I’ve been playing Clash Royale since it came out in 2016. It’s been a long grind through every arena, countless decks, balance changes, you name it. Champions are still one of the biggest shifts the game ever got; they’re the rarest cards and come with special abilities that really change how you play.
They weren’t there at launch. Supercell added them years later and slowly rolled more in. And then the October 2025 update happened; suddenly you can put multiple Champions in one deck, and they now rotate like regular cards. The twist is that only the most recently played Champion gets to use their ability.
In this guide, I’ve ranked all eight Champions from strongest to weakest based on my own experience, looking at things like elixir value, how good their ability is, counters, and how they work across different matchups. Also, quick note, a lot of players do Clash Royale top ups these days to speed up unlocking and upgrading Champions. LootBar is one platform people use for Clash Royale gems because of the secure setup and better value.
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1: Boss Bandit
Boss Bandit came out in April 2025 and instantly felt like a power pick. She’s basically an upgraded Bandit, harder-hitting dashes and just way more impact overall.
Her ability, Getaway Grenade, is wild: she goes invisible, jumps back six tiles, and then dashes again immediately. When timed right, she hits twice as fast as you'd expect and can completely flip a fight.
She destroys mid-HP units like Valkyrie, Knight, and Mini P.E.K.K.A., and if she manages to dash onto your tower? Good luck, that health bar falls fast. Only real weakness is swarms and big spells, but if you support her properly, she snowballs hard.
Quick highlights:
- 6 elixir, huge value
- Invisible + teleport + instant double dash
- Incredible tower threat
- Weak to swarms without support
- Level 11: 2,803 HP, 268 base dmg, 537 dash dmg
No surprise, she’s my go-to in lots of decks.
2: Goblinstein
Released in October 2024. Goblinstein shows up with the Doctor, which already makes him unique. Goblinstein only targets buildings and keeps marching, while the Doctor handles troops around him.
He’s great for splitting pressure; drop him behind the King Tower and you force your opponent to respond to both lanes. Heavy single-target hitters can stop him, but right now? He fits the current meta insanely well.
Quick highlights:
- 5 elixir with built-in support unit
- Building-targeting pressure
- Anti-swarm lightning ability
- Split lane pressure option
- Level 11: surge deals 107 dmg per tick
- Weak to strong single-target units
Feels super reliable in most matchups.
3: Little Prince
Dropped in November 2023 and quickly became a favorite. Costs only 3 elixir and hits both ground and air, so he’s very flexible.
His Royal Rescue ability summons the Guardian for 3 more elixir; the Guardian charges, knocks things back, and clears weak troops. That combo can absolutely overwhelm unprepared defenses, especially if the Prince is safely shooting behind him.
Quick highlights:
- 3 elixir + 3 for ability
- Strong ranged support
- Guardian knockback and tanking
- Hard to punish without the right spells
- Level 11: scales from 82–247 DPS, Guardian 1,600 HP
Even after nerfs, he’s still a core pick in my decks.
4: Golden Knight
Golden Knight has been around since October 2021 and still brings chaos. He costs 4 elixir and his dash chain is his whole identity; up to 10 targets if they line up.
His ability makes him zip through troops and ignore damage mid-dash. It’s fantastic for shredding swarms and breaking through bridge defenses. The only drawback is his damage isn’t great versus big tanks.
Quick highlights:
- 4 elixir
- Can dash to 10 targets
- Invincible during dash chain
- Falls off vs tanks
- Level 11: 1,799 HP, 161 dmg, 335 dash dmg
Not as busted as launch, but still a strong disruptive card.
5: Archer Queen
Also from October 2021. A pure back-line carry card, put her behind your push and she rains shots on everything.
Her Cloaking Cape ability gives invisibility plus a huge damage spike for 3.5 seconds. That burst is enough to smack towers hard if left alone. But she’s fragile and requires protection, cheap distraction units ruin her day fast.
Quick highlights:
- 5 elixir ranged DPS
- Invisibility + big damage boost
- 17-second cooldown, timing is key
- Level 11 DPS ~525
- Needs support or she gets run down
Bridge spam decks love her, and honestly she still punches above her cost.
6: Skeleton King
Another original Champion from 2021. Costs 4 elixir and thrives in messy fights. Every troop that dies charges his meter, and when full, his ability spawns up to 16 skeletons.
If you pop it at the right time, you get insane tower pressure, unless your opponent logs or Zaps them instantly. Splash troops hurt him too.
Quick highlights:
- 4 elixir
- Collects souls from fallen troops
- Spawns 6–16 skeletons
- Weak to splash and small spells
- Level 11: 2,298 HP, 204 dmg
Rewarding if you play patiently, predictable if you don’t.
7: Monk
Released October 2022. Monk is a defensive beast against ranged units. His ability reduces melee damage massively and reflects projectiles, even tower shots, for four seconds.
Downside? He stops moving and attacking during the ability, so bad timing equals wasted value. He’s also only truly great in matchups full of ranged threats.
Quick highlights:
- 5 elixir
- Reflects shots + 80% melee reduction
- Stationary during ability
- Very matchup-dependent
- Level 11: 2,150 HP, 140 dmg
Good card, just not universal.
8: Mighty Miner
Added in March 2022. Imagine a ground Inferno Dragon; his damage ramps the longer he locks on. He can also teleport across lanes and drop a bomb.
The problem is swarms and quick counters stop him before he ramps up most of the time. He can work, but he feels situational and slow.
Quick highlights:
- 4 elixir
- Damage ramps 40 → 409 (big scaling)
- Teleport + bomb ability
- Struggles vs swarms
- Level 11 bomb: 332 dmg
Cool idea, hard to maximize consistently.
Final Thoughts
Champions really push Clash Royale strategy to another level, especially now that multiple can fit into one deck. Some like Boss Bandit and Goblinstein slot into almost anything, while others need the right matchup or deck to shine.
Best advice? Try different combos, practice timing their abilities, and pay attention to what works. Once you get the rhythm, climbing feels way smoother.
And of course, if you ever want to speed up Champion upgrades, a lot of players do Clash Royale top ups occasionally. LootBar is one of the secure options people use when grabbing Clash Royale gems so they can stay competitive without waiting forever.
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