AI Overview: Top ladder cards in Clash Royale were once sorted into S to F tiers by one player, using usage and win rates from StatsRoyale. This page keeps that whole list, then sets the old S and A picks beside October 2026 data from RoyaleTracker and SeeMeta, to show which cards stayed on top and which numbers cannot be compared.
Last Updated: October 2026
Key Points:
- The old tier list ranked cards for the Legendary Arena. It was a version 1.0 and 2.0 list, written when Elite Barbarians and Archers were common picks.
- Old S tier: Fireball, Ice Spirit, Knight, The Log, Zap. In 2026, printed lists for all five are still strong.
- Crown Tower damage cuts hit Fireball (207 to 159), Log (41 to 35), Zap (58 to 48) and Arrows (93 to 75).
- Old win rates cover each card across the ladder. 2026 win rates cover the best printed deck. They cannot be compared directly.
- A high-tier card does not belong in every deck. That advice is still sound.
The Old S Tier Against 2026 Numbers
Here’s the thing: the old list used two kinds of proof, the opinion and StatsRoyale usage and win rates. In version 2 the S tier cards sat at about 53% to 55% win rate with 12% to 38% usage. A card used in more than a third of decks is a staple, and that is what the old S tier meant.
| Card | Old usage / win (version 2) | 2026 best printed list | 2026 balance note |
| Fireball | 27.2% / 53.2% | 60.4% over about 4,700 battles; all eight lists 55.4% or more | Crown Tower damage 207 to 172 to 159 |
| Ice Spirit | 12.3% / 53.1% | All eight printed lists 56.7% or more | Hitpoints 230 to 215 on August 4 |
| Knight | 19.9% / 54.9% | 67.1% over 1,000 battles (LogBait) | Hero shield 768 to 512 on July 6 |
| The Log | 26.6% / 54.5% | 65.1% over 3,500 battles; all eight above 57% | Crown Tower damage 41 to 35 on June 1 |
| Zap | 37.8% / 53.3% | Evo Zap 77.0% over about 1,000 battles | Crown Tower damage 58 to 48 on June 1 |
Today the best printed Archers deck wins 70.6% over 695 battles, Minions 65.2% over 2,300 and Goblin Gang 62.9% over about 3,100. Read the Zap guide and the Ice Spirit guide for the full tables.
Four small spells lost Crown Tower damage in 2026, so the chip that used to finish close games is smaller. The negative effect: if the cuts continue, decks built on Arrows, Log and Zap may need a bigger spell like Fireball or Rocket to finish a tower, and games may drift toward overtime.
The A and B Tiers: Who Held Their Place
Golem, Miner and X-Bow joined them if the player could level up in time. Lava Hound, P.E.K.K.A, Graveyard, Goblin Barrel, Balloon and Battle Ram sat in B tier as good but harder to use.
| Old tier | Card | 2026 best printed list | Note |
| A | Hog Rider | 61.2% over about 3,800 | No 2026 change |
| A | Giant | 71.6% over 587 | No 2026 change; six of seven lists are Giant Graveyard |
| A | Mortar | Eight base lists 41.9% to 51.9% | The weak one of the triangle |
| A | Golem | 68.7% over about 1,400 | No 2026 change |
| A | Miner | 66.0% over 535 | Crown Tower damage 49 to 39 on July 6 |
| A | X-Bow | 62.7% over 1,300 | Damage 58 to 61 on October 6 |
| B | P.E.K.K.A | 65.8% over 754 | Damage 816 to 842 on July 6 |
| B | Graveyard | Top deck 71.6% | Skeletons 13 to 12 on June 1 |
| B | Goblin Barrel | 65.4% over about 1,500 | First-hit speed buffed on October 6 |
| B | Lava Hound | 78.8% over 241 | Damage 53 to 71 on October 6; tiny samples |
The surprise: the old A-tier Mortar is the weakest of the group today, while two B-tier cards, P.E.K.K.A and Graveyard, post some of the best printed lists. Tiers move, which is the main reason a tier list needs a date on it. This page does not rebuild the tiers, because the 2026 numbers come from single decks and not from ladder-wide usage.
Cards from these tiers have full pages on this site, such as Golem, P.E.K.K.A and Fireball.
Mortar is the lone archetype card with no list above 52%. The negative effect: if the siege side of the triangle stays weak, beatdown and cycle decks face less pressure, and matches may feel more alike.
Why Old Win Rates and New Ones Do Not Match
Translation: the old numbers describe every deck that used a card. The 2026 numbers describe the best deck RoyaleTracker printed. A card can sit at 53% across the ladder and still have a printed deck at 60%. StatsRoyale counted draws as half a win and that mirror matches were included, which pushes popular cards toward 50%.
What to do with it: use the old tiers for the ideas, such as easy-to-level commons being staples, and use the 2026 tables for the numbers. The old rule that a high-tier card does not belong in every deck still holds. Check the anti-meta checklist and the Deck Builder before locking a card in.
Royal Giant and Elite Barbarians were A-tier when overleveled and poor when underleveled. Since November 24, 2025 the level cap is 16, and each upgrade costs more cards and gold than before, as the upgrade costs table shows. A tier list that ignores levels leaves out half the story.
Level 16 cards cost far more gold and copies, so the gap between a maxed deck and an average one can grow. The negative effect: free players may fall behind the top tiers faster than the old list assumed, and a card that wins at level 16 may lose at level 13.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the top ladder cards in Clash Royale?
In the old list they were Fireball, Ice Spirit, Knight, The Log and Zap. 2026 printed lists for all five are still strong.
Is there a Clash Royale tier list for 2026?
This page does not publish one, because the available 2026 data comes from single decks. It shows how old S and A picks perform today.
Why was Mortar in A tier?
Do old win rates still apply?
No. They cover the whole ladder at the time. The 2026 numbers cover one printed deck each.
Which spell lost the most tower damage?
Fireball, down 23% in total, from 207 to 159.
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)