Best Clash Royale Cards for Challenge/Tournament (Updated)
Hello, it’s KairosTime!
In this page, I’m going to show you the best Clash Royale cards for competitive tournament play. The list shows you the current usage rates and win rates of each card in Grand Challenges.
Exploring The Best Clash Royale Cards With KairosTime
It’s been a couple of weeks since the recent balance changes and overall, I’m pretty happy with the shape of the meta. We’re starting to see different cards be used more and are even seeing less of other really popular cards.
For this Tier List, you’ll notice that I’m not going into detail as to why I moved each card. I wish I had time to type it all up (I really really do…), but I recently started Grad School and just don’t have the time to write everything up. So, if you care about the why behind the card moves, I cover each change in the accompanying video with this list!
Notes about the Win-Rates:
Mirror matchups will provide a 1 (win) and a 0 (loss) and as such, the win rates are averaged out to be closer to 50%. In addition, a “draw” will provide a 0.5 which does change things a bit.
As such, actual win rates (excluding Draws and Mirror Matchups) may be further away from 50%.
This means it is important to look at the win-rates as comparisons to each other, and use the use-rates to determine the validity of the win-rate.
Disclaimer
- This Tier List is for Competitive Tournament play. So let’s put the Ladder and Classic Challenges aside since they’re different metas and function differently
- Just because a card is in a high tier does not mean that it should be in all decks
- Just because a card is in a low tier does not mean that it can’t be used in a competitive deck
- A deck filled with High Tier cards may not be a great deck. Cards that compliment each other tend to help make the best decks, regardless of their tier
- Cards are listed by rarity, not by superiority (Legendaries first, Commons last).
- Cards in bold are cards that have been moved into a new Tier and their Old Tier is listed in parentheses
- My opinion may be different than yours and that’s just fine. What’s important is that you share your opinion so the community can benefit from it
S Tier – Excellent
S Tier cards are Excellent to use either because of their stats, versatility, or because they fit very well the current meta.
| Card | V7 Usage % | V7 Win % | Usage V7-V6 | Win V7-V6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bats | 24.60% | 69.40% | 7.10% | -0.30% |
| Electro Wizard | 24.80% | 66.40% | -4.60% | -2.20% |
| Goblin Gang | 24.60% | 68.00% | 0.80% | -2.90% |
| Ice Golem | 15.70% | 71.40% | 5.90% | -0.20% |
| Knight | 22.60% | 63.80% | -1.40% | -3.20% |
| Mega Knight | 24.30% | 70.20% | 8.40% | -4.00% |
| The Log | 31.40% | 67.40% | 0.90% | -2.20% |
| Zap | 50.90% | 66.40% | 6.20% | 1.00% |
| Royal Ghost | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Miner | 20.50% | 69.70% | 6.50% | 3.40% |
| Poison | 24.10% | 71.50% | 15.50% | 1.70% |
Note: Not all S Tier cards need a nerf. Some are “Excellent” to use because of the meta, and some are “Excellent” because they offer a lot of value to any deck.
A Tier – Very Good
A Tier cards are Very Good to use at the moment. They aren’t as game-changing as S tier cards, but are still seen in many top tier decks.
| Card | V7 Usage % | V7 Win % | Usage V7-V6 | Win V7-V6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goblins | 8.80% | 70.20% | -0.60% | 0.10% |
| Mega Minion | 15.80% | 69.50% | 5.10% | -0.20% |
| Tornado | 14.10% | 65.00% | 4.30% | 1.10% |
| Fireball | 17.40% | 61.00% | -4.50% | -2.20% |
| Goblin Barrel | 15.40% | 61.00% | -4.90% | -2.20% |
| Hog Rider | 26.30% | 62.00% | -3.30% | 0.80% |
| Ice Spirit | 20.60% | 67.80% | 2.40% | -2.50% |
| Inferno Dragon | 23.90% | 68.40% | 8.50% | 2.80% |
| Minions | 12.30% | 65.30% | -0.70% | 0.10% |
| P.E.K.K.A | 13.60% | 62.80% | -2.40% | -2.10% |
| Princess | 14.80% | 64.80% | -2.20% | -3.90% |
| Three Musketeers | 5.60% | 69.60% | 1.70% | 1.30% |
B Tier – Good
B Tier cards are Good to use, especially if they add something to your deck that you want, but there may be better options for the meta.
| Card | V7 Usage % | V7 Win % | Usage V7-V6 | Win V7-V6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunter | 0.90% | 54.20% | ||
| Skeleton Barrel | 2.70% | 72.90% | ||
| Guards | 9.20% | 72.00% | 8.30% | 12.00% |
| Arrows | 19.70% | 59.20% | -3.50% | -1.20% |
| Baby Dragon | 10.70% | 57.10% | -2.70% | -0.60% |
| Balloon | 9.10% | 56.50% | -1.40% | 1.30% |
| Battle Ram | 5.50% | 69.50% | 0.50% | 1.90% |
| Executioner | 10.80% | 63.00% | -1.50% | -2.10% |
| Giant | 8.10% | 65.60% | 1.20% | 3.60% |
| Golem | 10.50% | 66.50% | 0.30% | -0.30% |
| Graveyard | 6.40% | 63.70% | 0.50% | 3.70% |
| Ice Wizard | 10.20% | 61.60% | 0.70% | 0.00% |
| Inferno Tower | 11.40% | 62.30% | -5.90% | -3.60% |
| Lumberjack | 8.50% | 63.90% | -1.50% | -1.30% |
| Minion Horde | 16.80% | 59.50% | -2.30% | 2.50% |
| Night Witch | 12.20% | 69.40% | 1.00% | -0.80% |
| Rocket | 11.20% | 63.70% | -1.60% | -5.10% |
| Tesla | 4.10% | 65.60% | 2.60% | 2.50% |
| X-Bow | 2.20% | 63.70% | 1.00% | 2.30% |
| Bandit | 13.30% | 68.30% | -2.70% | -3.20% |
| Elixir Collector | 12.40% | 69.10% | -0.70% | -1.70% |
C Tier – Fair
These cards can be used well but they are usually put into a deck to finish the deck off or with the deck built around making them work. There are likely better options in higher tiers.
| Card | V7 Usage % | V7 Win % | Usage V7-V6 | Win V7-V6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zappies | 0.20% | 58.50% | ||
| Goblin Hut | 4.40% | 70.50% | 3.40% | 16.00% |
| Prince | 8.80% | 58.60% | 2.20% | 10.50% |
| Archers | 6.30% | 59.90% | -1.20% | -1.80% |
| Bowler | 2.10% | 62.80% | -0.80% | -1.10% |
| Cannon Cart | 0.90% | 59.20% | 0.60% | -12.00% |
| Dark Prince | 2.50% | 59.70% | -0.60% | 1.90% |
| Dart Goblin | 1.40% | 58.10% | -0.60% | -7.10% |
| Flying Machine | 2.10% | 72.90% | N/A | N/A |
| Furnace | 3.80% | 65.70% | 0.70% | 1.00% |
| Lava Hound | 3.50% | 60.00% | -0.50% | -0.20% |
| Mortar | 1.80% | 63.60% | 0.80% | 0.40% |
| Musketeer | 5.50% | 62.30% | -1.00% | 3.30% |
| Skeleton Army | 19.00% | 54.30% | -9.70% | -2.10% |
| Skeletons | 2.40% | 62.50% | -0.40% | -1.00% |
| Valkyrie | 8.20% | 52.40% | -4.00% | -2.40% |
| Witch | 9.10% | 48.70% | -3.50% | -2.80% |
| Wizard | 16.00% | 51.20% | -8.50% | -1.80% |
| Lightning | 4.20% | 67.50% | -3.50% | -1.30% |
| Mini P.E.K.K.A | 5.10% | 57.40% | -2.10% | -2.20% |
| Sparky | 4.20% | 54.80% | -1.70% | -6.10% |
| Tombstone | 3.60% | 64.20% | -0.30% | -2.10% |
F Tier – Poor
F Tier cards are Poor options to use either because of their stats, how situational they are, or because they don’t fit well into the current meta.
| Card | V7 Usage % | V7 Win % | Usage V7-V6 | Win V7-V6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbarian Hut | 0.50% | 54.70% | 0.10% | 2.30% |
| Barbarians | 1.60% | 59.90% | -0.40% | 0.70% |
| Bomb Tower | 0.20% | 52.40% | 0.00% | 4.30% |
| Bomber | 1.60% | 48.10% | -1.00% | -5.40% |
| Cannon | 2.20% | 73.00% | 0.60% | 11.40% |
| Clone | 3.10% | 49.60% | -1.00% | -1.70% |
| Elite Barbarians | 5.40% | 52.70% | -4.60% | -3.70% |
| Freeze | 2.00% | 47.30% | -0.20% | -3.30% |
| Giant Skeleton | 4.10% | 48.90% | -0.50% | -2.90% |
| Heal | 0.40% | 66.00% | 0.10% | 5.10% |
| Mirror | 3.60% | 47.30% | -2.90% | -0.70% |
| Rage | 4.70% | 47.00% | -2.30% | -0.70% |
| Royal Giant | 0.90% | 57.30% | -0.30% | 2.60% |
| Fire Spirits | 4.80% | 54.90% | -2.80% | -0.90% |
| Spear Goblins | 2.30% | 48.80% | -0.20% | -0.60% |
Note: F Tier cards can be used in a competitive deck, but the deck typically needs to be built around making them work, and they will still be inconsistent in competitive matches. Not all F Tier cards need a buff in my opinion (Especially the RG and EBarbs). Refer to the “Buff List” to see which cards I think need a direct buff.
S Tier – Excellent
S Tier cards are Excellent to use either because of their stats, versatility, or because they fit very well the current meta.
Note: Not all S Tier cards need a nerf. Some are “Excellent” to use because of the meta, and some are “Excellent” because they offer a lot of value to any deck.
A Tier – Very Good
A Tier cards are Very Good to use at the moment. They aren’t as game-changing as S tier cards, but are still seen in many top tier decks.
| Card | V6 Usage % | V6 Win % | Usage V6-V5 | Win V6-V5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bandit (S) | 16.0% | 71.5% | -10.4% | 17.3% |
| Elixir Collector | 13.1% | 70.8% | -5.5% | 16.1% |
| Fireball | 21.9% | 63.2% | 4.9% | 15.9% |
| Goblin Barrel | 20.3% | 63.2% | 2.4% | 13.5% |
| Hog Rider | 29.6% | 61.2% | 6.4% | 13.6% |
| Ice Spirit | 18.2% | 70.3% | -3.8% | 18.8% |
| Inferno Dragon (B) | 15.4% | 65.6% | 1.8% | 14.8% |
| Miner (S) | 14.0% | 66.3% | -9.0% | 12.1% |
| Minions | 13.0% | 65.2% | -7.2% | 11.5% |
| P.E.K.K.A (S) | 16.0% | 64.9% | -6.8% | 12.1% |
| Poison | 8.6% | 69.8% | -7.90% | 16.1% |
| Princess | 17.0% | 68.7% | -1.1% | 17.6% |
| Three Musketeers | 3.9% | 68.3% | -5.3% | 11.5% |
B Tier – Good
B Tier cards are Good to use, especially if they add something to your deck that you want, but there may be better options for the meta.
| Card | V6 Usage % | V6 Win % | Usage V6-V5 | Win V6-V5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arrows | 23.2% | 60.4% | 6.9% | 14.1% |
| Baby Dragon | 13.4% | 57.7% | 2.7% | 13.3% |
| Balloon | 10.5% | 55.2% | -1.4% | 5.2% |
| Battle Ram | 5.0% | 67.6% | -4.2% | 12.5% |
| Executioner | 12.3% | 65.1% | 5.0% | 20.7% |
| Giant | 6.9% | 62.0% | 1.4% | 16.4% |
| Golem | 10.2% | 66.8% | 0.3% | 18.3% |
| Graveyard (C) | 5.9% | 60.0% | 1.8% | 15.8% |
| Ice Wizard | 9.5% | 61.6% | 3.0% | 18.0% |
| Inferno Tower | 17.3% | 65.9% | 3.4% | 17.6% |
| Lightning (A) | 7.7% | 68.8% | -4.9% | 19.2% |
| Lumberjack (C) | 10.0% | 65.2% | 4.2% | 20.1% |
| Mega Minion | 10.7% | 69.7% | -1.7% | 19.1% |
| Mini P.E.K.K.A | 7.2% | 59.6% | -0.5% | 11.8% |
| Minion Horde | 19.1% | 57.0% | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Night Witch | 11.2% | 70.2% | 1.7% | 20.1% |
| Rocket | 12.8% | 68.8% | -2.7% | 18.1% |
| Sparky (F) | 5.9% | 60.9% | 4.3% | 20.5% |
| Tesla (F) | 1.5% | 63.1% | 1.2% | 26.0% |
| Tombstone | 3.9% | 66.3% | 0.3% | 17.1% |
| Tornado | 9.8% | 63.9% | 2.2% | 19.4% |
| X-Bow | 1.2% | 61.4% | -0.3% | 13.7% |
C Tier – Fair
These cards can be used well but they are usually put into a deck to finish the deck off or with the deck built around making them work. There are likely better options in higher tiers.
| Card | V6 Usage % | V6 Win % | Usage V6-V5 | Win V6-V5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archers | 7.5% | 61.7% | 2.0% | 18.3% |
| Bowler | 2.9% | 63.9% | 0.0% | 18.2% |
| Cannon Cart (F) | 0.3% | 71.2% | -0.1% | 23.7% |
| Dark Prince (B) | 3.1% | 57.8% | -0.3% | 6.1% |
| Dart Goblin | 2.0% | 65.2% | 0.7% | 21.7% |
| Fire Spirits | 7.6% | 55.8% | 2.8% | 13.9% |
| Flying Machine | 0.7% | 62.2% | N/A | N/A |
| Furnace | 3.1% | 64.7% | -0.2% | 16.5% |
| Guards | 0.9% | 60.0% | 0.0% | 15.5% |
| Lava Hound (B) | 4.0% | 60.2% | -0.4% | 10.7% |
| Mortar (F) | 1.0% | 63.2% | -0.2% | 16.4% |
| Musketeer | 6.5% | 59.0% | 2.5% | 18.0% |
| Skeleton Army | 28.7% | 56.4% | 12.8% | 14.0% |
| Skeletons | 2.8% | 63.5% | 0.1% | 18.2% |
| Spear Goblins (F) | 2.5% | 49.4% | 1.2% | 11.2% |
| Valkyrie | 12.2% | 54.8% | 6.9% | 14.7% |
| Witch | 12.6% | 51.5% | 6.8% | 12.2% |
| Wizard | 24.5% | 53.0% | 13.7% | 13.3% |
F Tier – Poor
F Tier cards are Poor options to use either because of their stats, how situational they are, or because they don’t fit well into the current meta.
| Card | V6 Usage % | V6 Win % | Usage V6-V5 | Win V6-V5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbarian Hut | 0.4% | 52.4% | -0.3% | 5.5% |
| Barbarians | 2.0% | 59.2% | 0.1% | 18.2% |
| Bomb Tower | 0.2% | 48.1% | 0.0% | 8.6% |
| Bomber | 2.6% | 53.5% | 1.1% | 15.5% |
| Cannon | 1.6% | 61.6% | 0.7% | 21.0% |
| Clone | 4.1% | 51.3% | 1.9% | 10.8% |
| Elite Barbarians | 10.0% | 56.4% | 3.8% | 14.7% |
| Freeze | 2.2% | 50.6% | 0.4% | 12.6% |
| Giant Skeleton | 4.6% | 51.8% | 2.4% | 10.8% |
| Goblin Hut | 1.0% | 54.5% | 0.1% | 8.8% |
| Heal | 0.3% | 60.9% | -0.3% | 15.2% |
| Mirror | 6.5% | 48.0% | 2.8% | 6.8% |
| Prince | 6.6% | 48.1% | 2.8% | 8.9% |
| Rage | 7.0% | 47.7% | 3.0% | 10.0% |
| Royal Giant | 0.012 | 0.547 | 0.3% | 16.9% |
Note: F Tier cards can be used in a competitive deck, but the deck typically needs to be built around making them work, and they will still be inconsistent in competitive matches. Not all F Tier cards need a buff in my opinion (Especially the RG and EBarbs). Refer to the “Buff List” to see which cards I think need a direct buff.
My Credentials
I’ve been playing Clash Royale since the Beta and have a PB of 5246 (Not relevant to Tournament Gameplay, but people will ask).
I’ve won 12 rounds of every special event CR has had and I can consistently win GC’s (My challenge record is 14 challenges in a row).
I made it past Phase 1, and made it 5 Rounds into Phase 2 of the CCGS.
Finally, I’ve contributed several in-depth Strategy Guides on Clash Royale. Here are my 3 most recent guides:
Counter Every Deck – Two Triangle Theory
Ultimate Guide to Elixir Management
Do you consider yourself a highly competitive tournament player?
I’d love your expertise in helping ensure this Tier List is as accurate as possible! Send me a DM for details on how you can help with polishing this list before it comes out!
Competitive Collaborators who helped make this list as accurate as possible:
- General NX
- Henry Ren
- TeamAerieCR
- Batman94cr
- ToufixCR
- Blaze Stone (from ClashRoyaleArena)
- ARGLE BARGLE
- Just Adarsh
- Kenichi
- Bassie1
- Hastin Kapoor
- And many more Silent Collaborators!
The Best Clash Royale Cards Right Now:
- Royal Ghost
- Electro Wizard
- Mega Knight
- The Log
- Ice Golem
- Miner
- Bats
- Goblins
- Goblin Gang
- Knight
- Poison
Thanks so much for reading! I can’t wait to see your responses!
I’ll get to responding to comments as soon as I’m done getting my YouTube video promoted!
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