Shelly, the iconic starter Brawler from the Fighter class, is Brawl Stars’ ultimate close-range shredder. With her devastating shotgun blasts, piercing knockback Super, and versatile builds, Shelly dominates bushes, chokepoints, and teamfights—especially post-November 12 maintenance, where she saw no changes, maintaining her steady meta presence. Shelly holds a 51.6% win rate and 2.1% use rate (top #8 popularity), with over 3M+ picks analyzed.
Perfect for beginners unlocking her mastery or pros climbing Masters (35k+ trophies), this guide breaks down stats, top builds, modes, counters, and pro strats. Pair with our Mortis Guide and Brawl Stars Parent’s Guide for the full cluster!
Shelly Stats (Power Level 11)
Shelly boasts moderate health, blistering reload (fastest in game), and medium range—ideal for bush ambushes.
| Stat | Value (PL11) |
|---|---|
| Health | 3,900 |
| Attack Damage | 1,640 (9 pellets; scales with hits) |
| Super Damage | 1,960 (piercing) |
| Range | 6.33 tiles |
| Super Range | 9 tiles |
| Reload Time | 1.2s (very fast) |
| Movement Speed | Fast (770) |
Base PL1 scaled; shotgun pellets deal full damage close-up.
Abilities Breakdown
Main Attack: Buckshot
Fires a wide 9-pellet shotgun spread—max 1,640 damage point-blank, dropping with distance. Excels vs squishies; poke from bushes.
Super: Super Shell
Massive piercing shotgun blast knocks back enemies and destroys cover. 33% larger with Hypercharge for teamfight wipes.
Hypercharge: Double Barrel
Super fires 12 pellets (vs 9), +20% speed, +5% damage/shield. Charge rate standardized post-2025 updates.
Best Builds for 2025 (Ranked Meta)
Fast Forward + Band-Aid reigns supreme (52-62% picks). Focus sustain and mobility for dives.
| Build Type | Gadget | Star Power | Gears (Top Picks) | Win Rate Boost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bush Ambush | Fast Forward (dash + full reload) | Band-Aid (30% heal <40% HP) | Damage / Shield / Gadget CD | +7.8% |
| Team Shred | Clay Pigeons (focused 10-tile shots 5s) | Shell Shock (Super slows 350pts 2s) | Shield / Damage / Health | +3-5% |
| Showdown | Fast Forward | Band-Aid | Speed / Vision / Damage | Top Solo |
Fast Forward: 52% pick (+7.8% WR); Band-Aid: 51-62% (+3.4% WR); Shield/Damage Gears dominate.
Best Game Modes & Maps (November 2025)
Shelly thrives in close-quarters; Gem Grab queen at 54.6% WR.
| Mode | Win Rate | Use Rate | Top Maps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gem Grab | 54.6% | High | Undermine, Safe Zone |
| Brawl Ball | 51% | High | Pinball Dreams |
| Showdown | 50.5% | Med | Starkfield, Dumping Ground |
| Hot Zone | ~52% | Med | Close-quarters zones |
| Heist | Lower | Avoid | Tanks block safe |
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros:
- Insane close DPS: Melts squishies/tanks.
- Fast reload + Super pierce/knockback.
- Bush king: Ambush one-shots.
- Beginner-friendly yet high skill-reward.
Cons:
- Falls off at long range.
- Predictable spread punished by kiters.
- Weak vs tanks if peeled.
- Low mobility without Gadget.
Counters & Synergies
| Counters (Hard) | Why? | Easy Matchups |
|---|---|---|
| Piper, Brock, Rico | Snipe/kite shotgun range | |
| Frank, Darryl | Tank through pellets | Squishies (Crow, Leon) |
| Kit (Bell, Clancy) | Dodge + poke | Clumped teams |
Team Synergies: Tanks (El Primo/Frank) frontline; healers (Poco) for sustain.
Advanced Tips & Tricks (Pro Plays)
- Pellet Max: Strafe close for 100% hits—practice vs bots.
- Bush Rotations: Camp gems/power cubes; Fast Forward escape.
- Super Chain: Clay Pigeons poke > Super knock > follow-up shred.
- Brawl Ball: Super goal bombs; Band-Aid clutch saves.
- Hypercharge Dives: Double Barrel clears teams + speed boost.
- Gear Swap: Gadget CD for spammy FFs; Vision for Showdown bushes.
- Counter-Juke: Dash perpendicular to snipers.
Masters tip: Band-Aid bar ready? Dive aggressively—30% heal wins 1v1s.
Patch History (2025 Highlights)
- Nov 12: Neutral (Ollie/Mina nerfs shake meta).
- Oct 28: Nerf (unspecified; shield/gadget tweaks).
- Sep 3/28: Buffs (gadget homing?).
- Hypercharge: Added earlier 2025; standardized charges.
Stable mid-meta; no Nov shifts.
Skins Spotlight
- Princess Shelly (Brawl Pass premium)
- Stellar Shelly (cosmic glow)
- Hoot Hoot Shelly (owl-themed cute)
- Sheriff Shelly (western classic)
- Witch Shelly (Halloween fave)
- True Silver/Gold for shine. Shop rotations: Dancer variants!
Final Verdict: Is Shelly A-Tier in 2025?
Strong A-Tier starter—51.6% WR cements her as reliable for all ranks. Not meta-dominant like Mortis, but unmatched for newbies pushing trophies. Unlock mastery fast!
Drop your Shelly records below.
