Supercell will be replacing Power League with a new 'Ranked' game mode that will offer Brawl Stars players a "more rewarding, more fun, and more fair" gameplay experience.
Say goodbye to Power League and say hello to the new Ranked mode in Brawl Stars! Ranked is a new competitive game mode that will be replacing the age-old Power League mode which has been in state of a much-needed rework for some time now. Supercell has given insight into these changes in the February 2024 edition of Brawl Talk.
Starting in the March 2024 'Sands of Time' season, the new Ranked mode will be available for all players to enjoy. It features a whole new set of rules, match formats, and gameplay modifiers that are aimed at balancing the competitive experience and keeping the game mode fresh.
On top of this, a new reward system will be in place to encourage players to participate in each Ranked season. This includes offering players more consistent rewards and a new type of Starr Drops.
The Ranked mode is set to be one of the biggest changes we will ever see in Brawl Stars. It will certainly take some time getting used to, but it is one that could ultimately shift the game in a better direction.
Better Rules & Format For New Ranked Mode In Brawl Stars
For starters, Ranked seasons are one month long. This would be much shorter than the two-month reset available in the Power League.
Secondly, new brawler selection rules will be in place. In Ranked mode, you can only select brawlers who are Power Level 9 or above. This change is meant to limit the possibility of players griefing their teammates by using low-level brawlers.
Thirdly, the match rules for Ranked mode will be slightly different than in the Power League. From Bronze to Gold rank, the Ranked mode matches will be structured to be a best-of-one and have no banning phase (similar to Mega Pig). The Brawl Stars team reasons that this is meant to make his new competitive scene "a lot friendlier for casuals".
From Diamond to Masters rank, the matches will be a best-of-three and have a ban phase. You will only be able to upgrade to Diamond if you have at least 12 brawlers who are Power Level 9 or above.
In addition to these match rule changes, the Solo and Team queues have been removed. Now, you will be able to play solo, in a duo, or as part of a team of three. If you play solo against a team, then the matchmaking will be adapted to make the match more balanced.
A new cosmetic feature for Ranked mode will also be in place to allow you to see how many points you have earned or lost after a match.
At the start of every season, your rank will be reset. This may seem unfair to some, but to compensate for this, a "Rank boost" will be offered every new season that enables you to climb to the rank you were at in the previous season much faster. This boost will only be provided if you played a single Ranked game in the previous season.
On a separate note, the Report System has also been greatly improved. When reporting, you have three options (Bad Random, Grief Play, and Cheating) to choose from. Should the offending player receive enough reports, they can be temporarily suspended from playing Ranked mode.
Modifiers Will Be Added To The New Ranked Mode
You heard that right – modifiers will be present in the new Ranked mode. It may be a controversial addition considering that modifiers tend to be RNG-based, as seen in previous game modes where modifiers were present. However, the Brawl Stars team has assured that these Ranked modifiers will be predictable and will affect both teams equally.
One of three modifiers will be randomly chosen to affect your match. This list of modifiers will be refreshed each season.
The Ranked mode modifiers are:
- Quick Fire: When an attack hits the target, you reload a single ammo bar.
- Time Detonation: The map environment will progressively get destroyed.
- Big Friend: All brawlers have their HP equal to the highest HP brawler in each team.
- Barbed Ammo: All damage leaves a DoT in a similar fashion to Byron's attack.
- Sick Beats: All brawlers are immune to all forms of crowd control AoE effects such as slows and stuns.
The goal of these modifiers is to encourage more decision-making which was sorely absent from the Power League. Ultimately, it is up to players to adapt their brawler picks to the modifier and map chosen.
Again, many players may disagree with this move but the Brawl Stars team believes modifiers will make the Ranked gameplay experience more exciting. They will monitor this mode for the next two seasons, keep track of community feedback, and look at the data. If they believe these changes have had a negative effect, they will "be ready to change it."
New Reward System For Ranked Mode
The Ranked mode will have a new reward system wherein they offer players Starr Drops as rewards. This was surely what many players expected, however, there is a major twist. A new type of Starr Drop exclusive to Ranked mode will be available: The Ranked Starr Drop.
In it, you have a chance of unlocking one of the previous Power League season cosmetic assets or Bling. There are only cosmetic rewards in the Ranked Starr Drop. If you participated in the previous Power League seasons and have collected all the cosmetics, you will get Bling instead.
With each season of Ranked mode lasting only one month, you will be able to collect more rewards in a shorter time period compared to the previous Power League format.
Also, the skin of the season will exclusively be available in these Ranked Starr Drops. If you find it in your drop, you will get it for free. Purchasing options are no longer a thing in the new Ranked reward system.
Every skin that is added to Ranked Starr Drops will remain there forever. This means you have a chance to unlock previous skins of the season no matter the season you are in.
Besides Ranked Starr Drops, you can also earn Legendary Starr Drops. The first one can be unlocked at Diamond rank.
A new Ranked cosmetic reward for your Battle Card will also become available. It will automatically be applied once you reach a new rank. Each rank has three variations, and they will get an extra upgrade each time you reach the same rank in a different season. You have the option to deactivate this cosmetic from appearing if you wish.