If you’ve spent any time grinding Clash Royale matches, you’ve probably spotted shiny, golden card borders or sparkly ability effects on opponents’ troops and wondered what causes that extra flair. Many new players brush it off as a useless cosmetic feature, but that’s not the full story. If you’ve ever asked what does star level in Clash Royale do, you’re in the right place to learn all the practical and cosmetic perks tied to this often overlooked progression system. I’ve been playing Clash Royale for 6 years, maxed out 12+ decks, and unlocked star levels for every common and rare card in my collection, so I’ve tested every part of this feature first-hand.
What Does Star Level in Clash Royale Do, Exactly?
First, it’s important to clear up one of the most common questions new players have: star levels do not give any competitive advantage in matches. Supercell has confirmed repeatedly that star levels have zero impact on in-match stats like troop health, damage, speed, or ability cooldowns, so the system is completely pay-to-win free. That doesn’t mean they don’t offer real value, though.
The most obvious perk is cosmetic upgrades for your cards. Each star level unlocks new visual tweaks, from subtle golden borders at level 1, to full custom skins and particle effects at level 3. For example, a level 3 Hog Rider has a full golden helmet and sparkly hammer effect that leaves a trail every time he charges to a tower. These effects are visible to both you and your opponent during matches, and show up in replays and battle logs too.
Beyond cosmetics, star levels also give you tangible progression rewards. Each star level upgrade adds to your total collection score, which counts towards your king level progression and unlocks higher tier rewards as you rank up. You also get a large chunk of card mastery XP for every star level you unlock, which cuts down the number of matches you need to grind to get mastery rewards like gold, gems, and exclusive emotes for that card.
How to Unlock and Upgrade Star Levels for Your Cards
You’ll unlock the ability to earn star points as soon as you reach King Level 7, no endgame progress required. Star points are earned through regular gameplay, so you don’t have to spend real money to get them. You’ll get star points every time you upgrade a card that’s already at its max possible level for your current king level, from opening any type of chest, from completing daily and seasonal challenges, and as a free reward on both the free and paid tiers of Pass Royale.
To upgrade a card’s star level, you first need to get that card to its max possible level for your current king level. For example, if you’re King Level 10, your common cards can only go up to level 12, so once you hit that cap, you can start upgrading its star levels. The cost of star levels varies based on the rarity of the card, with higher rarity cards costing more points:
- Common cards: 500 star points for Level 1, 1000 for Level 2, 2500 for Level 3
- Rare cards: 750 star points for Level 1, 1500 for Level 2, 3000 for Level 3
- Epic cards: 1000 star points for Level 1, 2000 for Level 2, 4000 for Level 3
- Legendary and Champion cards: 1500 star points for Level 1, 3000 for Level 2, 5000 for Level 3
Prioritize star levels for cards you use most often first, so you get to see the cosmetic effects every match, and you unlock mastery XP faster for the cards you’re already grinding. You don’t lose any star level progress if you upgrade your king level later, so all upgrades stay with your card permanently, even when its regular level cap increases.
Common Myths About Star Levels Debunked
One of the most pervasive myths I see new players repeat is that star levels are only for endgame players with fully maxed accounts. That used to be true a few years ago, but Supercell updated the system in 2022 to let players unlock star levels as soon as a card hits its current level cap for their king level. You can start unlocking star levels for your main deck as early as King Level 7, no need to wait until you hit King Level 15.
Another myth is that star points are useless if you don’t care about cosmetics. That’s far from true. Each star level upgrade gives you 25% of the XP needed for the first tier of card mastery, which can save you dozens of matches of grinding to unlock gold, gem, and emote rewards. If you’re a F2P player, those extra rewards can add up fast and help you upgrade the rest of your collection quicker than you would otherwise.
Some players also think you have to pay for Pass Royale to get enough star points to unlock upgrades. I’m a mostly F2P player, and I’ve unlocked level 3 star levels for all 8 cards in my main deck without spending a cent. Most of my star points came from upgrading duplicate cards and completing weekly challenges. The paid Pass Royale gives you extra star points, but it’s not required to unlock all the star levels you want for your favorite cards.
Smart Ways to Use Star Points for Maximum Value
If you’re a new player under King Level 10, don’t hoard all your star points for later. If you have a main deck you use 80% of the time, upgrade those star levels first. The extra mastery XP will help you get more rewards faster, which lets you upgrade your other cards quicker too. You don’t have to save all your points for legendary cards you might not unlock for months.
If you love sharing replays or making Clash Royale content, prioritize star levels for cards with the most flashy effects. For example, the level 3 star level for P.E.K.K.A has full golden armor and a sparkly sword effect that looks incredible in slow-motion replay clips of her taking down towers. Level 3 Electro Wizard also has a fun golden lightning effect every time he attacks.
Avoid wasting star points on cards you never use, even if they are cheap to upgrade. Star points are a limited resource, especially if you don’t buy the Pass Royale, so you want to put them towards cards you’ll actually see in your matches. I made this mistake early on, wasting 2000 star points on level 2 star levels for 6 common cards I never play, and I had to wait 3 weeks to earn enough points to upgrade my Hog Rider to level 3.
If you’re saving up for a new champion or legendary card you’re about to unlock, hold onto 5000 star points so you can max out its star level as soon as you get it to max level. That way you can show off your new card right away, and get the full mastery XP boost immediately to unlock its rewards faster.
At the end of the day, star levels are a fun progression layer that rewards you for investing time into your favorite cards, without ruining the fair play balance Clash Royale is known for. If you’ve been wondering what does star level in Clash Royale do, just remember it mixes fun cosmetic flair with small but meaningful progression perks that make grinding matches feel more rewarding. You don’t have to rush to unlock every star level in your collection, but putting some time into earning star points for your main deck will make every match feel a little more special, and help you pick up extra rewards along the way. If you haven’t checked your star point balance lately, load up the game today and see what upgrades you can unlock for your most used cards.
