AI Overview: The Giant Skeleton in Clash Royale is a 6-elixir Epic tank that drops a big bomb when it dies. It defends against Giant, Royal Giant and Prince pushes, and it needs six kinds of support on offense. This guide keeps the old tips and checks them against the May 4 health cut and the new bomb numbers.
Last Updated: October 2026
Key Points:
- Giant Skeleton costs 6, is Epic, and unlocks in Arena 8. Best printed list: 72.1% over about 1,100 battles.
- May 4: hit points fell 7.1%. The bomb now does 28.7% more to troops and 35.6% less to towers.
- Three defenses: Giant pushes, Royal Giant pushes, Prince pushes. The rule is the same, place it so the bomb catches the support.
- Six partners: Fire Spirit, Valkyrie, Dark Prince, Guards, Bomber, Witch.
- Do not add extra troops once the support sits outside the bomb radius.
Why the Bomb Decides Everything
Here’s the thing: the Giant Skeleton is a tank you want to die. It has the lowest hit points of the big tanks at the same level, but the bomb on death does far more damage than the Balloon’s. A well-timed drop wipes the support troops, which is the whole point of the card.
The old numbers. At tournament level (Level 4) the page lists 2,657 hit points, 133 damage per hit and 88 damage per second, with a death bomb of 957. The weak damage means it cannot kill even a tournament Goblin in one hit, so it needs help on offense.
| Item | Notes. | Card data now |
| Cost and rarity | Not stated | 6 elixir, Epic |
| Unlock | Not stated | Arena 8 |
| Hit points | 2,657 at Level 4 | Cut 7.1% on May 4 |
| Death bomb | 957 at Level 4 | +28.7% to troops, -35.6% to towers |
| Best printed list | Not stated | 72.1% over about 1,100 battles (Evo Battle Ram lists: 72.1%, 66.1%, 50.0%) |
The old stat table is a Level 4 snapshot, so treat the exact numbers as history and the ratios as the lesson. For the full card table see the Giant Skeleton guide, and for a tank with a similar bomb idea see the Balloon guide.
The bomb now hits troops harder and towers softer, which pushes the card toward defense. The negative effect: as the tower damage stays low, a Giant Skeleton pushing alone may no longer scare anyone, and decks that used it as a win condition could lose their main threat.
Three Defenses and Four Rules
Giant plus support. Drop the Giant Skeleton between the Giant and its support, because the Giant ignores it and may even push it back to the tower. Do it when the Giant is almost at the target, so it does not walk out of the bomb radius. Add small troops like Spear Goblins to kill the Giant faster.
Royal Giant plus support. This one is easier, since the support stays close. Place the Giant Skeleton right on top of the Royal Giant. It pushes the Royal Giant back a little, and it has to walk to its old spot, which costs it hits on the tower.
Prince plus support. Hard to stop, since the Prince outruns the bomb. Place the Giant Skeleton in front of the push when everyone is bunched, so the Prince has to cross the whole bomb circle.
- Extra troops only inside the radius. If every ranged troop stands outside the bomb circle, a distraction will not pull them in. You lose the bomb and the extra card.
- Push a locked troop away. If a troop has locked onto your tower, drop the Giant Skeleton between them. It either fights the skeleton or walks back.
- Pull, then blow it up. Use a cheap distraction to pull the front line to the middle, then place the Giant Skeleton near the bridge to group them.
- Be tricky. Rivals fear the bomb, so they overreact. Start a second push in the other lane with Royal Giant, Hog Rider or Balloon. Smart players only fall for it once, so use spells to clear their small distractions.
Compare the trade with a cheap answer: the Giant Skeleton at 6 against a Giant at 5 is a one-elixir deficit, but the bomb can clear the whole support at once. See the Guards guide for a cheap helper, and the Golem beatdown guide for the heavy tank view.
Every bomb change shifts which defenses the card can handle. The negative effect: a bomb tuned toward troops means decks that count on tower damage from this card will fall behind, and players may only notice after losing a few close games.
Six Partners on Offense
| Partner | Cost | Why it helps | Total with Giant Skeleton |
| Fire Spirit | 1 | One spirit clears Spear Goblins and swarms | 7 |
| Valkyrie | 4 | Extra health and 360 degree protection | 10 |
| Dark Prince | 4 | Charge reaches distractions fast and can push the tank | 10 |
| Guards | 3 | Shield against reactive P.E.K.K.A, take tower hits | 9 |
| Bomber | 3 | Cheap area damage against swarms | 9 |
| Witch | 5 | Splash damage plus her skeletons | 11 |
Why swarms matter. Skeletons and Goblins can pull the tank away from the tower for good. Place it behind the tank, not in front.
The Valkyrie placement. Drop her right in front of the Giant Skeleton before the bridge. She takes the tower shots and protects it from anything nearby. The P.E.K.K.A problem. High damage kills the tank quickly, which is where the Guards come in.
Check the support cards on their pages: Valkyrie, Dark Prince and Witch. For the cheap spirit, see the Fire Spirit guide.
A weaker body on a card that needs to reach the bridge makes the support list more important. The negative effect: if the partners get nerfed in later patches, the whole Giant Skeleton package could lose its balance without the card itself changing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Giant Skeleton cost?
6 elixir. It is an Epic that unlocks in Arena 8.
What does the Giant Skeleton bomb do?
It drops when the card dies and hits nearby troops and towers. Since May 4 it does 28.7% more to troops and 35.6% less to towers.
What is the best support for Giant Skeleton?
Fire Spirit, Valkyrie, Dark Prince, Guards, Bomber and Witch.
How do you defend with Giant Skeleton?
Place it between the tank and its support so the bomb catches the support troops.
Did Giant Skeleton change in 2026?
Yes. Hit points fell 7.1% on May 4 and the bomb numbers changed the same day.
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, unlock arena)