Updated November 15, 2026 · applies to Clash Royale Season 89 ("King vs. King", November 2 – December 7, 2026). The last balance change was Supercell's October 19 update, and Supercell said there would be no balance pass at the start of the November season. Win rates and usage come from RoyaleTracker's card tier list (third-party, updated November 14, 2026).
Quick answer: The best cards in Clash Royale right now are Cannon Cart (53.9% win rate), Rascals (53.6%) and Lava Hound (53.1%). This Clash Royale tier list ranks all 123 base cards by Ranked win rate over the last three weeks, across 14,376,630 battles. The average card wins 49.9%. S tier is 2+ points above that, D tier is 2+ points below. There are 12 S tier cards and 28 in D tier. The worst base card is Mirror (43.2%). The best Evolution is Evo Mortar (53.3%) and the best Hero is Hero Goblins (52.3%). Read the list with one caveat: it rates each card's base form. Cards like Witch, Wizard and Royal Giant appear far more often as Evolutions or Heroes than in base form.
Two of the three most talked-about cards this week are near the bottom. Ronin clips were among the most-upvoted posts on r/ClashRoyale on November 14, yet Ronin sits in D tier at 47.4% while showing up in 5.8% of decks. Hog Rider is the most-played win condition at 17.3% usage, yet only wins 48.4%. Popular and strong aren't the same thing, which is exactly what a tier list is for.
Below: the full S to D list, why Cannon Cart is still #1 after being nerfed, the biggest movers this week, and separate rankings for Evolutions, Heroes, Champions and win conditions.
Key takeaways
- S tier (12): Cannon Cart, Rascals, Lava Hound, Zappies, Furnace, Heal Spirit, Bandit, Flying Machine, Barbarian Barrel, Goblin Cage, Skeleton Dragons, Golem.
- Most-used cards: Arrows 26.5%, The Log 25.5%, Fireball 22.5%, Barbarian Barrel 20.4%. Of those four, only Barbarian Barrel is S tier.
- Nerfed but still S: Cannon Cart (October 19 nerf) and Barbarian Barrel (October 6 nerf) are both still S tier.
- Buffed into S: Flying Machine got a damage buff on October 19 and now wins 52.4%.
- Best Evolution: Evo Mortar, 53.3%. Plain Mortar is D tier at 46.7%, so its Evolution carries it.
- Best win condition: Lava Hound, 53.1%, and it gained 3 points this week.
How is this Clash Royale tier list ranked?
Every grade here comes from one number: how often decks with the card win in Ranked. RoyaleTracker's card tier list describes its method like this: "All 123 base cards are ranked by win rate in Ranked over the last three weeks. S tier is 2 or more points above the average win rate, D tier is 2 or more below."
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Cards ranked | 123 base cards |
| Battles sampled | 14,376,630 |
| Mode | Ranked |
| Window | Last three weeks |
| Average win rate (baseline) | 49.9% |
| Data updated | November 14, 2026 |
| Tier counts | S 12 · A 31 · B 30 · C 22 · D 28 |
Two things to keep in mind:
- Base form only. Evolutions and Heroes are ranked on their own lists (covered further down). Base Wizard is in 1.1% of decks, while Evo Wizard is in 3.4% and Hero Wizard in 4.1%, so the base card's 44.2% describes a small slice of Wizard players.
- Win rate isn't skill-free. A card with low usage, like Three Musketeers at 1.4%, is likely played mostly by people who've practised it, which can lift its win rate. Treat a 1% usage S tier card as "strong in the right hands", not "free wins".
What are the S tier cards in Clash Royale right now?
These 12 cards win at least 2 points more than the average card. Golem only just makes the cut at 51.92%.
| Card | Win rate | Usage | Elixir | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cannon Cart | 53.94% | 4.66% | 5 | Epic |
| Rascals | 53.61% | 4.76% | 5 | Common |
| Lava Hound | 53.07% | 1.87% | 7 | Legendary |
| Zappies | 52.92% | 4.43% | 4 | Rare |
| Furnace | 52.85% | 4.13% | 4 | Rare |
| Heal Spirit | 52.78% | 4.19% | 1 | Rare |
| Bandit | 52.55% | 7.04% | 3 | Legendary |
| Flying Machine | 52.42% | 2.88% | 4 | Rare |
| Barbarian Barrel | 52.16% | 20.43% | 2 | Epic |
| Goblin Cage | 52.13% | 1.82% | 4 | Rare |
| Skeleton Dragons | 52.07% | 2.16% | 4 | Common |
| Golem | 51.92% | 5.69% | 8 | Epic |
Barbarian Barrel is the one to look at. Every other S tier card is in under 8% of decks, but Barbarian Barrel is in one deck in five and still wins 52.2%. Usage that high usually drags a win rate toward 50%, and here it hasn't. If you need a small spell and you're torn between it and The Log (49.4%), the numbers favour Barbarian Barrel.
Bandit is the other high-usage S tier card at 7.0%. Bandit and Heal Spirit both show up in the top Giant Skeleton deck, the 3.6 Elixir list with a 67.4% record.
Why is Cannon Cart still #1 after the October 19 nerf?
Supercell nerfed Cannon Cart on October 19 (values as listed in the official notes): damage 212 → 202 (-5%) and mass 3 → 6 (+100%). Their reasoning in the official patch notes: "Mortar decks are often impossible to break through, so we're targeting Cannon Cart to reduce the archetype's defensive potential."
Four weeks later, Cannon Cart is still the highest win rate base card in this Ranked sample. Supercell's notes add that it "will also no longer be pushed around by Goblins", so the nerf cut some damage but made it harder to move. Mortar is still strong too, in its Evolution form: base Mortar is in 0.29% of decks, while Evo Mortar is in 4.7% and is the #1 Evolution at 53.3%.
The rest of the October 19 changes show up in the list too:
| Card | Oct 19 change | Tier now | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flying Machine | Damage 171 → 179 (buff) | S | 52.42% |
| Dart Goblin | Damage 151 → 143 (nerf) | C | 48.91% |
| Minion Giant | Damage 168 → 153 (nerf) | C | 49.00% |
| Void | 2–4 target damage 296 → 307 (buff) | C | 48.71% |
| Skeleton Barrel | Death damage 145 → 163 (rework) | D | 47.58% |
| Rune Giant | Enchantment linger 5s → 0.5s (nerf) | D | 46.01% |
| Electro Dragon | First hit 0.7s → 0.5s (buff) | D | 44.24% |
Flying Machine is S tier four weeks after its buff. Electro Dragon is still the fourth-worst base card after its buff. Rune Giant is now D tier. Supercell had flagged her "synergy with Minion Giant and Little Prince", and both of those cards fell with her (Minion Giant to C, Little Prince to D). For the full patch, see our October balance changes breakdown.
Which cards are A, B and C tier?
A tier (31 cards, roughly 50.4–51.9%) are good, safe picks that win more than they lose:
Elixir Collector 51.9% · Mother Witch 51.8% · Bowler 51.8% · Phoenix 51.8% · Three Musketeers 51.8% · Goblin Hut 51.8% · Giant Skeleton 51.7% · Suspicious Bush 51.7% · Spirit Empress 51.7% · Graveyard 51.5% · Royal Ghost 51.4% · Night Witch 51.3% · Dark Prince 51.2% · Vines 51.1% · Tombstone 51.1% · Bomb Tower 51.1% · Tornado 51.0% · Skeleton King 51.0% · Lightning 50.9% · Goblin Demolisher 50.9% · P.E.K.K.A 50.8% · Goblinstein 50.8% · Berserker 50.8% · Sparky 50.7% · Minions 50.7% · Balloon 50.6% · Goblin Gang 50.5% · Archer Queen 50.5% · Hunter 50.5% · Fisherman 50.5% · Bomber 50.4%
B tier (30 cards, roughly 49.4–50.3%) are average. Most of the game's staple spells live here, which tells you they're picked for flexibility, not raw strength:
Electro Wizard 50.3% · Giant 50.3% · Lumberjack 50.2% · Goblin Curse 50.2% · Freeze 50.2% · Goblins 50.2% · Barbarians 50.2% · Earthquake 50.1% · Fireball 50.1% · Mega Minion 50.0% · Zap 50.0% · Poison 50.0% · Battle Healer 49.8% · Guards 49.8% · Knight 49.8% · Arrows 49.8% · Royal Recruits 49.8% · Ice Golem 49.7% · Mighty Miner 49.7% · X-Bow 49.7% · Rage 49.7% · Wall Breakers 49.7% · Ram Rider 49.6% · Royal Hogs 49.6% · Ice Wizard 49.6% · Skeletons 49.5% · Princess 49.4% · Giant Snowball 49.4% · Miner 49.4% · The Log 49.4%
C tier (22 cards, roughly 48.0–49.4%) are below average. You can still win with them, but you're giving up a little:
Ice Spirit 49.4% · Golden Knight 49.2% · Monk 49.2% · Electro Spirit 49.2% · Prince 49.2% · Mini P.E.K.K.A 49.1% · Inferno Tower 49.1% · Minion Giant 49.0% · Dart Goblin 48.9% · Magic Archer 48.8% · Cannon 48.7% · Void 48.7% · Spear Goblins 48.6% · Royal Delivery 48.6% · Goblin Giant 48.6% · Baby Dragon 48.5% · Fire Spirit 48.5% · Hog Rider 48.4% · Battle Ram 48.4% · Rocket 48.3% · Inferno Dragon 48.1% · Skeleton Army 48.0%
Hog Rider is the big name in C tier. It's in 17.3% of Ranked decks, the most of any win condition, and wins 48.4%. Hog decks are easy to pick up, so a lot of players at every level run them. If you're set on Hog, the 2.6 Hog Cycle guide shows how to play it well.
Which cards are D tier in Clash Royale?
These 28 base cards win at least 2 points less than average:
| Card | Win rate | Usage | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elixir Golem | 47.88% | 2.94% | Rare |
| Bats | 47.76% | 6.37% | Common |
| Mega Knight | 47.67% | 2.44% | Legendary |
| Musketeer | 47.65% | 1.67% | Rare |
| Skeleton Barrel | 47.58% | 2.26% | Common |
| Ronin | 47.37% | 5.83% | Legendary |
| Goblin Barrel | 47.34% | 5.95% | Epic |
| Clone | 47.25% | 1.15% | Epic |
| Electro Giant | 47.19% | 1.63% | Epic |
| Boss Bandit | 47.17% | 1.79% | Champion |
| Goblin Machine | 47.12% | 0.10% | Legendary |
| Archers | 47.10% | 1.16% | Common |
| Executioner | 46.75% | 1.30% | Epic |
| Mortar | 46.71% | 0.29% | Common |
| Little Prince | 46.70% | 1.06% | Champion |
| Tesla | 46.64% | 5.07% | Common |
| Goblin Drill | 46.61% | 0.67% | Epic |
| Barbarian Hut | 46.39% | 0.12% | Rare |
| Elite Barbarians | 46.27% | 0.90% | Common |
| Valkyrie | 46.16% | 2.19% | Rare |
| Royal Giant | 46.15% | 0.32% | Common |
| Rune Giant | 46.01% | 0.50% | Epic |
| Firecracker | 45.94% | 4.26% | Common |
| Minion Horde | 45.43% | 0.85% | Common |
| Electro Dragon | 44.24% | 0.23% | Epic |
| Wizard | 44.19% | 1.11% | Rare |
| Witch | 43.75% | 2.19% | Epic |
| Mirror | 43.22% | 2.48% | Epic |
Don't throw these cards out yet. Several have an Evolution or Hero form that changes the picture:
| Card | Base form | Evolution form |
|---|---|---|
| Mortar | D, 46.71%, 0.29% usage | Evo Mortar: S, 53.34%, 4.67% usage |
| Witch | D, 43.75%, 2.19% usage | Evo Witch: C, 48.36%, 11.67% usage |
| Royal Giant | D, 46.15%, 0.32% usage | Evo Royal Giant: C, 49.23%, 1.93% usage |
| Goblin Barrel | D, 47.34%, 5.95% usage | Evo Goblin Barrel: B, 50.41%, 6.19% usage |
Evo Mortar is the best Evolution in the game, and Evo Goblin Barrel is a perfectly average card even though the base Barrel is D tier. Royal Giant players can find Evo Royal Giant decks in our Royal Giant deck guide. Wizard, Valkyrie, Firecracker and Mirror have Evolutions too.
Ronin is the clearest weak card right now. It has no Evolution or Hero on RoyaleTracker's lists, it's in 5.8% of decks, so the sample is large, and it wins only 47.4%.
Which cards moved the most this week?
RoyaleTracker's "This week's movers" box compares the latest week with the week before (it doesn't publish exact dates):
| Card | Previous week | This week | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lava Hound | 51.6% | 54.7% | +3.0 pts |
| Goblinstein | 49.8% | 52.4% | +2.6 pts |
| Valkyrie | 47.4% | 45.1% | -2.3 pts |
| Royal Giant | 47.1% | 44.7% | -2.3 pts |
| Wizard | 45.4% | 42.9% | -2.5 pts |
Lava Hound is the card to watch. It was already the best win condition over three weeks, and its last week was better still. The Lava Hound deck guide has the lists. There's been no balance change since October 19, so these swings come from what players are running, not from a patch.
What are the best Evolutions and Heroes?
RoyaleTracker ranks these separately. The Evolution tier list covers 44 Evolutions (Evo Mirror, released in Season 89, isn't on it yet) (average 50.3%), and the Hero tier list covers 18 Heroes (average 50.0%). Both were updated November 14.
| Rank | Evolution | Win rate | Usage | Hero | Win rate | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evo Mortar | 53.34% | 4.67% | Hero Goblins | 52.29% | 1.87% |
| 2 | Evo Battle Ram | 53.01% | 6.51% | Hero Barbarian Barrel | 52.18% | 3.27% |
| 3 | Evo Goblin Cage | 52.74% | 2.52% | Hero Electro Wizard | 51.55% | 5.34% |
| 4 | Evo Royal Ghost | 52.69% | 5.64% | Hero Mega Minion | 51.46% | 3.16% |
| 5 | Evo Zap | 52.49% | 5.83% | Hero Bowler | 51.40% | 5.91% |
At the bottom: Evo Ice Spirit (46.5%), Evo Valkyrie (47.6%), Evo Tesla (47.9%) and Evo Firecracker (48.1%) among Evolutions. Hero Wizard (47.3%), Hero Magic Archer (47.5%), Hero Valkyrie (48.1%) and Hero Musketeer (48.4%) among Heroes. Valkyrie is near the bottom in all three forms right now.
Hero Ice Wizard is in 8.1% of decks and wins 51.3%, A tier on the Hero list. If you're choosing which Hero to unlock, our best Hero to unlock first guide ranks them by value. For Evolution shards, use best Evolutions to get first.
Which Champion is best right now?
Champions sit in the main card list. Ranked by win rate:
| Champion | Tier | Win rate | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skeleton King | A | 50.97% | 2.33% |
| Goblinstein | A | 50.80% | 2.30% |
| Archer Queen | A | 50.53% | 3.06% |
| Mighty Miner | B | 49.73% | 3.58% |
| Golden Knight | C | 49.24% | 4.83% |
| Monk | C | 49.24% | 1.78% |
| Boss Bandit | D | 47.17% | 1.79% |
| Little Prince | D | 46.70% | 1.06% |
Golden Knight is the most-used Champion and only C tier. Skeleton King has the best record. Since August 4, 2026, Champion and Hero abilities are single-use per deployment (Boss Bandit is the exception), so a Champion's value now comes from one well-timed ability, not repeated ones. Champion guides: Monk and Little Prince.
What is the best win condition?
RoyaleTracker's win condition tier list ranks 22 win conditions against their own average of 49.4%:
| Tier | Win conditions |
|---|---|
| S | Lava Hound 53.1% · Golem 51.9% · Three Musketeers 51.8% · Graveyard 51.5% |
| A | P.E.K.K.A 50.8% · Balloon 50.6% · Giant 50.3% |
| B | X-Bow 49.7% |
| Bottom four | Royal Giant 46.2% · Goblin Drill 46.6% · Mortar 46.7% · Electro Giant 47.2% |
Lava Hound and Golem, the two heavy beatdown tanks, are both S tier, so big, patient pushes are paying off right now. Golem and Graveyard are the popular ones (5.7% and 5.0% usage). Lava Hound and Three Musketeers are each in under 2% of decks.
How should you use a tier list to build a deck?
A tier list tells you which cards are pulling their weight. It doesn't build a deck for you. Five rules that work:
- Start from one S or A tier win condition (Lava Hound, Golem, Graveyard, Giant Skeleton, Balloon) and build around it.
- Fill your Evolution slots from the top of the Evolution list, not the card list. Evo Mortar (53.3%) and Evo Battle Ram (53.0%) win far more than their base forms (46.7% and 48.4%).
- Pick spells for what they do, not their tier. Barbarian Barrel is the exception worth copying because it's both popular and S tier.
- Don't panic over one D tier card. Bats at 47.8% is still in 6.4% of decks for a reason: it's a cheap answer to specific threats.
- Check card levels before copying a deck. These win rates are averages across every level in the sample. A deck of underleveled cards won't match them against a fully levelled opponent. Our card levels guide explains how levels work.
If you want a ready-made list, the best Clash Royale decks hub has complete decks. For this weekend's Duel format, the Crown Series guide covers what changes when you need three decks with no shared cards.
More Clash Royale guides: turn this tier list into wins with a deck built around the strongest cards.
FAQ
What is the best card in Clash Royale right now? Among base cards, Cannon Cart, with a 53.9% Ranked win rate over the last three weeks (RoyaleTracker, updated November 14, 2026). Rascals (53.6%) and Lava Hound (53.1%) are second and third. Cannon Cart was nerfed on October 19 and stayed #1 anyway.
What is the worst card in Clash Royale? In base form, Mirror at 43.2%, followed by Witch (43.8%) and Wizard (44.2%). Evo Witch (48.4%) and Evo Wizard (49.2%) both win more often than their base cards. Evo Mirror isn't on RoyaleTracker's Evolution list yet.
Is Monk good in Clash Royale? Not right now. Monk is C tier at 49.2% with 1.8% usage, tied with Golden Knight. Among Champions, Skeleton King (51.0%), Goblinstein (50.8%) and Archer Queen (50.5%) all win more.
What is the best Evolution in Clash Royale? Evo Mortar, at 53.3% over the last three weeks, followed by Evo Battle Ram (53.0%) and Evo Goblin Cage (52.7%). Evo Ice Spirit is last at 46.5%.
What is the best Hero in Clash Royale? Hero Goblins has the best win rate at 52.3%, with Hero Barbarian Barrel close behind at 52.2%. Hero Ice Wizard is more popular, in 8.1% of decks, and wins 51.3%.
Is Hog Rider still good? Hog Rider is C tier at 48.4%, even though it's the most-used win condition at 17.3% of decks. It still works in a tight cycle deck, but it's no longer one of the strongest choices.
When will this tier list change? Supercell said it wouldn't change balance at the start of the November season but might adjust things after the Clash Royale League World Finals. We update this page in place when a balance update lands or the tiers shift.
