AI Overview: Minions is a 3-elixir Common troop in Clash Royale that sends three fast flying attackers. It is available from the start, in Training Camp (Arena 0), and has no Evolution or Hero. RoyaleTracker’s best Minions deck won 65.2% in October 2026, and the top two are Siege Mortar lists. SeeMeta lists no 2026 balance change for it.
Last Updated: October 2026
Key Points:
- Minions cost 3 elixir, are a Common troop, and are available from the start (Training Camp, Arena 0).
- They have no Evolution and no Hero version.
- SeeMeta lists no 2026 balance change for Minions.
- RoyaleTracker’s best Minions deck won 65.2% over 2,300 battles.
- The top two lists are Siege Mortar decks and share seven of eight cards.
Table of Contents
What Minions Do
The short version: Minions are a 3-elixir Common. RoyaleTracker’s card text says you get three fast, unarmored flying attackers. They are available from the start, in Training Camp (Arena 0), and have no Evolution or Hero.
Three flying fighters for 3 elixir. They fly over ground troops and buildings, so they are a fast way to chip a tower.
| Stat | Value |
| Elixir cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Troop (flying) |
| Unlocks | Training Camp (Arena 0) |
| Evolution / Hero | None |
| 2026 change | None listed (SeeMeta) |
Minions have no change of their own, but the Siege Mortar lists that lead the page rely on Evo Mortar, whose hit speed went from 4 to 4.7 seconds on August 4. The negative effect: if Mortar gets cut again, the 65.2% list loses its core, and the Minions slide with it.
Best Minions Decks Right Now
RoyaleTracker printed eight Minions decks. The best two are Siege Mortar lists that won 65.2% and 64.1%. The other six won between 41.6% and 49.0%.
The pattern: the top two share seven of their eight cards and differ only in the Hero: Berserker in the first, Ice Wizard in the second. Three of the eight lists are Siege Mortar, and all three run Rascals and Barbarian Barrel. (A Siege Mortar deck wins by planting a Mortar near the river so it shells the tower from range.) What it means: the Minions do the same job in every winning list: cheap air cover for a siege card.
| Build | Cards | Avg elixir | Win rate (sample) |
| Siege Mortar, Hero Berserker and Rascals | 3.5 | 65.2% (2.3k battles) | |
| Siege Mortar, Hero Ice Wizard and Rascals | 3.6 | 64.1% (2.1k battles) | |
| Evo Zap, Sparky and Goblin Giant | 3.8 | 49.0% (822 battles) | |
| Hog Rider, Evo Witch and Hero Wizard | 4.4 | 46.7% (856 battles) | |
| Evo Royal Hogs, Evo Battle Ram and Sparky | 4.3 | 45.2% (961 battles) | |
| Beatdown, Golem and Evo Witch | 4.4 | 43.1% (1.4k battles) | |
| Beatdown, Hero Giant and Barbarian Hut | 4.0 | 42.9% (1.1k battles) | |
| Siege Mortar, Evo Mortar and Hero Goblins | 3.5 | 41.6% (800 battles) |
Try it yourself: open the Clash Royale Deck Builder with the Siege Mortar and Hero Ice Wizard build in the table above, 64.1% in the tracker sample (2,100 battles), already loaded. It averages 3.6 elixir. Swap Hero Ice Wizard for Hero Berserker to match the 65.2% list.
Which Decks Use Minions?
Three styles appear in the eight printed lists. Siege Mortar lists won 65.2%, 64.1% and 41.6%. Two Sparky cycle lists, one with Evo Zap and one with Evo Royal Hogs, won 49.0% and 45.2%. Three Hog Rider and beatdown lists won 46.7%, 43.1% and 42.9%.
What it means: only one style clears 60%, and none of the other five lists won more than 49.0%. The move: if you want to try Minions, start with Siege Mortar, not the heavier lists.
How to Play Minions
- Use them as a 3-elixir cycle card. The two best lists average 3.5 and 3.6 elixir.
- Send them over the river when the ground is blocked. They ignore buildings and tanks.
- Pair them with Mortar. Both top lists run them next to Evo Mortar.
- Keep Fireball for their anti-air. Both top lists run Fireball.
- Do not send them into a ready Arrows. One Arrows ends the push.
The move: next game, play Minions behind your Mortar after their big spell is used.
Rascals lost hitpoints on June 1, and Barbarian Barrel lost damage on October 6, from 232 to 215. Both are in all three Siege Mortar lists. The negative effect: small nerfs stack, and a shell that looked safe in September can slip toward 50% without any single big hit.
How to Counter Minions
- Arrows or Zap: they hit all three at once.
- Fireball: it hits air and is easy to land on a cluster.
- Musketeer or Archers: ranged troops that shoot up.
- Baby Dragon or Wizard: splash damage in the air.
The catch: The Log and Valkyrie cannot hit air. Do not rely on them against Minions.
Are Minions Worth Using Now?
Is it worth it? Yes, in Siege Mortar lists. The best two won 65.2% and 64.1%. The catch: in beatdown decks, the two Minions lists won only 42.9% and 43.1%.
What to remember: Minions win as the cheap air support of a Siege deck.
The second list runs Hero Ice Wizard, whose freeze duration was cut from 7 to 5 seconds on September 16 and whose freeze damage was cut from 89 to 46 on October 6. The tracker sample may not show the full effect yet. The negative effect: if the Ice Wizard version slips, players move to the Berserker list, and the 64.1% build fades from the top.
Go deeper: For more Mortar lists, read the Mortar deck guide and how to counter Mortar decks. You can build a variation in the Clash Royale Deck Builder, which shows the average cost as the deck fills up.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do Minions do in Clash Royale?
They are three fast, unarmored flying attackers for 3 elixir.
How much do Minions cost?
3 elixir.
When do you unlock Minions?
They are available from the start, in Training Camp (Arena 0). They are a Common card.
What is the best Minions deck?
In October 2026, RoyaleTracker listed a Siege Mortar deck with Evo Skeleton Barrel, Evo Mortar and Hero Berserker at 65.2% over 2,300 battles.
What counters Minions?
Arrows, Zap, Fireball and anti-air troops such as Musketeer or Baby Dragon.
Do Minions have an Evolution or Hero?
No. RoyaleTracker and the official card data list neither.
The Bottom Line
The takeaway: Minions are a 3-elixir air card that wins in Siege Mortar decks. Keep them cheap and keep Fireball nearby.
Sources
Researched from the following (no links, listed for transparency):
- RoyaleTracker, Minions card page (October 2026 tracker data)
- RoyaleTracker, best decks with Minions (October 2026 tracker samples)
- SeeMeta, Clash Royale balance changes 2026 (page updated October 8, 2026)
- Supercell, Clash Royale October balance changes 2026 (October 6, 2026)
- Clash Royale card data used by the Deck Builder (elixir costs and card types)