect | Projectile spam (Rico, 8-Bit) |
| Lobs (Brock S, Amber) | Ignore barrier | Tanks (Frank peel) |
| Area (Emz, Doug) | No projectile | Grouped squishies |
Team Synergies: Healers (Byron, Gus), divers (Edgar, Kit).
Synergies & Alternative Brawlers
Buster’s barrier + Trait thrive with poke/divers—pull enemies into reflect hell. Top 2025 pairs: healers for sustain, assassins for cleanup.
Best Synergies:
- Edgar & Mortis (S-Tier dives): Leap/dash reflected foes.
- Tara & Kit: Pull/attach into cone + barrier.
- Shelly & Cordelius: Close shred post-reflect.
- Byron/Poco: Heal Trait radius for immortality.
Alternatives (Tank Supports):
- Frank: Bigger shield, stun.
- Hank: True tank, but no reflect.
- Rosa: Self-sustain brawler.
Master cluster: Edgar, Mortis, etc.!
Advanced Tips & Tricks (Pro Plays)
- Reflect Angle: Face enemy projectiles—counter Rico bounces!
- Slo-Mo Dive: Pull → cone spam for 1v1 wins.
- Trait Stack: Hug allies for <20s Supers.
- Heist Clutch: Barrier safe, reflect turret shots.
- HC Surround: Plot Armor in 1v3—360 reflect frenzy.
- Kevlar Bait: Tank CC, heal w/ Utility Belt.
- Bush Ambush: Cone pierce from cover.
Masters: Damage Gear low-HP bursts.
Patch History (2025 Highlights)
- Oct 28: HC standardized (20% speed/5% shield from 25%).
- Apr 30: Health 5,000→4,800; Utility Belt heal nerf (720→691).
- Jun 30 (Arena): Brawl Arena dmg/health nerfs. Dec: Stable meta tank.
Skins Spotlight
- Chainsaw (default fierce)
- True Silver/Gold (shiny classics)
- Crocodile (Rumble Jungle)
- Equilibrium (Supercell Make/Brawl Unite)
- Blessed (Angels vs Demons)
- Biker (City Troubles) Shop: Themed rotations!
Final Verdict: Is Buster A-Tier in 2025?
A-Tier protector (53.2% WR)—reflect + Trait make him meta staple vs poke. Nerfs balanced him perfectly for Ranked anchors!
Your Buster reflect highlight?
