AI Overview: Mortar tips for Clash Royale start with placement: one tile from the bridge and one or two tiles from the side. The Mortar costs 4 elixir, and its blind zone is its weak spot. Place it well and it wins elixir trades. The base card’s hit speed rose on August 4. These 10 placements cover Hog, Royal Giant and Lava Hound.
Last Updated: October 2026
Key Points:
- Mortar costs 4 elixir, is a Common building and unlocks in Builder’s Workshop (Arena 5). Arena 6.
- SeeMeta lists a base hit speed from 5 to 4.7 seconds on August 4, and a slower Evolution.
- RoyaleTracker’s best base-card list won 51.9% over 337 battles. Evo Mortar lists on the Cannon Cart page won 69.7% and 65.2%.
- Mortar lives 30 seconds and shoots 6 times. These numbers are not retested.
How Mortar Works Now
Mortar is a cheap siege building that can win in any arena, because it is easy to learn but hard to master.
The short version: it shoots across the river, but it cannot hit anything that gets very close. The catch: the base card and its Evolution moved in different directions this summer.
| Fact | Notes. | 2026 check |
| Cost and rarity | 4 elixir, Common | 4 elixir, Common |
| Unlock arena | Arena 6 | Arena 5 per the tracker (conflict flagged) |
| Hit speed | Not given | 5 to 4.7 s for the base card (August 4) |
| Best lists | Not given | 51.9% base, 69.7% Evo (Cannon Cart page) |
The Evolution was slowed twice this summer, and the base card sped up once. If the Evolution is trimmed again, Siege lists may move to the base card. The negative effect: a card that depends on its Evolution is hard to balance without hurting one group of players.
Ten Placements and Plays
- Default spot. One tile from the bridge and one or two tiles from the side.
- Against Hog Rider. Place it at the bridge, in the middle, closer to the side they push. The Hog enters the blind zone and the Mortar turns on the tower. Add Skeletons or Goblins to kill the Hog faster.
- Do not over-commit to defend it. Your opponent can Rocket the tower and stay even.
- Split Archers against Bowler or Executioner so one splash does not hit both.
- Stay in one lane. A Mortar in the opposite lane from your tank is hard to defend.
- Against bait decks. Set up the Mortar at double elixir and start Rocket cycling. Get damage in single elixir.
- Cover a naked Mortar. Place Skeletons or Ice Spirit in front to distract Inferno Tower or Mega Minion.
- Against Lava Hound. Place it in the Hog spot at the river, closer to the side they push.
- Against Royal Giant. Place it one tile below the usual spot, so he walks into tower fire while he shoots the Mortar.
- When the game is not going your way, go for the draw. Never give spell value.
What it means: placement does most of the work. Still unknown: whether the Royal Giant tile advice still fits his current range, so test it in a friendly battle. For the other side, read our Mortar counters and the Mortar card guide.
Siege cards keep getting small tweaks, and X-Bow just gained damage on October 6. If both siege cards are strong, builders will need more cheap answers. The negative effect: players without a clear answer to siege may see their tower fall to chip damage.
Anti-Mortar Tips and the Best Partners
Ice Spirit and Skeletons distract the Mortar. A tank placed in the opposite lane can cross while the Mortar is still shooting at it. Cannon is a good counter, and so is Bowler. Rocket cycling answers a pump deck.
- Siege shell: the best Evo Mortar lists run Evo Skeleton Barrel, Cannon Cart, Rascals, Fireball and Barbarian Barrel.
- Bowler: its range was cut from 7.5 to 7 tiles in August, so it no longer reaches a tower from behind the bridge.
- Cannon Cart: read the Cannon Cart guide for the best partners.
The takeaway: use the Mortar to force a mistake, and let your tower do the rest. The catch: the old deck pros and cons (Classic Cycle, Miner Poison) belong to an older meta. Our Mortar deck guide has 2026 lists.
If Supercell keeps adjusting the Mortar hit speed, the best placements will shift by a tile. The negative effect: a tip that works to the tile on one patch fails on the next, and players who memorize it keep losing.
A Mortar Game Plan
Opening: place the Mortar behind a cheap troop at single elixir. The catch: at double elixir your opponent has more answers.
Middle game: make them spend elixir on the Mortar, then Rocket or Fireball the tower.
Overtime: keep the Mortar alive and hold your answer. Do not give a free push.
The short version: small, steady damage and no big risks.
One more habit: count how often your opponent Rockets the tower for free. If it happens twice, stop over-defending and let the tower take a hit. What it means: trading tower health for elixir is the Mortar player’s edge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do you place Mortar in Clash Royale?
One tile from the bridge and one or two tiles from the side.
How much does Mortar cost?
4 elixir. It is a Common building that unlocks in Arena 5 per the tracker. Arena 6.
What counters Mortar?
Ice Spirit and Skeletons to distract it, Cannon, Bowler and a tank in the opposite lane.
What changed for Mortar in 2026?
SeeMeta lists a base hit speed from 5 to 4.7 seconds on August 4 and a slower Evolution.
What is the best Mortar deck?
RoyaleTracker’s best base list won 51.9% over 337 battles in October 2026. Evo Mortar lists won up to 69.7%.
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)