AI Overview: Miner is a 3-elixir Legendary troop in Clash Royale, unlocked in Arena 11. He digs underground and appears anywhere in the arena, but deals reduced damage to Crown Towers. SeeMeta lists a July 2026 cut from 49 to 39 tower damage. RoyaleTracker listed his best deck at 66.0% win rate in October 2026. He has no Evolution or Hero version.
Last Updated: October 2026
Key Points:
- Miner costs 3 elixir, is a Legendary, and unlocks in Arena 11 (Electro Valley).
- He digs to any spot in the arena and deals reduced damage to Crown Towers.
- He has no Evolution or Hero version.
- SeeMeta lists one 2026 change: Crown Tower damage went from 49 to 39 on July 6.
- RoyaleTracker’s best Miner deck won 66.0% over 535 battles.
Table of Contents
What Miner Does
The short version: Miner is a 3-elixir Legendary who burrows underground and pops up anywhere in the arena, then hits the nearest target. His attack on Crown Towers is reduced. RoyaleTracker lists him as unlocking in Arena 11 (Electro Valley).
A cheap chip-damage troop that you can send to any tower without a lane.
| Stat | Value |
| Elixir cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Legendary |
| Type | Troop (ground) |
| Targets | Ground |
| Attack | Reduced damage to Crown Towers |
| Unlocks | Arena 11 (Electro Valley) |
| 2026 change | Crown Tower damage 49 to 39 (July 6, SeeMeta) |
| Evolution or Hero | None |
Miner lost about a fifth of his tower damage on July 6, which may mean Supercell wants chip decks to need a second source of damage. A further cut would make Miner a defensive card first. The negative effect: a chip card that no longer chips pushes players toward heavier decks, and the cycle archetype may thin out.
Best Miner Decks Right Now
RoyaleTracker tracked 7 decks with Miner in October 2026, and all seven are printed on the card page. The top deck won 66.0%.
The pattern: four lists won 52.6% or more, and three won between 43.2% and 47.3%. The most played list, a Golem deck with 12,000 battles, won 44.3%. What it means: the best Miner lists are cheap cycle or Balloon decks, not heavy ones.
| Build | Cards | Avg elixir | Win rate (sample) |
| Balloon cycle, Hero Ice Golem | 2.9 | 66.0% (535 battles) | |
| Balloon cycle, Hero Balloon | 2.9 | 61.6% (1.3k battles) | |
| Cycle, Hero Magic Archer | 2.9 | 55.4% (859 battles) | |
| Rocket cycle, Hero Dark Prince | 3.0 | 52.6% (1.4k battles) | |
| Witch Princess | 4.1 | 47.3% (577 battles) | |
| Golem Miner, most played | 3.8 | 44.3% (12.0k battles) |
Try it yourself: open the Clash Royale Deck Builder with the Hero Magic Archer cycle build in the table above, 55.4% in the tracker sample (859 battles), already loaded. It averages 2.9 elixir. Swap Tornado for another spell to see how the average cost moves.
How to Play Miner
- Mix up your placement. Predictable drops get punished by a single-target troop like Knight.
- Hit the glass cannons. Princess and Dart Goblin in the back die to a Miner on top of them.
- Pair him with a spell. Log or Zap clears the troops that chase him.
- Beware of Tornado. It can pull the Miner toward the opposing King tower and wake it up.
- Use him on defense too. He deals full damage to troops and works as a last-second blocker.
The move: next game, send the Miner to the tower on the side where the opponent just played a troop, so their answer arrives late.
Our Miner placements guide shows where to drop him, and the Miner deck guide compares full decks.
After the July cut, the winning Miner lists are Balloon and cycle decks. Supercell could move the card again if those decks keep winning. The negative effect: a chip card turned into a support card changes its old role, and players who liked the chip style lose their deck.
How to Counter Miner
- A cheap troop near the tower: Skeletons, Ice Spirit or Knight take the first hits.
- Spells: Log and Zap handle the Miner and his support in one go.
- Buildings: Cannon or Bomb Tower stop him from pushing into the tower.
- Track his cycle: at 3 elixir, he returns every few plays, so count when he comes.
- Do not overspend: a 3-elixir Miner now deals less tower damage, so a cheap answer is enough.
The catch: his reduced tower damage makes the Miner weaker alone. Watch for the second card that follows him.
Is Miner Worth Using Now?
Is it worth it? Yes, in a cheap cycle or Balloon deck. Four of the seven tracked lists won 52.6% or more, even after the July nerf. In a heavy list he did not help: the Golem and Witch lists won 44.3% and 47.3%.
What to remember: the Miner is a support card now. Pick him when your deck needs a cheap second threat.
Miner’s cheap cost keeps him in most cycle lists even after the cut. If tower damage drops again, the Balloon and Miner pair loses its finish. The negative effect: players who rely on Miner to chip the last part of a tower may find games ending a tower short, and the deck would need a new win condition.
Go deeper: For Miner in other styles, read the Miner and Balloon cycle deck and the Miner cycle spell bait deck. For a custom list, the Clash Royale Deck Builder calculates the average cost as each card goes in.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Miner do in Clash Royale?
He digs underground and appears anywhere in the arena. He deals reduced damage to Crown Towers.
How much does Miner cost?
3 elixir.
When do you unlock Miner?
In Arena 11 (Electro Valley), according to RoyaleTracker. He is a Legendary card.
Was Miner nerfed?
Yes. SeeMeta lists a cut in Crown Tower damage from 49 to 39 on July 6, 2026.
What is the best Miner deck?
In October 2026, RoyaleTracker listed a Balloon cycle deck with Hero Ice Golem at 66.0% over 535 battles.
What counters Miner?
A cheap troop near the tower, a spell like Log or Zap, and buildings such as Cannon or Bomb Tower.
The Bottom Line
The takeaway: Miner is a cheap second threat after the tower-damage nerf. Use him in cycle or Balloon decks and answer him with a cheap troop.
Building around this card? Our guide on how to use the Clash Royale Deck Builder shows how to load a deck, check patch risk and copy it into the game.
Sources
Researched from the following (no links, listed for transparency):
- RoyaleTracker, Miner card page (October 2026 tracker data)
- RoyaleTracker, best decks with Miner (October 2026 tracker samples)
- SeeMeta, Clash Royale balance changes 2026 (page updated October 8, 2026)
- Clash Royale card data used by the Deck Builder (elixir costs and card types)