AI Overview: Archer Queen is a 5-elixir Champion in Clash Royale that unlocks in Royal Crypt (Arena 17). Her 1-elixir Cloaking Cape makes her untargetable for 3.5 seconds. SeeMeta lists a damage buff on August 26, 2026. In October 2026, RoyaleTracker’s best Archer Queen deck, a Royal Hogs and Earthquake list, won 60.0% over 743 battles. The four Royal Hogs lists won 49.3% to 60.0%.
Last Updated: October 2026
Key Points:
- Archer Queen costs 5 elixir, is a Champion, and unlocks in Royal Crypt (Arena 17).
- Cloaking Cape costs 1 elixir and makes her untargetable for 3.5 seconds.
- On August 26, 2026, SeeMeta lists damage up from 225 to 232.
- RoyaleTracker’s best Archer Queen deck won 60.0% over 743 battles.
- The four Royal Hogs lists won 49.3% to 60.0%.
Table of Contents
What Archer Queen Does
The short version: Archer Queen is a 5-elixir ranged Champion who can vanish. RoyaleTracker’s card text calls her fast, deadly and hard to catch. She unlocks in Royal Crypt (Arena 17).
Archer Queen is a ranged fighter who can vanish for a few seconds. Nothing can target her while she is cloaked.
Cloaking Cape: RoyaleTracker says it costs 1 elixir, makes her untargetable for 3.5 seconds and boosts her attack speed, at the cost of slower movement. The cooldown line on the page is not used, because abilities became single-use in August 2026.
What changed: SeeMeta lists one change: damage 225 to 232 on August 26 (+3.1%). What it means: she hits a touch harder, and nothing else about her moved, so her results come from the decks around her.
| Stat | Value |
| Elixir cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Champion |
| Type | Troop (ranged) |
| Unlocks | Royal Crypt (Arena 17) |
| Evolution / Hero | None |
| Ability | Cloaking Cape, 1 elixir |
| Last change | August 26, 2026 (SeeMeta) |
Archer Queen got a small buff in August and sits in winning Royal Hogs lists. If those lists keep winning, the next patch could trim a partner, not her. The negative effect: a Champion can lose value without being touched.
Best Archer Queen Decks Right Now
RoyaleTracker printed eight Archer Queen decks. The best four are Royal Hogs and Earthquake lists, and they won 60.0%, 57.2%, 54.1% and 49.3%. The four others, three Mega Knight lists and one beatdown list, won between 44.8% and 51.4%.
The pattern: the Royal Hogs lists average 2.9 to 3.0 elixir, and the others average 3.8 to 4.6. The biggest sample, 3,100 battles, is a Mega Knight list at 44.8%. What it means: she wins in cheap decks, not in Mega Knight ones.
| Build | Cards | Avg elixir | Win rate (sample) |
| Mega Knight, Evo Wall Breakers and Bandit | 3.8 | 44.8% (3.1k battles) | |
| Royal Hogs, Evo Skeletons and Earthquake | 2.9 | 54.1% (1.3k battles) | |
| Mega Knight, Evo Bats and Wall Breakers | 3.8 | 51.4% (995 battles) | |
| Mega Knight, Evo Wall Breakers and Bats | 3.8 | 48.2% (912 battles) | |
| Royal Hogs, Evo Tesla and Earthquake | 3.0 | 57.2% (807 battles) | |
| Beatdown, Evo Witch and Electro Giant | 4.6 | 46.4% (752 battles) | |
| Royal Hogs, Evo Ice Spirit and Earthquake | 2.9 | 60.0% (743 battles) | |
| Royal Hogs, Evo Cannon and Earthquake | 2.9 | 49.3% (738 battles) |
Try it yourself: open the Clash Royale Deck Builder with the Evo Witch and Electro Giant build in the table above, 46.4% in the tracker sample (752 battles), already loaded. It averages 4.6 elixir, the heaviest Archer Queen list. Swap Furnace for a cheaper card to lower the cost.
How to Play Archer Queen
- Keep her behind a cheap front line. She is ranged, so she can shoot from safety.
- Use Cloaking Cape to dodge a spell or a big hit. She cannot be targeted for 3.5 seconds.
- Pair her with Royal Hogs. The four Royal Hogs lists run her.
- Add Earthquake and The Log. Both are in all four.
- Keep 1 elixir spare. The ability costs 1.
The move: next game, hold Archer Queen until they commit a spell, then cloak and keep shooting.
Royal Delivery is in all four Royal Hogs lists, and it lost 12.1% of its damage on August 4. If it is nerfed again, the cheapest Archer Queen decks lose a card. The negative effect: a Champion that wins through cheap partners is only as stable as they are.
How to Counter Archer Queen
- Wait for the cloak to end: she cannot be targeted for 3.5 seconds.
- Spells: Fireball or Poison hits her after the cloak.
- Troops that close the gap: she is ranged, so get to her once the cloak ends.
- Do not spend a spell during the cloak: it wastes elixir.
The catch: do not chase her. The cloak is cheap, and she walks slower afterward.
Is Archer Queen Worth Using Now?
Is it worth it? Yes, in a Royal Hogs list, where the four lists won 49.3% to 60.0%. The catch: the three Mega Knight lists won 44.8% to 51.4%, and the heavy beatdown list won 46.4%.
What to remember: Archer Queen shines in cheap Royal Hogs decks, not in heavy ones.
Three of the four Royal Hogs lists run Evo Royal Hogs, which lost landing damage on May 4, from 84 to 43. If the Hogs get another trim, the Queen keeps her damage buff but loses her best partner. The negative effect: a Champion’s win rate can fall without a single change to her.
Go deeper: For the cards in her best lists, read the Royal Delivery guide, the Earthquake guide and the Royal Hogs guide. Planning a list of your own? The Clash Royale Deck Builder updates the average cost with every card you add.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Archer Queen do in Clash Royale?
She is a ranged Champion. Cloaking Cape makes her untargetable for 3.5 seconds and speeds up her attacks.
How much does Archer Queen cost?
5 elixir. Cloaking Cape costs 1 more.
When do you unlock Archer Queen?
She unlocks in Royal Crypt (Arena 17).
What is the best Archer Queen deck?
In October 2026, RoyaleTracker listed a Royal Hogs deck with Evo Ice Spirit and Earthquake at 60.0% over 743 battles.
What counters Archer Queen?
Wait out the cloak, then use a spell or fast melee troops.
What changed for Archer Queen in 2026?
SeeMeta lists damage 225 to 232 on August 26.
The Bottom Line
The takeaway: Archer Queen is a 5-elixir ranged Champion that wins in cheap Royal Hogs decks. Time the cloak against their spell.
Sources
Researched from the following (no links, listed for transparency):
- RoyaleTracker, Archer Queen card page (October 2026 tracker data)
- RoyaleTracker, best decks with Archer Queen (October 2026 tracker samples)
- SeeMeta, Clash Royale balance changes 2026 (page updated October 8, 2026)
- RoyaleTracker, Season 86 balance changes (August 2026): Hero and Champion abilities became single-use
- Clash Royale card data used by the Deck Builder (elixir costs and card types)
- Supercell official Clash Royale API, card list (elixir cost, rarity, Evolution and Hero flags)