Clash Royale is a highly strategic game with endless possibilities, but even the best players sometimes make mistakes that can hinder their performance. Knowing which habits to avoid is essential whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro. Below are 15 common mistakes in Clash Royale and tips on how to play smarter and more effectively.
1. Consistent Goblin Barrel or Goblin Drill Placement
One of the most common mistakes is placing your Goblin Barrel or Goblin Drill in the same spot every time. If you're predictable, your opponent will easily counter your plays with spells like Log, Barbarian Barrel, or Arrows. Instead, mix up your placements; drop it on different sides or further behind the tower to surprise your opponent and maximize damage.
2. Rushing to Buy the Diamond Pass
It's tempting to buy the Diamond Pass or a Clash Royale account with one as each season plays the latest card evolution. However, most new evolutions tend to be nerfed within weeks. Plus, Supercell often offers older card evolutions for free through special events. So before you spend those $12 at the start of the month, consider saving for better future offers.
3. Placing Expo or Mortar in the Center
For siege players (Expo and Mortar), it's a common mistake to place your card in the middle of your side of the river. Doing so gives your opponent more space to defend and tank your siege card. Instead, position it one tile back from the river and to one side. The only exception is when you're facing tank cards like Giant or Golem – place your Mortar in the middle to pull the tank and deal damage simultaneously.
4. Relying Too Much on Mega Knight
Mega Knight might seem like a powerhouse, especially if friends insist it's a must-have. However, it's not as effective as you might think. Consider exploring other cards that can provide more value to your strategy.
5. Not Pairing Your Deck with Your Tower Troop
Your deck should complement your chosen Tower troop. For instance, if you're using the Cannon as your Tower troop, ensure your deck has splash damage cards like Valkyrie or Bomber to handle swarm troops. This mistake is especially prevalent with the Cannon, which is weak against skeletons and other swarm troops.
6. Misusing the Book of Books
Avoid using the Book of Books on cards that aren't champions or legendaries. Although the book works on any rarity, it's much more challenging to max out champions and legendaries than common cards. Save your books for higher rarity cards, and keep requesting and opening chests to level up commons and rares.
7. Improperly Countering the Bandit
Surrounding the Bandit with skeletons as soon as she crosses the bridge is a common reflex, but it's ineffective. The Bandit will dash through the skeletons and hit your tower. Instead, place the skeletons right in front of your princess tower. This way, the Bandit uses her dash on a skeleton and is left too close to the tower to dash onto it again.
8. Using the Freeze Spell Too Early
When using Freeze with cards like Balloon or Graveyard, don't be too quick to place it. Hover over the area and wait for your opponent to play a defensive card. It allows you to freeze both the tower and the defender, increasing the damage dealt and potentially taking the tower.
9. Ignoring Fireball and Giant Snowball Knockback
Fireball and Giant Snowball offer knockback effects, which many players overlook. For example, when countering a Balloon, placing the Fireball directly on it will not knock it back effectively. Instead, aim at the front or corner of the Balloon to push it back and buy more time for your defenses.
10. Misusing the Hidden Tesla Against Royal Ghost
The Tesla is a viable counter to the Royal Ghost, but placement is crucial. Instead of placing it in the center, drop it close to the Ghost. The Tesla will be hit before going underground, ensuring the Ghost doesn't just walk past it and target your tower.
11. Buying the Global Tournament Reward Chest Early
Avoid purchasing the Global Tournament chest for 500 gems if you have fewer than 10 wins. The rewards are not worth the cost at this level. Once you reach 10 wins, you unlock the Legendary King's Chest, which costs 2500 gems in the shop, making the 500-gem cost a steal.
12. Neglecting Card Masteries
Many players overlook card masteries, which is a missed opportunity for significant rewards – including gems, gold, and wild cards. To speed up mastery completion, focus on challenges with increased elixir like double, triple, or infinite elixir modes, which allow you to spam the cards you need for mastery.
13. Creating an Expensive Deck
Since the introduction of Evolutions, keeping your deck cost low is crucial. A cheaper deck enables a faster cycle to return to your Evolution cards, boosting your chances of winning. Try swapping out some high-cost cards for more affordable alternatives without drastically compromising your strategy.
14. Manually Donating Cards
You're wasting time if you repeatedly tap the donate button to help your clanmates! Instead, hold down the donate button to instantly donate all your available cards. It also works with multiple fingers to donate more efficiently.
15. Misusing the Tornado Spell's Radius
The Tornado pulls more effectively on cards farther from its center. Use this to your advantage by placing the Tornado to pull cards like Hog Rider or Balloon far away, maximizing the spell's pulling power. Proper placement can even enable you to activate your King Tower.
