AI Overview: Prince is a 5-elixir Epic troop in Clash Royale that deals double damage once he gets charging. He unlocks in Royal Arena (Arena 7) and has no Evolution or Hero. SeeMeta lists no change for him in 2026. In October 2026, RoyaleTracker’s best Prince deck won 52.5% over 1,300 battles, and the other six won under 48%.
Last Updated: October 2026
Key Points:
- Prince costs 5 elixir, is an Epic troop, and unlocks in Royal Arena (Arena 7).
- He has no Evolution and no Hero version.
- SeeMeta lists no change for Prince in 2026.
- RoyaleTracker’s best Prince deck, a Hog Rider list with Evo Furnace, won 52.5% over 1,300 battles.
- Only one of the seven printed decks won over 50%.
Table of Contents
What Prince Does
The short version: Prince is a 5-elixir Epic troop that hits twice as hard after a run. RoyaleTracker’s card text says he deals double damage once he gets charging. He unlocks in Royal Arena (Arena 7). The dated guides below say Training Camp; this page uses the tracker value.
What changed: SeeMeta lists no change for Prince in 2026. His partners changed: Furnace lost range on June 1, from 6 to 5.5 tiles, and Ram Rider gained hitpoints on July 6 and damage on October 6. What it means: his results come from the cards around him.
| Stat | Value |
| Elixir cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Epic |
| Type | Troop (charging melee) |
| Unlocks | Royal Arena (Arena 7) |
| Evolution / Hero | None |
| Last change | None listed (SeeMeta) |
Prince has no change of its own, and the lists he plays in mostly lose. If a balance patch targets the heavy decks around him, the card may rise without any change. The negative effect: a card that depends on its partners can stay weak even after a buff.
Best Prince Decks Right Now
RoyaleTracker printed seven Prince decks, and only one won over 50%. The best, a Hog Rider list with Evo Furnace, Witch, Mega Knight and Berserker, won 52.5% over 1,300 battles. The other six won between 42.7% and 47.7%.
The pattern: Mega Knight is in three of the seven lists, and Valkyrie in four. The lists average 3.8 to 5.0 elixir. The two lists at 5.0 elixir won 47.7% and 47.4%, while the 4.5-elixir winner won 52.5%. What it means: cost alone does not sink him, but the wrong partners do.
| Build | Cards | Avg elixir | Win rate (sample) |
| Evo Furnace, Witch and Hog Rider | 4.5 | 52.5% (1.3k battles) | |
| Evo Royal Recruits, Valkyrie and Hog Rider | 5.0 | 47.7% (1.0k battles) | |
| Balloon, Valkyrie and Elite Barbarians | 5.0 | 47.4% (1.1k battles) | |
| Evo Valkyrie, Evo Furnace and Ram Rider | 4.1 | 45.9% (1.3k battles) | |
| Evo Mega Knight, Evo Wall Breakers and Archer Queen | 3.8 | 44.8% (3.1k battles) | |
| Evo Witch, Evo Firecracker and Golem | 4.4 | 43.1% (1.4k battles) | |
| Evo Firecracker, Hero Balloon and Bowler | 4.1 | 42.7% (1.0k battles) |
Try it yourself: open the Clash Royale Deck Builder with the Evo Valkyrie and Evo Furnace build in the table above, 45.9% in the tracker sample (1,300 battles), already loaded. It averages 4.1 elixir and is the only Prince list with Ram Rider and Flying Machine. Swap Mother Witch for a cheaper card to lower the cost.
How to Play Prince
- Give him room to run. His damage doubles after a charge, so place him farther back.
- Pair him with a splash card. The best list runs Witch to cover him from swarms.
- Back him with Mega Knight or Hog Rider. The best list runs both.
- Do not stack heavy cards. The 5.0-elixir lists won under 48%.
- Use him against ranged troops. He reaches them and hits twice as hard.
Ram Rider is in the 45.9% list and was buffed on July 6 and October 6. If that list improves, Prince may get a second look in pairs with the Ram Rider. The negative effect: the lists around Prince are still heavy, and one buff does not fix a 4.1-elixir cost.
Prince Tactics That Still Hold
The short version: the Prince is a charge card. Give him space to run and the first hit lands hard. Crowd him and he loses the value.
Play him with space
Put him farther back than most melee units, so he gains speed before he reaches a target. Supports and ranged units die to the charge. Placed next to enemy troops, he does not charge.
Pair him with splash
The Prince is weak to swarms, so give him a partner that clears them. Witch covers him with Skeletons and splash. Dark Prince is the usual pairing against small troops. Count your elixir first, because a counter-push after a Prince push costs a lot.
Defend with numbers
Swarms such as Skeleton Army outnumber him. A Tombstone also stops him at an equal level.
Weak matchups
Swarm decks and P.E.K.K.A. beat him, so avoid them as a tank for your push. If you need a replacement, Dark Prince fills a similar role, with less health and damage.
Use prediction
Against a Prince, cast swarms in a different spot each time, so a prediction spell does not catch them. As the Prince player, aim a spell at the place where swarms usually appear.
The move: next game, place the Prince behind your tower with a splash partner, and keep a cheap card ready for the swarm that answers him.
How to Counter Prince
- Swarms: Skeleton Army or Goblin Gang kill him fast.
- Inferno Tower: it melts his hitpoints.
- Kite him: a cheap troop pulls him sideways and breaks his charge.
- Spell and tower: a Fireball plus your tower finishes him.
The catch: do not let him charge into a tower. The double hit hurts.
Is Prince Worth Using Now?
Is it worth it? Not yet. Only one of seven printed lists won over 50%, and it needs Evo Furnace and Mega Knight. The catch: the other six won 42.7% to 47.7%.
What to remember: Prince is a heavy card that wins only in one shell.
Evo Mega Knight is in the 44.8% list, and SeeMeta lists nerfs on June 1 (knockback 4 to 2.5 tiles) and August 4 (uppercut every other attack). If it is trimmed again, that list loses a heavy hitter. The negative effect: Prince leans on slow, heavy partners, and each cut makes them slower to matter.
Go deeper: For the cards in his best list, read the Mega Knight guide, the Witch guide and the Furnace guide. The Clash Royale Deck Builder is the quickest way to build your own version, because it keeps a running average cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Prince do in Clash Royale?
He deals double damage once he gets charging, according to RoyaleTracker’s card text.
How much does Prince cost?
5 elixir.
When do you unlock Prince?
He unlocks in Royal Arena (Arena 7). He is an Epic card.
What is the best Prince deck?
In October 2026, RoyaleTracker listed a Hog Rider deck with Evo Furnace, Witch and Mega Knight at 52.5% over 1,300 battles.
What counters Prince?
Swarms, Inferno Tower, or kiting him with a cheap troop.
Did Prince get nerfed?
SeeMeta lists no change for Prince in 2026.
Sources
Researched from the following (no links, listed for transparency):
- RoyaleTracker, Prince card page (October 2026 tracker data)
- RoyaleTracker, best decks with Prince (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)
- Supercell official Clash Royale API, card list (elixir cost, rarity, Evolution and Hero flags)