If you’ve ever watched your entire carefully built Golem push get wiped by a single champion ability, or lost a 1-minute overtime match because an opponent’s champion chipped your tower for the last 20 HP, you’ve definitely asked who is the best champion in Clash Royale at least once. Champions are the most high-impact cards in the game, unlocked only at King Level 14, and each comes with a unique, game-changing ability that can turn a losing match around in seconds. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but we’ve broken down current meta performance, playstyle compatibility, and pro player usage to give you a clear breakdown of which champions are worth slotting into your deck right now.
Who Is the Best Champion in Clash Royale, by Meta Tier Rankings
Current meta balance changes have shifted champion viability a lot over the past few updates, but these rankings are based on win rate data from top 1000 ladder players and recent tournament performance. We’ve sorted them from most to least consistent for general use.
Mighty Miner sits solidly in S tier as the most versatile champion available right now. He only costs 3 elixir, has incredibly high HP for his cost, and his Charge Ability lets him reset building targetting and deal area damage to swarms and tanks alike. He works in almost every deck archetype, from fast cycle to control to beatdown, and he can both tank for your pushes and shut down opponent pushes on defense. His only real downside is that his ability has a fairly long charge time, so you have to time it correctly to get maximum value.
Archer Queen is the top A tier pick, and she’s a staple in almost every control and mid-range deck. Her 4 elixir cost is well worth her long range and invisibility ability, which lets her take out support units like Wizards, Electro Dragons, and Magic Archers without taking any damage in return. She’s also a great tower chipping tool if you can keep her protected at the back of your lane. She falls just below Mighty Miner because she’s a lot more fragile, and she doesn’t work as well in beatdown or cycle decks that focus on constant pressure.
Skeleton King and Monk fall into B tier, as they’re very strong but only fit specific deck types. Skeleton King’s Soul Summon ability spawns a huge horde of skeletons when it’s activated, making him perfect for beatdown decks that build big pushes and get lots of kills. Monk’s ability reflects spells back at opponents, so he’s a great pick for spell bait decks that want to punish opponents for using Fireballs or Arrows on your support units. Neither is versatile enough for general use, but they’re dominant in the right deck.
Golden Knight sits at the bottom of C tier right now. His dash ability is fun to use, but it doesn’t deal enough damage to justify his 4 elixir cost, and he’s easily countered by swarms that can block his dash path. He’s only worth using if you’re a fan of his playstyle and want to mess around in friendly battles, not for serious ladder or tournament play.
Key Factors That Make a Champion Worth Using
You don’t have to only use S tier champions to win matches, but the best champions all share a few core traits that make them reliable no matter what meta you’re playing in. Before you swap out a champion you’re comfortable with for a “meta” pick, check if it meets these criteria:
Mighty Miner checks every single one of these boxes, which is why he’s been the most popular champion in top ladder play for months. He’s cheap, works in almost every deck, counters all the most common meta pushes, and can hold a lane by himself if you’re low on elixir. Archer Queen misses the versatility mark, but she hits the other three perfectly, which is why she’s still a top pick for control players.
That means you don’t have to abandon your favorite champion just because it’s not in S tier. If you’ve mastered Monk’s spell reflect ability and you main a spell bait deck, you’ll win a lot more games with him than you ever will with a Mighty Miner you don’t know how to use properly.
Best Champions for Specific Playstyles
Meta rankings are great for general use, but the best champion for you will always depend on the type of decks you like to play. We’ve broken down the top picks for every common playstyle to make it easier to choose.
If you main beatdown decks that build big, slow pushes with tanks like Golem or Pekka, Skeleton King is your best bet. His Soul Summon ability builds up charge every time a unit dies near him, so if you’re trading units on defense, you can activate his ability to spawn 15+ skeletons that you can pair with your tank for a game-winning push. He also tanks a lot of damage, so he can take hits from enemy towers while your support units deal damage. Just make sure you don’t waste his ability on small groups of skeletons or goblins, save it for after you get a few big unit kills to get maximum skeleton spawns.
For control players who focus on countering opponent pushes and chipping tower damage over time, Archer Queen is unbeatable. Her long range lets her sit at the back of your lane and take out enemy support units before they can get close to your tower, and her invisibility ability lets her avoid damage from spells and enemy units. I used to run Mighty Miner in my control deck for months because I thought it was the meta pick, but I dropped almost 200 trophies before I realized I was way more comfortable using Archer Queen’s range to control the lane. I switched back and climbed 300 trophies in two weeks.
If you prefer fast cycle decks that focus on constant pressure and low elixir trades, Mighty Miner is the perfect champion for you. His 3 elixir cost means you can cycle him as often as you want to keep pressure on your opponent’s tower, and his charge ability lets you take out enemy buildings like Inferno Towers or X-Bows without wasting extra elixir. He’s also a great defensive unit that can shut down enemy cycle pushes if they get too close to your tower.
For spell bait players who run decks with Goblin Barrels, Goblin Gangs, and Skeleton Armies, Monk is a surprisingly strong pick. His ability reflects all enemy spells back to their side of the board, so if an opponent throws a Fireball at your Goblin Barrel, you can activate his ability to reflect that Fireball right back at their tower for extra damage. He’s also a solid tank that can hold a lane while you build up your bait units.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Champions
Even the best champion in Clash Royale won’t win you games if you use it wrong. There are a few common mistakes that players make with champions that cost them matches all the time, and they’re easy to avoid once you know what to look for.
The biggest mistake players make is wasting their champion’s ability too early in the match. Champion abilities take a long time to charge up, so if you use your Mighty Miner’s charge ability on a small group of Goblins in the first minute of the match, you won’t have it available when your opponent drops a Golem push at the two minute mark. Wait to use your ability until you can get maximum value from it, either to shut down a big enemy push or to finish off a tower with your own push.
Another common mistake is dropping your champion right at the bridge without any support. Champions are tough, but they can’t take on an entire lane of enemy units by themselves, and if you drop them right at the bridge, your opponent can easily counter them with a cheap swarm or spell before they can do any damage. Always drop your champion behind your other units, or on your side of the board for defense, so they have time to build up their ability charge and get support from your other cards.
Don’t force a meta champion into a deck it doesn’t fit, either. You’ll see a lot of pro players using Mighty Miner, but if you main a spell bait deck, he won’t give you nearly as much value as Monk will. Playtesting champions in friendly battles first before you add them to your main ladder deck is the best way to make sure they fit your playstyle and your deck, without risking losing trophies while you learn how to use them.
At the end of the day, who is the best champion in Clash Royale comes down to your playstyle and how much time you’re willing to put into mastering their abilities. If you’re looking for the most consistent pick that works in almost every deck, Mighty Miner is the clear top choice right now. But if you’re more comfortable playing with Archer Queen or Skeleton King, don’t be afraid to stick with what works for you. The best champion for any player is the one you know how to use to its full potential, no matter what the tier lists say.
