Supercell has revealed some significant balance updates for Clash Royale’s next season starting June 7th, 2023. Several cards are receiving impactful buffs and nerf that aim to shake up the meta. Let’s break down the most important changes that players need to know about.
Royal Giant Nerf
One of the most dominant win conditions lately has been the Royal Giant. Specifically, the Royal Ghost evolution is getting hit with a sizable Nerf. Its hitpoints are being reduced by 8.3%.
While not enough to kill the card, this meaningful HP reduction makes RG easier to defend before it can deal massive damage. When combined with the next change we’ll discuss, RG should become more manageable on the ladder and in top play.
Mighty Miner Loading Time Increased
Mighty Miner has lived up to its name and become one of the strongest champions in Clash Royale since its addition. To rein it in, Supercell is increasing its time to gain full power by 20%.
This means that when Miner locks onto your tower, it will take longer to charge up to its maximum area damage potential. As a result, it will be less oppressive in quickly shredding your tower’s HP. Still strong, but requires more strategy to utilize effectively.
Goblin Giant Buff
On the flip side, an underused win condition is getting a small boost. Goblin Giant will have 6% more hitpoints after the update. This synergizes well with the Spear Goblins it spawns by improving their survivability.
While GG isn’t likely to suddenly dominate the meta, this change caters to its niche Sparky decks. It also helps differentiate Goblin Giant from the now-nerfed Royal Giant in having more beefiness.
Battle Ram Major Rework
One of the most impactful changes is a big rework aimed at revitalizing Battle Ram. Firstly, its charge speed is being increased dramatically by 40%. This allows it to connect to towers more frequently.
Secondly, Battle Ram receives a 6% HP increase to survive longer against swarms and air attacks. Combined together, these changes make Ram a dangerous threat both in bridge spam decks and as a tanker secondary win con.
Tesla Coming Back
The oft-forgotten Tesla is receiving a significant buff by decreasing its hit speed from 1.2 to 1.1 seconds. This echoes a past meta where Tesla’s faster attack made it a dominant defensive building.
With stronger hit speed and its ability to hide, Tesla seems primed for a comeback. It could also open the door for classic Xbow Tesla cycle decks to return to the metagame after a long absence.
Skeletons Now Cycle Faster
Skeletons finally get a quality of life change by reducing their cycle time from 3 to 2 seconds. However, their maximum count on the map is decreased from 8 to 6 skeletons.
A faster cycle keeps them useful for kiting and graveyard decks while limiting max skeles reduces their spell-proofing capability. This helps curb frustrating skeleton spam without gutting their utility.
Firecracker Gets Multiple Nerfs
The extremely strong Firecracker evolution has long dominated thanks to its obnoxious knockback and tower damage potential. Supercell’s multifaceted nerf looks to curb its oppressiveness.
First, Firecracker’s HP is reduced by 9% making it easier to spell down. Second, its knockback is weakened so it doesn’t push enemies as far away. Most impactful is removing its ability to stack mark damage, massively reducing potential chip damage.
While still good on defense, Firecracker will no longer shred towers unchecked. Overall, it should be less ubiquitous and polarizing after these key changes.
Will Expo and Royal Hogs Make a Comeback?
In addition to direct card changes, some old archetypes could surge back into the meta based on the adjustments. For example, Expo gained popularity back when Tesla was dominant thanks to their synergy. A stronger Tesla could allow Expo cycle decks to rise again.
Royal Hogs is another win condition that has fallen off the ladder and top play. But they tend to thrive in metas where Firecracker is weaker. If Firecracker stops being omnipresent, Royal Hogs may flourish once more.
It will be exciting to see what new deck combinations and playstyles emerge from this update shake-up when it goes live. Some cards rising from obscurity may become mainstays once more.
Major Ramifications for Bridge Spam
Of all the playstyles impacted, Bridge Spam stands to become more prevalent after the changes. Battle Ram getting juiced up provides Bridge Spam a new devastating threat to pressure opponents. Bandit, Ghost, and Royal Hogs could also gain value if better-unsupported thanks to a tamer Firecracker.
Bridge Spam waned as defensive decks with Firecracker excelled in recent seasons. That seems poised to change with direct nerfs to staple cards like Firecracker and indirect buffs to bridge rush options. Get ready for more sudden offensive onslaughts.
Which Change Excites or Worries You Most?
There’s a lot for competitive Clash Royale players to digest here and plenty of surprises. Personally, I’m most hyped for Battle Ram coming back into the spotlight. It has always been one of my favorite cards when viable. What change have you the most excited about?
Conversely, which adjustment seems most worrying? I’m wary Royal Giant will still remain too dominant even after an 8% HP reduction. Let me know your takes in the comments below!
With meta-warping updates like this, it makes the game feel fresh again. I can’t wait to experiment with new decks and strategies once the balance changes go live in early August. It’s sure to be an intense start to Clash Royale’s new season!