Bounty basics: the team that protects its stars wins
Bounty is a 3v3 mode where you earn stars by taking down enemies. It looks like the team with more kills wins, but far more often the winner is the team that doesn't lose its high-bounty brawlers. The rules explain why.
The rules
- Two teams of three.
- Every brawler starts with a 2-star bounty.
- Taking down an enemy adds their bounty to your team's score, and your own bounty goes up by one. The maximum bounty is 7 stars.
- A defeated brawler respawns with a 2-star bounty.
- When time runs out, the team with more stars wins.
- A blue star sits in the middle of the map. If the score is tied, the team holding it wins.
Rules are based on the Brawl Stars Wiki. Details such as a score that ends the game early can change with updates, so check the in-game description too.
A high-bounty brawler is a walking scoreboard
A brawler with four takedowns carries 6 stars. Lose them once and the enemy gets 6 points at once, which takes three 2-star takedowns to match.
So in Bounty:
- A brawler with a big bounty should hang back and poke, not lead the charge.
- The most efficient target is the enemy with the highest bounty.
Why range matters
Bounty maps tend to have open areas, and not dying is the top priority. Brawlers who can deal damage safely from range are often strong. Close-range brawlers risk a lot unless the map has plenty of bushes and walls.
The blue star
The blue star only matters in a tie. Dying early while going for it just gives the enemy 2 free points. Also note that a brawler holding the blue star drops it when defeated.
Ahead or behind
- Ahead: no reason to force fights. Back off, let the enemy come to you, and punish them. Dying while ahead is the biggest mistake.
- Behind: the enemy is probably sitting back too. Pick their highest-bounty brawler and focus them as a team to close the gap in one go.
- Close to tied: check who has the blue star. If it's yours, ending tied is a win.
Who's winning right now
Below are the top brawlers across all current ranked Bounty maps, from PickStudy data. It updates every morning.
See each Bounty map's ranking on All Maps.
Summary
In Bounty, staying alive comes before kills. Back off when your bounty is high, focus their highest bounty, wait when ahead, and team up on one target when behind.