AI Overview: Executioner is a 5-elixir Epic who throws an axe that flies out and back, so it hits most targets twice. The old release-night page praised him as a Witch, Wizard and Bowler replacement. Since then his range was cut from 7.5 to 7 tiles, and the best sampled Executioner lists win only about 53%. These seven plays still hold.
Last Updated: October 2026
Key Points:
- Executioner costs 5 elixir and is an Epic. His axe flies out and back, so it hits targets twice.
- SeeMeta lists a range cut from 7.5 to 7 tiles on August 4, 2026.
- RoyaleTracker’s best Executioner deck won 53.1% over 731 battles; the best Exenado list won 52.9% over 1,600.
- Mini P.E.K.K.A, Knight and Mega Minion counter him, and swarms can surround him.
- The old advice to save big chests for his release is out of date, because chests are gone.
What Executioner Does
It sold him as a ranged troop with high hitpoints and area damage, and it said his double hit was the secret.
The short version: the axe goes out, then comes back in a straight line. On the way out it hurts, and on the way back it hurts again.
| Fact | Notes. | 2026 check |
| Cost | 5 elixir, Epic | 5 elixir, Epic |
| Hit speed | 2.4 seconds | Not re-checked |
| Range | 5 on the old table | Cut from 7.5 to 7 tiles on August 4 (SeeMeta) |
| Best deck | Not covered | Mega Knight and Freeze list, 53.1% over 731 battles |
| Exenado | Not covered | Best list 52.9% over 1,600 battles at 3.1 elixir |
What it means: he is a strong support card with a modest record. Still unknown: why the range number on the old table (5) differs from the SeeMeta figures (7.5 and 7), because the sources do not explain it. See the Executioner card guide.
Executioner has had a range cut and still sits near 53%, so a small buff or a second nerf are both possible. The negative effect: players who built an Exenado deck around him could lose the whole list to one number change.
Seven Plays
- Place him far from the enemy. A slow thrower needs room before troops reach him.
- Use him against swarms. The first pass kills Skeletons, Spear Goblins and Fire Spirits. The second pass finishes Minions, Goblins, Archers, Princess and Ice Spirits.
- Defend the glass cannons behind a tank. He cleans up what the tank was shielding.
- Time him on Goblin Barrel. He can take out all three Goblins with exact timing.
- Compare him with Bowler. His line attack is much like Bowler’s.
- Swap him for Witch, Wizard or Bomber. In many decks he can replace them.
The takeaway: space, a tank and a swarm target. The catch: the Barrel play needs a fresh test, since his range changed. Read our Bowler guide and Goblin Barrel guide.
Pairing note: the best sampled Executioner list runs Mega Knight and Freeze at 5.1 elixir. See the Freeze guide for the September duration cut from 4 to 3.5 seconds.
If Supercell keeps trimming range on slow throwers, Executioner may lose the edge over Wizard and Witch in swarm defense. The negative effect: decks that use him as a swarm answer would need Zap or Arrows and lose a slot.
How to Beat Executioner
They reach him before the axe returns.
Surround him: Skeleton Army, Barbarians or Elite Barbarians can swarm him. What it means: his two-hit axe is strong against swarms, but a large swarm still wins.
Wait for the throw: after a throw, he needs 2.4 seconds. Drop your answer right after it lands.
The short version: get close, stay close, and hit him while he reloads.
What Is Out of Date
It tells readers to save big chests for the card, not to open them until he drops from a smaller chest, and to skip the Chinese New Year shop offers. None of that applies now. Our chest cycle page explains that chests, slots and timers were removed, according to a search summary.
Best use of this section: a reminder that card-launch advice dates fast. See our chest cycle page for what replaced chests.
Launch-week tips tend to vanish as shop rules change, and new cards now arrive through events and passes. The negative effect: players who chase every new card on day one may spend gems on a card that gets nerfed a month later.
Exenado and Freeze Lists
Two Executioner styles show up in the October samples. Exenado pairs him with Tornado at about 3.1 elixir, and the best of those lists won 52.9% over 1,600 battles. The other style is heavier: a Mega Knight list with Freeze at 5.1 elixir won 53.1% over 731 battles. The other seven printed lists won 42.2% to 47.4%.
What it means: cheap and heavy builds score about the same, and the rest of the sample sits below 50%. The catch: neither style stands out, so the card is a support piece, not a deck on its own.
In a deck, Executioner takes the slot of a splash troop. Two splash troops in one deck leave less room for a tank or a win condition.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Executioner cost?
5 elixir. He is an Epic.
What is Exenado?
A deck pairing Executioner with Tornado. The best sampled list won 52.9% over 1,600 battles at 3.1 elixir.
What counters Executioner?
Mini P.E.K.K.A, Knight and Mega Minion, or a swarm that surrounds him.
What changed for Executioner in 2026?
SeeMeta lists a range cut from 7.5 to 7 tiles on August 4.
Does the Executioner hit twice?
Yes. His axe flies out and back, so it can hit a target twice.
Sources
Researched from the following (no links, listed for transparency):
- CryptoAIMeta card guides for these cards, built from RoyaleTracker October 2026 samples and SeeMeta 2026 balance changes
- SeeMeta, Clash Royale balance changes 2026 (page updated October 2026), read through search summaries
- Supercell official Clash Royale API, card list (elixir cost, rarity)