Clash Royale: Every Champion Card

Champions represent the pinnacle of card rarity in Clash Royale, each boasting a unique active ability alongside their passive traits. These cards have revolutionized gameplay by adding strategic depth, making them a valuable addition to any deck. Since their introduction, Supercell has continued to expand the roster of Champions, offering players new ways to adapt and innovate their strategies.

While some Champions debuted with overwhelming power, subsequent balancing updates have tempered their dominance, making them less essential but still impactful in the right hands. Although skilled players can still secure victories without them, the inclusion of Champions in a deck allows for a wider range of tactics and unique plays. In this article, we’ll showcase all the Champion cards currently available in Clash Royale, detailing what makes them stand out. Let’s dive in!

#7: Monk

• Elixir Cost: 5
• Ability Cost: 1

Introduced alongside the Phoenix, Monk is a versatile and resilient Champion in Clash Royale, known for his ability to turn the tables against ranged attackers. As a tanky unit, Monk becomes even more formidable when his ability is activated, making him a unique strategic option.

When Monk activates his ability, he gains a protective shield that reduces incoming melee damage by 80%. The highlight of this ability is its ability to reflect projectiles back at their source, whether it’s a troop or the opponent’s Crown Tower. This can disrupt offensive strategies and punish poorly timed ranged attacks. However, while the ability is active, Monk remains stationary and deals no damage, limiting his immediate offensive potential.

Monk’s effectiveness relies heavily on timing and the opponent’s card choices. If an opponent deploys a ranged troop, Monk can create a significant advantage. However, experienced players can adapt by avoiding ranged units until Monk’s ability is no longer a threat. Despite these situational limitations, Monk’s unique mechanics make him a valuable addition to certain decks.

#6: Skeleton King

• Elixir Cost: 4
• Ability Cost: 2

Skeleton King, one of the original Champions introduced to Clash Royale, has maintained a balanced spot in the game thanks to consistent adjustments over time. He shines against ground-based swarm troops, as each defeated unit fuels his ability, making him a potent counter to spam strategies.

His ability can be triggered at any time, but it’s most effective when the bar is fully charged. Activating it spawns up to 16 Skeletons around the Skeleton King, creating an instant swarm that can overwhelm enemies and even pressure Crown Towers. This makes him an excellent choice for countering tanky units or creating chaos on the battlefield.

However, Skeleton King does have his vulnerabilities. His Skeleton army is highly susceptible to spells like Zap or The Log, which can wipe them out instantly. Additionally, a well-placed Mini P.E.K.K.A., Knight, or Valkyrie can efficiently deal with Skeleton King himself without overcommitting Elixir. While he’s a solid option for swarm-heavy strategies, players must carefully time his ability and anticipate counters to maximize his impact.

#5: Mighty Miner

• Elixir Cost: 4
• Ability Cost: 1

When the Mighty Miner was revealed, many Clash Royale players anticipated it would dominate the meta, given how effective the regular Miner can be. However, despite its intriguing mechanics, Mighty Miner has never become a must-have card due to how easily it can be countered.

Mighty Miner functions similarly to the Inferno Dragon, with its damage ramping up the longer it locks onto a target. Its ability adds a layer of strategy by allowing it to switch lanes almost instantly, leaving behind a bomb that deals significant damage. This can confuse opponents, disrupt their plans, and redirect Mighty Miner to attack from a new angle.

However, its ramp-up mechanic often takes too long to reach full potential, giving opponents ample time to deploy swarm troops or cheap counters to eliminate it. While the Mighty Miner offers unique versatility and strategic options, it requires careful timing and placement to avoid being neutralized before it can make a significant impact.

#4: Archer Queen


• Elixir Cost: 5
• Ability Cost: 1

The Archer Queen excels as a powerful support unit, thriving when positioned safely behind a wave of advancing troops. However, her low hitpoints make her vulnerable if left exposed on the battlefield.

Her signature ability grants invisibility for 3.5 seconds, during which her shots deal a staggering 180% increased damage. This burst of power can shred through high-health targets and significantly weaken crown towers, making her an offensive powerhouse when used effectively.

Despite her strengths, the Archer Queen is not without counters. Low-cost swarm troops can easily distract her, soaking up her enhanced shots and protecting valuable targets like crown towers. To maximize her potential, careful positioning and timing of her ability are key, ensuring she delivers devastating damage before opponents can deploy distractions.

#3: Goblinstein

• Elixir Cost: 5
• Ability Cost: 2

The newest Champion in Clash Royale, Goblinstein, brings a creative and versatile ability that opens up opportunities for exciting deck combinations. With his ability to counter spam units while focusing on structures, Goblinstein is an all-around strong addition to any strategy and is arguably a little overpowered at present.

When deployed, Goblinstein is accompanied by the Doctor, a supporting unit that targets any enemy troops, while Goblinstein himself focuses solely on structures. The key feature of this card lies in its ability: activating it triggers a powerful surge of electricity between Goblinstein and the Doctor, dealing substantial area damage and instantly wiping out spam units, whether they are ground or air-based. Even after Goblinstein’s destruction, the dropped antenna remains active, allowing the surge to be used again.

Goblinstein can serve as either a sturdy tank to distract defenses or as the primary offensive force, with support from synergistic cards like Firecracker, Mini P.E.K.K.A, or Prince. His versatility and unique mechanics make him a dynamic and strategic choice for players looking to dominate the battlefield.

#2: Golden Knight

• Elixir Cost: 4
• Ability Cost: 1

Although Golden Knight is not as dominant as he was during his initial release, he remains a balanced Champion in Clash Royale. His standout ability is excellent for crowd control, especially when utilized on the opponent’s side of the battlefield.

Activating Golden Knight’s ability triggers a chain dash attack. He targets the closest enemy or structure and charges toward it, dealing damage. If there are additional enemies nearby, he continues his dash to hit them as well. This chain effect can strike up to 10 targets, making him highly effective at dismantling grouped enemies. Additionally, Golden Knight becomes immune to damage while dashing, enhancing his survivability during the ability’s duration.

Despite the effectiveness of his chain attack against low to medium-health units, Golden Knight struggles against tanky opponents. His damage output is less impactful in such scenarios, making him less effective against high-health targets. Still, his ability to disrupt enemy formations and chip away at crown towers makes him a versatile and valuable card for many decks.

#1: Little Prince

• Hero Elixir Cost: 3
• Ability Elixir Cost: 3

Despite several nerfs over time, Little Prince remains the most effective Champion in Clash Royale. His versatility in targeting both ground and aerial units, combined with his unique ability, makes him a staple in many decks.

When his ability is activated, Little Prince summons Guardian, a new unit that charges forward, knocking back enemies and instantly eliminating spam units. This synergistic duo excels at crowd control, with Guardian clearing threats while Little Prince focuses on supporting him by keeping aerial attackers at bay. For a total of just 6 Elixir, this combination delivers incredible value.

Countering Little Prince can be challenging. Fireball paired with another spell or a Fire Spirit is an effective method, though it often results in an Elixir disadvantage for the opponent if Guardian hasn’t been deployed yet. Valkyrie is another solid counter, capable of handling both Little Prince and Guardian, but only if they’re close together. Even with counters available, the strategic versatility and sheer power of Little Prince make him the standout Champion in Clash Royale.

Conclusion

Champions in Clash Royale represent the pinnacle of card rarity, offering unique abilities that can shift the course of any battle. From the resilient Monk to the electrifying Golden Knight, each Champion brings its own strengths and challenges, allowing players to explore diverse strategies and playstyles. While some Champions like Little Prince dominate with their versatility and power, others like Goblinstein and Archer Queen shine in specific roles or setups.

Understanding the strengths, weaknesses, and ideal uses of each Champion is key to building a balanced deck and outsmarting opponents. Whether you’re crafting a control strategy or going full aggression, incorporating the right Champion can be the game-changer you need. As Supercell continues to refine and introduce new cards, mastering Champions remains an exciting and essential aspect of Clash Royale’s dynamic gameplay.