AI Overview: Mortar in Clash Royale is a 4-elixir building that hits from long range and works best as a second win condition beside Hog Rider or Miner. The play still holds, though stats from the old level table are out of date. Base lists win 41.9% to 51.9%, so skill matters more than the card. Every figure is based on the October 2026 card data.
Last Updated: October 2026
Key Points:
- Mortar costs 4, is a Common and unlocks in Arena 5.
- Never send a naked Mortar after the first play, and never over-defend it.
- Three decks: Mortar Rocket (3.0), Miner Mortar (2.9) and Hog Mortar (2.9).
- Base Mortar lists win 41.9% to 51.9% today, while Evolution lists reach 69.7%.
- Best matchup: bait. Worst: Golem without a heavy spell, Graveyard, and anything with Bowler.
Basics and Place in the Meta
Here’s the thing: many players call Mortar his favorite card after Hog. He uses it as a second win condition, usually beside Hog or Miner. Two Mortar hits on a tower matter a lot, because you keep cycling Mortars.
The old numbers: cost 4, hit speed 5 seconds, deploy 3.5 seconds, lifetime 30 seconds, range 3.5 to 11.5 tiles. A max Mortar could deal about 1,700 to 1,800 to a tower. His own point: a hybrid Mortar deck does not need a high Mortar level, because the aim is to protect it, and the splash does value at any level.
Today the Mortar guide shows a hit speed gain for the base card and a hit speed cut for the Evolution on August 4, plus a slower Evolution deploy on June 1. Base lists win 41.9% to 51.9%.
Why players love it: it is cheap, tanky, free to play, and annoying. A blind spot lets a Giant walk by. Many top players ran Hog Mortar with Ice Golem, which handles a double Prince push and brings small bait troops such as Spear Goblins.
The Mortar’s Evolution got a slower deploy (June 1) and a hit speed cut (August 4) while the base card got faster hits, so the base-card and Evolution plans are drifting apart. The negative effect: a Mortar player may now need two separate rulebooks, and the base card still trails at 51.9% for its best list.
6 Tips
- Tornado the distraction away. If the rival drops a troop in the other lane to distract the Mortar, pull it to the nearest corner, out of range.
- No naked Mortar. After the first play, which scouts their deck, always protect it.
- Stop protecting it under half health. It is not worth the elixir.
- Upgrade the bait first. A deck of cheap bait troops needs them to beat a high-level Zap.
- Never over-defend. If a Giant blocks it, do not pour troops in to save a Mortar with little health, or a Prince will punish you.
- Do not push two win conditions together. You will want the Mortar on defense.
Another trick: with Tornado, if the rival’s only distraction sits in the same lane, you can pull it onto your Mortar’s blind spot and the Mortar locks on the tower. Do not leave a Mortar standing with nothing to shoot, because it only lives 30 seconds.
As an opener: Mortar baits out their counters and shows the deck. A Goblin Gang in their hand often points to Mortar bait or Giant bait.
Counters are simple. A Golem on the other lane distracts the Mortar, but a Tornado can pull it away. Mini tanks work the same way, and Ice Golem works best. Poison kills the swarms that protect the Mortar. Compare with the siege play on the siege decks page.
Tornado had no 2026 balance change, so the pull that saves a Mortar is stable. The negative effect: a trick that never changes is easy to scout, and a rival who sees Tornado in your cycle can place distractions on the far side.
3 Decks and Matchups
| Deck | Cards | Cost / average |
| Mortar Rocket | Knight, Archers, Ice Spirit, Bats, The Log, Rocket, Mortar, Tornado | 3+3+1+2+2+6+4+3 = 24 / 3.0 |
| Miner Mortar | Miner, Mortar, Goblin Gang, Spear Goblins, Minion Horde, Zap, The Log, Ice Golem | 3+4+3+2+5+2+2+2 = 23 / 2.9 |
| Hog Mortar | Hog Rider, Mortar, Goblin Gang, Spear Goblins, Minion Horde, Zap, The Log, Ice Spirit | 4+4+3+2+5+2+2+1 = 23 / 2.9 |
Mortar Rocket: pressure in single elixir, use Rocket sparingly, and do not overcommit on defense. Rocket cycle once the tower is around 1,000 to 1,200. In a mirror, start Rocket cycling earlier.
Miner Mortar: shine in single elixir, send a Miner and Horde push, and place the Miner behind the tower if the Horde is distracted. In double elixir keep cycling Miners and change placements. Never use Miner and Mortar in the same push.
Hog Mortar: a bait deck. Send one bait troop with the Hog at a time. Spear Goblins at the bridge draw out Zap. The Ice Golem version kites the support.
| Matchup | Result | Why |
| Bait decks | Best | Cheap troops kill their bait and you save the Log for the Barrel |
| Golem | Hard | Easier with Rocket and Tornado; painful with no heavy spell |
| Graveyard | Hard | Poison wipes your cheap troops; Log the Graveyard and push the other lane |
| Bowler decks | Hardest | Bowler counters Mortar and its bait, and Tornado counters Hog |
Spell and card changes touch these lists: Zap fell from 58 to 48 Crown Tower damage, The Log from 41 to 35, Bowler’s range from 7.5 to 7 tiles, and Graveyard from 13 to 12 Skeletons. Pair with the archetype counter page for plans.
Bowler lost half a tile of range in August, which helps every Mortar deck that dreads it. The negative effect: if Bowler becomes rarer, Mortar bait may become the default answer to Hog, and players will learn to play around it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Mortar cost?
4 elixir. It is a Common and unlocks in Arena 5.
What is the best Mortar deck?
What counters Mortar?
A tank on the other lane to distract it, Poison for its swarms, and Bowler decks.
Should you protect Mortar under half health?
No, the advice is to stop.
How long does Mortar last?
30 seconds in the old stats, so do not leave it idle.
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)