Weapons in Brawlhalla are extensions of a characters kit. Each weapon has a specific area they exist to challenge the opponent. Even if one character has a weapon you are really good at, chances are it carries over to other characters with weapons you might really like as well. Note that this is a weapon by weapon basis and stats will not be considered to keep the critiques more uniform.
In order of image from left to right: Sword, Spear, Scythe, Lance, Grapple Hammer, Katars, Gauntlets, Cannon, Blasters, Axe, Bow, Orb
After this image was make Mako and Jaeyun are both Greatsword users (new weapon). Mako has Katars as well and Jaeyun has Sword.
There is no bad weapon in Brawlhalla and there really aren't any bad characters. Same with stats. It's just like using a Pokemon with two types but the weaknesses are sorted out by stats. Every weapon can be thrown in any direction and any magnitude according to where you stand in the game, with farther distances being done by how long the throw is held. You cannot hold a weapon/item throw while moving.
Terminology
Recovery (Up Heavy)
Up Air (Light)
Ground pound (Down heavy)
Down Air (Light)
Neutral Air
Side Air (Forward/Back Air)
Light hit (Jab)
Down light (Dtilt)
Side light (Ftilt/Dash attack)
Signature (Up/Side/Down Smash) These are exclusive to each character.
Weaponless
This is in every character's kit no matter what. It looks like Mii Brawler's moves in every way but Side air has some terrible range but the only option as Neutral air systematically cannot be used that far away. Jab is one button press and three hits. Recovery sends you straight up and is good for KOs. Ground pound is a spike with minimalist range. Side Signature is a punch with decent range if your opponent isn't expecting it this move is a moderately safe way to go if used right. Down Sig is bad but gravity canceled is okay for KOs but Recovery is way better at that and with less effort too.
Sword
Swords are the most basic weapon. They are essentially the same as being weaponless but with a longer hitbox. Unlike Smash they have a three hit neutral light/jab. Down air (light) doesn't send you diagonally. Ground pound (strong down air) is basically a spike that is like Toon Link's Down air but without a wind box so when it lands it doesn't push away. Down light is a two hit one button attack that combos into Side air (haven't tested). Up air is pretty good but from what I can tell juggling isn't Brawlhalla's strong suit. Leave that to Hammer and Scythe. This weapon is easy to pick up (but not if you don't get your weapon first) newbie speaking. Oh yeah and this weapon doesn't have Neutral air, resorting good players to gravity canceled light attacks or certain Signatures.
Spear
Spears are really the weirdest weapon of the bunch. They have great range and options but with not very many diagonal hitboxes without Sigs. Down light is the only one of these. Combos include: Side light->Down light(s)->Recovery or Side Air or Nair. You don't need Side light to start the combo by the way. Side air is really useful for people that are far away but you need the jump/vertical read to really land it. Down air spikes but you don't need it. Ground pound, as I mentioned in a previous blog is REAL game fuel. You need to know moderately where the opponent is but if they are anywhere off stage you should use this to abuse and refuse leads. No one in red (damage) will live. If they are lower than that you can chase after them and use it again and then they are in red. Up air does the same but sends up instead of by the sides of the character but again the hitbox is massive. Neutral air is good if you opponent is close but is has some start up and sends the opponent in odd directions. Jab and side light are good at covering ground space in front of you and doesn't do that much. Jab is like a disjoint and side light is a two hit, one button combo starter. Really fun spaghetti noodle.
Scythe
Scythe is the 200 IQ grapple weapon from the dead. It has a lot of combos I cannot begin to know but 1 and that's Side light to Down light. Ruby Rose would be jealous. Most of it's attacks have ways to outclass your attacks if you are close enough. Down light sends diagonally down. Down light sends left and right. Recovery sends up and diagonally with both players. If I were you facing a scythe I'd DI (directional influence) away. It has decent range but watch out for sigs as they typically go farther. Jab and Side air are moves that are used to space. You can do well without combos but this is a high skill cap weapon.
Lance
Lance is spacing horizontally in the utmost sense almost doing the opposite of staves but with superposition along the sides and that only really works in Brawlhalla where you get a lot of jumps to work with. Side/Up/Down aerials just move you diagonally or straight sideways essentially making you unreadable but because your hit areas are so small vertically you can really get punished in the air just throwing sticks willy-nilly. But that's really all you can do. Kind of boring and minimalist but the sigs sorta mix things up. Oh yeah, and Ground pound is super strong and catches people off guard but it functions very basically with some range.
Grapple Hammer
This is also a pretty unique but average weapon. It's like if scythes and spears/staves had a kid. They can have good range anywhere but not as much on the ground as other weapons. The aerials/sigs make up for it. Down light hits down and sends opponents up. Recovery hits up but sends down. Ground pound sends down. Up/neutral aerial sends up and can sorta juggle better than most other weapons because of the range. Down light can combo into side air, your pretty good kill move. Jab has pretty short range. Just know it has better range intersecting with the user and less diagonal range than say Sword or Greatsword.
Katars
If you like to move, and move fast you would like this weapon. Jab combos into attacks like Neutral air. Down air combos into attacks. Side light combos into attacks. It can dunk faster than any other. It has short range but ever attack moves you pretty fast except Side air. Also recovery and down light move you at a 45 degree angle making you pretty hard to catch. My favorite weapon.
Gauntlets
This one is like Katars but with a twist. It has grapple moves and sends the opponent directly diagonally down or straight up. Still close range and direct for a quick beat down. Combos include Side air first hit to Up light and Recovery, and down air to down light. It has a lot of movement options to recover as well besides what most weapons have. Side air 2 can be good a gimping too. Haven't used it too much but a good secondary weapon. Can also dunk but slower at it.
Cannon
Cannons are short range but powerful and moderately hard to get combos with. It's like Katars but with more intricate movement on basically everything. Recovery sends diagonally. Not my favorite weapon of choice but it can have a lot of range with Sigs that are insane. Kinda like Greatsword and Katars put together. Can substitute with Gauntlets in my opinion.
Blasters
These excel in moderate range but cannot always be good at close range as some attacks just don't hit at point blank. Combos are based on how well you can move around your character rather than moves just done by button press alone. Another average weapon but with some cool Sigs.
Axe
Axes have little to no combos but make up for it in damage and all around range. Recovery is diagonal and has a massive area. Jab and Side air can seal KOs. Very straightforward and can bore your opponent.
Bow
Bows are precise, combo heavy, and really fast. Common combo to go with is Side light->Down light->Light hit or Neutral air->Recovery off of Light hit. If you can preform this you mastered Bow. You can also attack diagonally in the air and dunk like all the weapons sending you and the opponent straight down. Side air is a single swipe that feels lackluster. Neutral air sends up.
Orb
Orb is short range but great at combos and damage. Side air is a solid KO tool. Side light is your main combo starter. Recovery sends diagonally. Sigs from this weapon have pretty good range. Very hard to punish as well. Solid pick and not that hard to learn.
Greatsword
Very rare weapon type as of now and only the two latest characters can use it. It has huge areas all around and can be very easily punished for it. Recovery sends up and attacks the front side of the character. The areas that hit the opponent are pretty jank. Huge Signature area too so if they want the KO they will get it.
Thank you for reading!
In order of image from left to right: Sword, Spear, Scythe, Lance, Grapple Hammer, Katars, Gauntlets, Cannon, Blasters, Axe, Bow, Orb
After this image was make Mako and Jaeyun are both Greatsword users (new weapon). Mako has Katars as well and Jaeyun has Sword.
There is no bad weapon in Brawlhalla and there really aren't any bad characters. Same with stats. It's just like using a Pokemon with two types but the weaknesses are sorted out by stats. Every weapon can be thrown in any direction and any magnitude according to where you stand in the game, with farther distances being done by how long the throw is held. You cannot hold a weapon/item throw while moving.
Terminology
Recovery (Up Heavy)
Up Air (Light)
Ground pound (Down heavy)
Down Air (Light)
Neutral Air
Side Air (Forward/Back Air)
Light hit (Jab)
Down light (Dtilt)
Side light (Ftilt/Dash attack)
Signature (Up/Side/Down Smash) These are exclusive to each character.
Weaponless
This is in every character's kit no matter what. It looks like Mii Brawler's moves in every way but Side air has some terrible range but the only option as Neutral air systematically cannot be used that far away. Jab is one button press and three hits. Recovery sends you straight up and is good for KOs. Ground pound is a spike with minimalist range. Side Signature is a punch with decent range if your opponent isn't expecting it this move is a moderately safe way to go if used right. Down Sig is bad but gravity canceled is okay for KOs but Recovery is way better at that and with less effort too.
Sword
Swords are the most basic weapon. They are essentially the same as being weaponless but with a longer hitbox. Unlike Smash they have a three hit neutral light/jab. Down air (light) doesn't send you diagonally. Ground pound (strong down air) is basically a spike that is like Toon Link's Down air but without a wind box so when it lands it doesn't push away. Down light is a two hit one button attack that combos into Side air (haven't tested). Up air is pretty good but from what I can tell juggling isn't Brawlhalla's strong suit. Leave that to Hammer and Scythe. This weapon is easy to pick up (but not if you don't get your weapon first) newbie speaking. Oh yeah and this weapon doesn't have Neutral air, resorting good players to gravity canceled light attacks or certain Signatures.
Spear
Spears are really the weirdest weapon of the bunch. They have great range and options but with not very many diagonal hitboxes without Sigs. Down light is the only one of these. Combos include: Side light->Down light(s)->Recovery or Side Air or Nair. You don't need Side light to start the combo by the way. Side air is really useful for people that are far away but you need the jump/vertical read to really land it. Down air spikes but you don't need it. Ground pound, as I mentioned in a previous blog is REAL game fuel. You need to know moderately where the opponent is but if they are anywhere off stage you should use this to abuse and refuse leads. No one in red (damage) will live. If they are lower than that you can chase after them and use it again and then they are in red. Up air does the same but sends up instead of by the sides of the character but again the hitbox is massive. Neutral air is good if you opponent is close but is has some start up and sends the opponent in odd directions. Jab and side light are good at covering ground space in front of you and doesn't do that much. Jab is like a disjoint and side light is a two hit, one button combo starter. Really fun spaghetti noodle.
Scythe
Scythe is the 200 IQ grapple weapon from the dead. It has a lot of combos I cannot begin to know but 1 and that's Side light to Down light. Ruby Rose would be jealous. Most of it's attacks have ways to outclass your attacks if you are close enough. Down light sends diagonally down. Down light sends left and right. Recovery sends up and diagonally with both players. If I were you facing a scythe I'd DI (directional influence) away. It has decent range but watch out for sigs as they typically go farther. Jab and Side air are moves that are used to space. You can do well without combos but this is a high skill cap weapon.
Lance
Lance is spacing horizontally in the utmost sense almost doing the opposite of staves but with superposition along the sides and that only really works in Brawlhalla where you get a lot of jumps to work with. Side/Up/Down aerials just move you diagonally or straight sideways essentially making you unreadable but because your hit areas are so small vertically you can really get punished in the air just throwing sticks willy-nilly. But that's really all you can do. Kind of boring and minimalist but the sigs sorta mix things up. Oh yeah, and Ground pound is super strong and catches people off guard but it functions very basically with some range.
Grapple Hammer
This is also a pretty unique but average weapon. It's like if scythes and spears/staves had a kid. They can have good range anywhere but not as much on the ground as other weapons. The aerials/sigs make up for it. Down light hits down and sends opponents up. Recovery hits up but sends down. Ground pound sends down. Up/neutral aerial sends up and can sorta juggle better than most other weapons because of the range. Down light can combo into side air, your pretty good kill move. Jab has pretty short range. Just know it has better range intersecting with the user and less diagonal range than say Sword or Greatsword.
Katars
If you like to move, and move fast you would like this weapon. Jab combos into attacks like Neutral air. Down air combos into attacks. Side light combos into attacks. It can dunk faster than any other. It has short range but ever attack moves you pretty fast except Side air. Also recovery and down light move you at a 45 degree angle making you pretty hard to catch. My favorite weapon.
Gauntlets
This one is like Katars but with a twist. It has grapple moves and sends the opponent directly diagonally down or straight up. Still close range and direct for a quick beat down. Combos include Side air first hit to Up light and Recovery, and down air to down light. It has a lot of movement options to recover as well besides what most weapons have. Side air 2 can be good a gimping too. Haven't used it too much but a good secondary weapon. Can also dunk but slower at it.
Cannon
Cannons are short range but powerful and moderately hard to get combos with. It's like Katars but with more intricate movement on basically everything. Recovery sends diagonally. Not my favorite weapon of choice but it can have a lot of range with Sigs that are insane. Kinda like Greatsword and Katars put together. Can substitute with Gauntlets in my opinion.
Blasters
These excel in moderate range but cannot always be good at close range as some attacks just don't hit at point blank. Combos are based on how well you can move around your character rather than moves just done by button press alone. Another average weapon but with some cool Sigs.
Axe
Axes have little to no combos but make up for it in damage and all around range. Recovery is diagonal and has a massive area. Jab and Side air can seal KOs. Very straightforward and can bore your opponent.
Bow
Bows are precise, combo heavy, and really fast. Common combo to go with is Side light->Down light->Light hit or Neutral air->Recovery off of Light hit. If you can preform this you mastered Bow. You can also attack diagonally in the air and dunk like all the weapons sending you and the opponent straight down. Side air is a single swipe that feels lackluster. Neutral air sends up.
Orb
Orb is short range but great at combos and damage. Side air is a solid KO tool. Side light is your main combo starter. Recovery sends diagonally. Sigs from this weapon have pretty good range. Very hard to punish as well. Solid pick and not that hard to learn.
Greatsword
Very rare weapon type as of now and only the two latest characters can use it. It has huge areas all around and can be very easily punished for it. Recovery sends up and attacks the front side of the character. The areas that hit the opponent are pretty jank. Huge Signature area too so if they want the KO they will get it.
Thank you for reading!
