Clash Royale: Every Champion, Ranked

Key Takeaways

Champions cards come with active abilities that require Elixir to be activated.
Some Champions were overpowered at first but nerfed, still useful.
Champions like Monk, Miner, and Skeleton King have unique abilities that can be countered.

As a seasoned Clash Royale player with countless hours spent battling it out in the Arena, I can confidently say that the Archer Queen is indeed one of the best support champions in the game. Her ability to deal massive damage while remaining hidden makes her an invaluable asset on the battlefield. However, her small hitpoints mean she needs a bit of protection from your other troops.

In the realm of Clash Royale, I’m always thrilled to encounter Champions – the rarest breed of cards, boasting both active and passive skills that set them apart. Each year, Supercell introduces a few new ones, but only a select few Champions truly embody their promised greatness.

In some instances, Champions were initially overpowered when they were launched in Clash Royale, only to be significantly weakened later on, rendering them nearly ineffective. Now, players can comfortably forgo using Champions in their decks and still secure victories. However, the inclusion of Champions in strategies offers a broader range of tactical options due to their versatility.

7 Monk

Powerful Against Ranged Damage Dealers

Hero Elixir Cost: 5
Ability Elixir Cost: 1

In the same launch as Phoenix, Monk stands out as a sturdy character within Clash Royale, and his skill makes him particularly challenging to counter for a brief period.

When Monk uses his skill, he receives an additional protective barrier, reducing melee attacks against him by 80%. Notably, this ability causes Monk to deflect any incoming projectiles, whether they’re fired from the Crown Tower or troops, back towards their source. During the active phase of this skill, Monk remains stationary and does not inflict damage on others.

In most cases, this special skill proves useful when an adversary has previously placed a troop dealing ranged damage. However, once they’ve used it once, they tend to notice the pattern and refrain from deploying ranged units while the Monk is present in the battlefield.

6 Mighty Miner

Strong Against Tanky Units

Hero Elixir Cost: 4
Ability Elixir Cost: 1

When Mighty Miner was unveiled, many Clash Royale enthusiasts anticipated it becoming the dominant strategy, given Miner’s potent capabilities. However, Mighty Miner was not universally regarded as an essential card due to its susceptibility to being outmaneuvered in gameplay.

The Mighty Miner functions similarly to an Infernal Dragon in combat. As damage is inflicted on an opponent, the Mighty Miner’s damage output escalates rapidly. Upon activation of its ability, the Mighty Miner swiftly switches lanes and moves to the opposite side of the battlefield, placing a bomb at its original position.

Although this skill can perplex adversaries, the duration it takes Mighty Miner to escalate damage is often prolonged enough for the opponent to generate spam and eliminate the Champion.

5 Skeleton King

Best For Countering Spam Units

Hero Elixir Cost: 4
Ability Elixir Cost: 2

The Skeleton King, initially one of the three founding Champions in Clash Royale, has managed to maintain a well-balanced state since its debut, thanks to periodic adjustments in the form of minor nerfs and buffs. This mighty character excels at handling swarms of ground troops effectively. Any enemy unit he eliminates will transform into a ghost, contributing towards filling his ability meter.

At your convenience, this power can be triggered; however, for optimal performance, ensure the meter is fully charged. Upon activation, the power summons as many as 16 skeletons near the Skeleton King.

This Champion is particularly effective against tough units and overwhelming crown towers. However, since skeletons can be easily eliminated by spells like Zap or The Log, a Mini Pekka, Knight, or Valkyrie alone is sufficient to handle the Skeleton King himself without being overwhelmed by Elixir.

4 Goblinstein

Best For Targeting Crown Towers

Hero Elixir Cost: 5
Ability Elixir Cost: 2

In simpler terms, the current champion boasts an innovative talent that allows for a variety of intriguing deck configurations. At present, Goblinstein seems to be stronger than intended, but his versatile skillset effectively handles swarms of common enemies and focuses on taking out the main tower.

As a devoted player, I can’t wait to unleash this card combo! When played, it summons Goblinstein and Doctor simultaneously. While Goblinstein specifically targets structures, Doctor reacts to any oncoming units. The intriguing aspect of Goblinstein is the attached antenna – when activated, a shockwave of electricity arcs from the antenna to the Doctor, damaging nearby foes and annihilating spam units (both airborne and ground-based) almost instantly. Remarkably, even if Goblinstein meets its end, the antenna will fall to the ground, still enabling the shockwave to be triggered.

As a cunning gamer, when I position my trusty Goblinstein unit right beside the King Tower, it triggers an intricate dance: both Doctor and Goblinstein will veer off into distinct paths. This strategic setup amplifies tactical possibilities, as the Surge’s influence now stretches across a broader battlefield.

At Goblinstein, you can strategically position it as a durable decoy for enemy fire, allowing your other units to attack the crown tower effectively. Alternatively, it can serve as the front-runner in an offensive strategy, reinforced by cards such as Firecracker, Mini Pekka, or Prince for added support.

3 Archer Queen

Best Support Champion

Hero Elixir Cost: 5
Ability Elixir Cost: 1

It’s most effective to capitalize on the Archer Queen by concealing her amidst a line of advancing troops. In essence, she serves as an excellent supporting character, though she has relatively low durability in combat.

The primary skill of the Archer Queen allows her to become invisible and fire stronger shots. During this phase, she remains hidden for approximately 3.5 seconds, and each shot inflicts 180% more damage than usual. This enhanced damage can significantly deplete a large portion of a castle tower’s health.

As a dedicated admirer, I must confess that the Archer Queen is quite vulnerable to inexpensive troops. These units often divert her attention, effectively shielding themselves from her potent attacks and reducing threats to the crown tower.

2 Golden Knight

Great Crowd-Control Capability

Hero Elixir Cost: 4
Ability Elixir Cost: 1

Even though Gold Knight isn’t as commonly employed in Clash Royale these days as he was during his initial release, he remains a fairly well-balanced Champion. His skill, particularly when triggered on the enemy side of the battlefield, is exceptional for managing crowds, offering impressive crowd control capabilities.

As a devoted fan, I’d express it like this: With just one strike, the Golden Knight unleashes a relentless chain attack! He charges towards the nearest foe or obstacle, delivering a solid blow. If additional enemies are within range, he won’t miss them either! This chain move can encompass up to 10 powerful attacks on 10 targets. Remarkably, during this chain, the Golden Knight is invulnerable to harm!

Instead of dealing significant damage to tanky enemies, the Golden Knight excels more at taking down troops with lower or moderate health points, while simultaneously targeting the crown tower. However, when facing tough, heavily armored units, his damage output is relatively low.

1 Little Prince

Powerful Against Aerial And Ground Threats

Hero Elixir Cost: 3
Ability Elixir Cost: 3

Despite the changes made to weaken him, Little Prince remains the top Champion in Clash Royale due to his unique ability to attack both airborne and ground-based units. This exceptional skill of Little Prince’s results in the spawning of additional units on the battlefield.

Upon being set into motion, Guardian swiftly positions itself in front, warding off adversaries, pushing them back and annihilating rapid-fire enemy units with ease. In this scenario, Little Prince serves as a protective ally to Guardian, ensuring that flying foes maintain their distance from him. This combination of abilities, all for the cost of 6 Elixir, is truly impressive.

At present, Fireball and another spell or a Fire Spirit work well against The Little Prince. However, this strategy can drain the player’s Elixir reserves if the Guardian hasn’t been used yet. Valkyrie is also an effective counter for both units, but it only works when they are close together.

2024-10-24 10:34