If you’ve ever stared down an opponent’s level 3 Mighty Miner or Electro Giant and wished you had that same firepower in your deck, you’re not alone. Thousands of players search for how to get legendaries in Clash Royale every week, and for good reason: these rare cards can completely shift the tide of a match, and unlock entirely new playstyles you can’t access with common or rare cards. I’ve been playing Clash Royale on and off for 6 years, mostly as a free-to-play player, and I’ve picked up every legendary currently in the game without spending a dime outside of the occasional battle pass. This guide skips the fake hacks and exploit glitches that will get your account banned, and only covers proven, Supercell-approved methods to build your legendary collection.
How to get legendaries in Clash Royale through regular gameplay (no purchases needed)
You don’t have to spend any money to get legendaries, even if you’re a new player. The first step is climbing to at least Arena 4 (P.E.K.K.A’s Playhouse), which is the lowest arena where legendary cards start dropping from chests. Your arena level is the biggest factor in legendary drop rates, and rates go up roughly 0.2% for every arena you climb after Arena 4. Legendary king’s chests, which you can earn from climbing trophy ranks, have a 100% chance of dropping a legendary card, so pushing trophies even when you’re on a losing streak is always worth the effort. All chest types have a chance to drop legendaries, from basic silver chests to rare magical chests. The best habit to build is keeping your chest unlock slot full at all times, even if you’re not actively playing. If you only have 10 minutes a day to play, focus on completing your daily crown chest first, as it has a guaranteed legendary drop chance that resets every 24 hours. I got my first ever legendary, the Hog Rider, from a random silver chest when I was in Arena 5, so don’t write off low-tier chests as useless.
Maximize your battle pass rewards for guaranteed legendaries
The seasonal Pass Royale has both free and paid tracks, and both give you multiple chances to get legendaries every 4-week season. If you’re willing to spend a small amount, the premium pass gives you at least one guaranteed legendary at tier 30, plus extra magical and legendary chests as you climb higher tiers. But even if you never spend money on the game, the free pass track has at least two legendary wildcards and one legendary chest for players who hit tier 70 before the season ends. You don’t need to win every match to hit the highest free pass tiers. 90% of pass XP comes from daily and weekly quests, not from match wins. Even if you’re stuck in a losing streak, completing 2-3 quick quests a day will get you to tier 70 before the season ends almost every time. You can also earn season tokens from every match you play, which you can trade for legendary wildcards in the season shop. Don’t waste those tokens on common or rare cards you can easily get from regular chests, save them for legendaries you actually want.
Use the shop and trade tokens strategically
The daily rotating in-game shop has a legendary card available for purchase roughly every two weeks, priced at 40,000 gold. These cards are pulled from the pool of legendaries you have unlocked for your current arena, so you won’t see cards you can’t use yet. Only buy legendaries from the shop if you already use the card in your main deck, because 40,000 gold is a huge investment that could otherwise go to leveling up your existing cards. I made the mistake early on of blowing all my gold on a random Legendary Barbarians card I never used, and I missed out on an Electro Wizard I needed for my main cycle deck just 3 days later. Trade tokens are another underrated way to get the exact legendary you want, without waiting for a random drop. You can earn trade tokens from chests, battle pass rewards, and special events, and you can use them to swap cards with clanmates. Follow these simple rules to make the most of your shop and trading opportunities:
- Save at least 40,000 gold in your reserve at all times so you can grab a desired legendary if it pops up in the daily shop
- Only use legendary trade tokens for cards you plan to level up immediately, not for collection purposes if you’re short on tokens
- Check your clan’s trade board twice a day to see if any members are offering the legendary you’re looking for
- Avoid trading for legendaries just to fill out your collection if you’re still working on leveling your main deck cards
Participate in special events for guaranteed legendary drops
Supercell runs new special events every week, from draft challenges to 2v2 team tournaments, and most of these events have legendary rewards for even casual players. You don’t have to be a top 100 global player to earn these rewards, either. Most casual-friendly events give out at least a random legendary drop for players who win 6 out of 12 matches, which is achievable even for new players if you take the time to learn the event rules. Draft events are especially good for newer players, because everyone gets the same random card pool, so you don’t have to worry about facing someone with a stacked deck of level 14 legendaries. Seasonal events, like the Lunar New Year or Halloween events, often have free legendary rewards for logging in every day for 7 days, so even if you don’t play any matches that week, make sure you log in to claim those rewards. I got my first Mega Knight from a Christmas login event a few years back, and I still use it in my main deck today. Just make sure you only participate in events hosted directly in the Clash Royale app, any third-party events promising free legendaries are almost always scams that will steal your account information.
Getting new legendaries doesn't have to mean spending hundreds of dollars or risking your account with fake hacks. With consistent daily play, smart use of your gold and tokens, and participation in regular events, you can build a full collection of legendaries in just a few months even as a free-to-play player. No matter what your playstyle or budget is, the methods we covered are all proven to work if you stick to them. If you’ve been struggling with how to get legendaries in Clash Royale, start with completing your daily crown chest and saving your gold first, and you’ll see your first drop before you know it.
