Gears are the quiet power spike most players get wrong. They don't add a flashy new attack like a Star Power or Gadget, so a lot of accounts run whatever they clicked first — and quietly play a weaker version of every Brawler. Picking the right two Gears is one of the cheapest, fastest upgrades in the game, and it takes about ten seconds once you know the rules. This guide covers how Gears work in July 2026 (the "Ramen Rebellion" season), what every Gear does, and the best two Gears for every Brawler archetype and the current meta picks.
Quick answer (TLDR): Every Brawler has two Gear slots — the first unlocks at Power Level 8, the second at Power Level 10 — and Gears are bought with Coins (1,000 for Super Rare, 1,500 for Epic, 2,000 for Mythic). There is no crafting, no Scrap, and no Gear levels anymore — that system was removed. The six universal Super Rare Gears (Speed, Health, Damage, Vision, Shield, Gadget Charge) are what you'll use 90% of the time. The near-universal best pair for offensive Brawlers is Damage + Shield; tanks run Speed + Health/Shield, supports run Shield + Gadget Charge. Epic and Mythic Gears are being phased out as Brawlers receive "Buffies," so buy those last. Full breakdown below.
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What are Gears in Brawl Stars?
Gears are passive bonus abilities you equip to a Brawler for a permanent buff — extra movement in bushes, a burst of healing, bonus damage when you're low, and so on. As Supercell's own support page puts it:
"Gears are passive bonuses that can be bought with Coins! Each Brawler has 2 Gear Slots available, which are unlocked at Power Level 8 and 10."
That's the whole system in two sentences, but the details matter:
- Two slots per Brawler. Slot 1 unlocks at Power Level 8, slot 2 at Power Level 10. You choose Gears before a match, not during it.
- Bought with Coins, not crafted. The old system — collecting Scrap and Gear Tokens, then crafting a Gear and upgrading it through three levels — no longer exists. Gears were reworked into a straight Coin purchase at full power. If you're reading a 2021–2022 guide that talks about "Gear Level 3" or "Scrap," it's out of date.
- They stack with everything. Gears sit alongside your Gadget and Star Power (and Hypercharge, if the Brawler has one), so a maxed Brawler is running two Gadgets to choose from, two Star Powers, and two Gears.
One thing Gears are not: they're not the season's NanoPowers. NanoPowers are temporary, pick-one-of-two in-match boosts you grab from NanoDrops during "Ramen Rebellion" events — they reset every game. Gears are your permanent build. Don't confuse the two.
How much do Gears cost, and how do you get them?
Gears come in three rarities, and the only "currency" is Coins (with an option to top up the balance with Gems if you're short). Prices are fixed:
| Rarity | Coin cost | Available to |
|---|---|---|
| Super Rare | 1,000 Coins | Every Brawler |
| Epic | 1,500 Coins | A limited set of Brawlers |
| Mythic | 2,000 Coins | Specific individual Brawlers |
Coins are the same currency you use to level Brawlers up, so Gears compete directly with power-ups for your budget. A full set of two Super Rare Gears costs 2,000 Coins per Brawler — meaningful when Coins are your bottleneck, which they are for most non-spending players. That's exactly why Gear choice matters: you don't want to burn 2,000 Coins on the wrong pair and then pay again to fix it.
Priority rule of thumb: get a Brawler to Power 9 for their Star Power first (that's the biggest single spike), then Power 10 for the second Gear slot and Gears. A Power 11 Hypercharge only matters on Brawlers that have one. For a fuller picture of who's worth investing in right now, cross-reference the current Brawl Stars tier list before you spend.
What are all the Gears in Brawl Stars? (July 2026)
Super Rare Gears (every Brawler)
These six are the core of the whole system. They're available to every Brawler, cost 1,000 Coins, and account for almost every good build in the game.
| Gear | What it does |
|---|---|
| Speed | +20% movement speed while moving through bushes. |
| Health | Recover health significantly faster while you're not taking damage (out-of-combat regen boost). |
| Damage | +15% damage while below 50% HP — a comeback buff for aggressive, low-health fights. |
| Vision | Reveals hidden enemies (in bushes) for a couple of seconds after you deal damage to them. |
| Shield | Grants a 900-HP shield that regenerates about 10 seconds after you last took damage. |
| Gadget Charge | Reduces your Gadget cooldown, letting you use Gadgets more often. |
A few of these are conditional, and that's the trap for new players: Speed only helps in bushes, and Damage only triggers below half health. On an open sniper map or a poke-heavy Brawler that never wants to be at 50% HP, those Gears do nothing. Read the condition before you buy.
Epic Gears (1,500 Coins)
Epic Gears are stronger, role-flavored effects available only to a limited set of Brawlers. The three Epic Gear types are:
- Reload Speed — reload your main attack faster (great on high-fire-rate Brawlers like Colt, Rico, 8-Bit).
- Super Charge — charge your Super faster (huge on Brawlers whose Super is the win condition, like Bull or El Primo).
- Pet Power — buffs summoned pets/turrets (Jessie, Nita, Penny and other summoners).
Mythic Gears — and why they're disappearing
Mythic Gears are Brawler-specific, cost 2,000 Coins, and do something unique for one character. Here's the catch you need to know in July 2026: Mythic and Epic Gears are being removed from the game. As Brawlers receive their "Buffies" — small permanent upgrades to a Brawler's Gadget, Star Power, and Hypercharge introduced in the December 2025 update — their Epic and Mythic Gears are retired. Supercell has been direct about it:
"All Epic and Mythic Gears will be removed once all Brawlers who have those Gears get their Buffies."
When it happens, the Gear is removed and refunded, and in some cases its effect is folded into the Brawler's base kit or one of the new Buffies. Colt, Mortis and Spike were among the first to lose theirs. The practical takeaway: don't spend 2,000 Coins on a Mythic Gear for a Brawler that's likely getting Buffies soon — you'll get the Coins back, but you're better off buying a Super Rare Gear you'll keep. When in doubt, stick to the Super Rare six.
What are the best Gears for every Brawler? (by role)
Because the six Super Rare Gears are universal, the "best build" question really comes down to archetype + map. Here's the reliable default for each role in the current meta, drawn from competitive build guides and cross-checked against community usage data:
| Role | Best Gear pair | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Tanks (El Primo, Bull, Rosa, Frank) | Speed + Health/Shield | Speed closes distance through bushes; Health/Shield keeps them alive between fights. |
| Assassins (Edgar, Mortis, Crow, Leon) | Damage + Shield | They live below 50% HP, so Damage is almost always active; Shield survives the burst. |
| Snipers/Marksmen (Piper, Belle, Bea, Mandy) | Damage + Shield | Shield eats one poke shot; Damage helps close kills. Swap Damage → Gadget Charge on maps where you never drop low. |
| Throwers (Barley, Tick, Larry & Lawrie) | Damage + Gadget Charge | Gadget Charge fuels their zoning; Damage adds chip pressure. |
| Supports (Pam, Byron, Poco, Berry) | Shield + Gadget Charge | Survive to keep healing; more Gadget uptime = more team value. |
| Controllers (Emz, Gale, Amber, 8-Bit) | Vision + Damage | Vision denies bush ambushes; Damage rewards their sustained fire. |
The one build to memorize: Damage + Shield. For the majority of offensive, mid-to-close-range Brawlers, it's the safest best-in-slot pair — Shield gives you an effective health cushion every fight, and Damage turns close trades in your favor. If you only learn one combo, learn this one.
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Best Gears for top meta Brawlers (July 2026)
For the Brawlers dominating the current meta, here are the go-to Gear pairs. Meta shifts every balance patch, so pair these with the live best brawlers by mode rankings:
| Brawler | Recommended Gears | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Colette | Damage + Gadget Charge | Gadget Charge fuels her dash; Damage stacks with her %-HP attack. |
| Edgar | Damage + Shield | Textbook assassin — nearly always below 50% HP, so Damage runs constantly. |
| Crow | Shield + Damage | Poke assassin who thrives on staying alive and chipping. |
| Piper | Damage + Shield | Shield survives the rush; Damage secures the one-shot. |
| Mortis | Damage + Shield | His old Mythic Gear is gone post-Buffies — the Super Rare pair is now standard. |
| Surge | Damage + Shield | The safe default for a squishy mid-range Brawler — Shield cushions his early game, Damage pushes trades. |
How should you spend your Coins on Gears?
Coins are scarce, so spend in this order:
- Star Power first (Power 9). The single biggest power jump — always before Gears.
- One Super Rare Gear for your main Brawlers. Usually Damage or Shield depending on role. This is your highest-value Gear purchase.
- The second Super Rare Gear (Power 10). Complete the pair on Brawlers you actually grind Trophies with.
- Epic Gears — only on Brawlers where the effect is build-defining (Reload on Colt, Super Charge on a Super-reliant tank) and that Brawler isn't about to get Buffies.
- Mythic Gears last, if at all. With the removal underway, treat these as optional — the refund makes them low-risk but low-priority.
Don't spread Coins thin across your whole roster. Fully gear your 5–8 most-played Brawlers across the modes you climb in, then expand. A half-geared Brawler you main beats a fully-geared Brawler you never touch.
Common Gear mistakes to avoid
- Running Speed on open maps. Speed only works in bushes — useless on open sniper layouts. Match your Gears to the map, not just the Brawler.
- Damage Gear on a Brawler that never drops low. It only triggers below 50% HP. On long-range pokers who fight from full, Gadget Charge or Vision is better.
- Buying a Mythic Gear right before Buffies. You'll get refunded, but you wasted the decision. Check whether the Brawler already has Buffies.
- Ignoring Shield on squishies. A flat 900-HP shield is a bigger relative buff on low-HP Brawlers than on tanks — it's one of the most under-used strong Gears.
- Forgetting to equip after unlocking. Buying a Gear doesn't auto-equip it to that slot for every mode — check your loadout before you queue.
Frequently Asked Questions
What level do Gears unlock in Brawl Stars? The first Gear slot unlocks at Power Level 8, and the second slot unlocks at Power Level 10. Each Brawler can equip a maximum of two Gears at once, chosen before a match.
How do you get Gears in Brawl Stars? You buy them with Coins from the Gear menu on a Brawler's profile — Super Rare Gears cost 1,000 Coins, Epic cost 1,500, and Mythic cost 2,000. There is no crafting: the old Scrap/Gear-Token system and the three Gear levels were removed, and Gears are now sold at full power. If you're short on Coins, you can top up the purchase with Gems.
What are the best Gears in Brawl Stars? The six universal Super Rare Gears (Speed, Health, Damage, Vision, Shield, Gadget Charge) cover almost every build. The near-universal best pair for offensive Brawlers is Damage + Shield. Tanks prefer Speed + Health or Shield, supports run Shield + Gadget Charge, and controllers like Vision + Damage.
Why are Epic and Mythic Gears being removed? As each Brawler receives their Buffies (permanent Gadget/Star Power/Hypercharge upgrades added from December 2025 onward), that Brawler's Epic and Mythic Gears are removed and refunded, with the effect sometimes folded into the base kit or a Buffie. Supercell confirmed all Epic and Mythic Gears will eventually be removed once every affected Brawler has Buffies, so prioritize Super Rare Gears.
Do Gears still have levels or need crafting? No. Gear crafting, Scrap, Gear Tokens, and the old three-level upgrade system were all removed. Gears are now a straight Coin purchase and come at maximum strength immediately.
Are NanoPowers the same as Gears? No. NanoPowers are temporary in-match boosts you pick from NanoDrops during the current "Ramen Rebellion" season events — they reset every game. Gears are your permanent, out-of-match build. Keep the two separate when planning a Brawler.
Gear effects, costs, and the Buffies rollout change with Brawl Stars balance updates — this guide reflects the game as of July 2026 (the "Ramen Rebellion" season). Facts verified against the Supercell Support Portal and the Brawl Stars Wiki, with build recommendations cross-checked against community tier data. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Supercell.
