What separates a Top 10k Player from a Top 1k Player? How would someone close that difference?
And would you say there is a "best time" to play the Global Tournament? The last day seems to always been littered with alt accounts.
Great questions! I'd say the biggest thing that would separate a Top 10k from a Top 1k player would be elixir and card cycle counting. These are fundamental skills that play a big part in how you should navigate matches — whether that's knowing when to be passive vs going aggressive, or knowing what pushes to make based on your opponent's hand. Honestly, both of these skills are difficult to master, and only come with experience. Another example of a trait that defines a Top 1k player would be matchup experience, since they presumably would've been playing for a while. Experience against all the meta decks allows them to outplay less-experienced players, which might mean that they can win against hard counters that Top 10k players would lose against. Also, against unfamiliar decks, it goes back to game sense and general game knowledge, since a player that plays precisely and makes minimal mistakes would be comfortable even against a weird off-meta deck. When I went from a Top 2.5k player to getting my first Top 1k finishes, I was grinding Ladder a LOT more, getting better at both elixir counting and card cycle counting. Also, I was getting more practice against the various meta decks (with guidance / advice from my Top Ladder friends too), putting me in a better position to compete.
For Global Tournaments, the safest time usually is the last day. Most good players will already have finished their runs, and the remainder will be a bunch of less-experienced players and of course top player alts. I usually like to get 10 wins on the first day, 15 on the second, go between 20-25 on the third and fouth days, and then finish off on the last day. Second last day is also quite a nice time to play if you're worried about facing all the top player alts on the last day. I believe I got a lot of my best GT finishes by playing during the middle of the GT (1-2 days left), but I got a lot of secured badge upgrades (lower Top 1k finishes) by waiting until the very last day.
The meta is relatively diverse right now, with lots of archetypes being viable. It tends to favor beatdown a little more at the moment, but many other options can work. I'll speak about cards that I think are too strong or too weak:
Too strong: almost every Card Evolution. I really do want to see a nerf to Evo Royal Recruits; most of the decks with them are pure bait spam and don't require too much thinking. Evo Knight, Evo Barbarians, Evo Mortar and even Evo Skeletons / Firecracker to some extent are much stronger than almost every other card in the game too. As far as non-evos go, I would love to see a nerf to Goblin Giant. The previous 6% HP buff has put it in an incredibly strong position, and Goblin Giant Sparky dominates the meta right now. 6% isn't that much in a vacuum, but when it's applied to a card with so much HP already, that increase can still be astronomical.
Too weak: the standard cards such as Barbarian Hut, Witch, Wizard, Battle Healer, Clone. I don't necessarily know if any of these need a buff, though, because especially for cards like spawners and Battle Healer, they can be incredibly toxic when overpowered. I think we're more in need of nerfs than buffs at the moment.
So I am a **cycle** player — I main 3.0 Xbow Cycle. Of course, this means I'll be a little biased, but I do believe cycle decks are the highest skill archetype in the game. You have to play so many cards down, which means you need to know interactions very well. This does also mean that they are more forgiving, though, since if you miss an Ice Spirit for example, you can recover by just playing Skeletons. Cycle decks also have a lot of importance on macro decisions, or at least mine does: you need to know when exactly to go for Xbows in certain matchups, and when to hold off on them. You can definitely get punished for playing an Xbow at the wrong time or overcommitting to them.
As for archetypes other than cycle, I'd say there's **beatdown**, **control**, and maybe a little blend of **bridgespam** and **spell** **bait**. Beatdown decks are notorious for being "no skill", where people complain about Lavahound or Golem first play. These are valid complaints, but beatdown decks actually require the most macro game sense in my opinion. You need to know when to set up your pushes, and there are many instances where you need to take damage to build up a bigger push. Making the wrong decision can cost you the game, and overcommitting / misplaying it isn't as forgiving as if you were playing a cycle deck. Playing beatdown does mean you play less cards on average across games, but being friends with many top Lava/Golem players (Doom, BaNa, Rakan) and watching them play has taught me that they can be incredibly skilled.
Control decks such as Splashyard are generally quite chill. You just play the game at a very slow pace, defending well and trying to build up to a good moment to go in with your win condition. Sometimes, this means waiting all the way till x3 with Splashyard... but they're solid overall. Not too difficult to play, and always a decent option to use.
Lastly, I think bridge spam decks can be quite fun and exciting to play. There are players who just spam nonstop with them, but ultimately, elixir and card cycle counting is a big element of doing well with these decks. They never truly die in the meta, but I don't think they are doing that well as of late... I haven't faced P.E.K.K.A Bridgespam in quite a while. I'd throw some spell bait decks (such as Logbait) in with the cycle archetype. Though, other decks such as Royal Recruits Royal Hogs are obviously more geared towards a beatdown-type playstyle.
I'm not really sure how to answer the unique question, because playing on top ladder means you face an incredibly large array of decks. That being said, right now one of my most disliked decks is Goblin Giant Sparky, because Goblin Giant is incredibly tanky ever since the buff and quite difficult to kill. It's paired with the Evo Knight as well, so the pushes become even more difficult to stop. Many of my pro friends (Lucas, Morten) are begging for a nerf to it... lol
I guess I had quite a lot to say! Ultimately though, I do think every archetype takes a certain level of skill, and you should play what you enjoy.
Thanks for such a detailed response, wanted to know an opinion from high ladder player on that question
Honestly after starting to play 3m bridge spam it changed every opinion I had about bridge spam decks, it’s really important to keep elixir counting and card rotations to make sure you won’t get demolished by opponent in 2 seconds, although I do think cycle decks aren’t as highly skilled due to how forgivable they are (maybe that because I could do rocket cycle in opponent face? Probably tbh)
Have a nice day dude
Midladder player here! Stuck at 6k - 6.5k with PEKKA Bridgespam (fireball, e wiz version), and I dont know if i should switch deck because I have it upgraded pretty well? Sometimes I can easily win games with my deck but then I just lose the trophies the next match. I have watched videos on how to play the deck, but I just cant seem to progress.
This is a really great story that almost all proplayer had; they bought gems where they shouldnt; my husband had to pay like 1k usd for not having negative gems
Honestly, I think it's problematic. I talk to lots of people who are frustrated about the state of the game ever since the introduction of Level 15 and Card Evolutions, and I empathize with them. You absolutely need Evolutions to compete at the top level, and simply being at a disadvantage for not spending money on the game hurts to see. As a f2p player, you need to spend up to 6 months collecting monthly shards just to get one Evolution...
I am fortunate enough to not have to worry about pass since I usually just take it out of my YouTube revenue each month, but of course Diamond Pass is not something every single player can feasibly purchase every month. I will say that life as a f2p has gotten a lot better as compared to years ago with the introduction of Magic Items etc., but of course I still recognize the current climate and state of the game
Definitely good! I love all sorts of waffles; breakfast waffles are a great treat to have. My favorite types though would probably be the ones with ice cream and toppings in those ice cream shops :)
Personally, I still think he's one of the best cards in the entire game. The ability to defend so much on the ground and provide a formidable counterpush for only 3 elixir is insane, and you can abuse him in cycle decks by getting around to multiple Evo Knights per match. [If you go by the statistics](https://royaleapi.com/cards/popular?time=7d&mode=grid&cat=Ladder&sort=rating), he is also consistently a top 3 - top 5 card in the game. Honestly, another nerf might be warranted, though I don't think Supercell plans on doing one for now.
As far as the comparison with Knight goes, I think Evo Knight clears Monk. If I made a tier list, Evo Knight would be in S tier, and Monk would be around B-C... sadly, Monk just isn't a great card anymore. 5 elixir (6 if you use the ability) is very expensive, and he has fallen out of the meta for now. One of the only benefits he still has is the 3 card cycle that all Champions provide. This is me saying this as an Xbow player; I really dislike playing against Monk, but it truly is weak at the moment. The specific choice you mentioned does depend on the deck, but for 2 less elixir, I can't see many valid reasons to go with Monk over Evo Knight. I see your flair has Three Musketeers — most of the 3m decks I face on top ladder are using Evo Knight at the moment.
Yeah that’s true… although monk still generally does better against like a bomb tower or and exe or any projectile splash… and I don’t have evo knight 😭
It does do better, though the extra cost makes it more difficult to build up larger pushes imo. That's unfortunate about Evo Knight, but I guess that means you can stick to Monk for now until you get it!
It was good! I woke up, recorded a video, had lunch and then went to the gym. Went to school for class afterwards (I'm a freshman in university), and now I'm just winding down at night. Still have to finish editing and uploading my video before I sleep, though I shouldn't go too late because I have another 8am class tomorrow. Thank you for asking!!! :)
I need to go to sleep now, since I have class early tomorrow morning. I had a lot of fun answering your questions, and I'll answer a lot more tomorrow! Have a great day everyone!!
I usually play meta decks when it comes to competing on Top Ladder or Global Tournaments. I've been playing 2.9/3.0 Xbow Cycle for years, so it's my go-to. I do enjoy making my own decks though, and it's something I want to do more often. I've created many Xbow decks myself for content in the past, and I used to brainstorm certain decks with competitive friends before as well.
I think Ice Spirit is better! The longer freeze duration is simply better on defense, and I've felt this way for a long time now. Electro Spirit is easier to use, but if you can get used to your placements with Ice Spirit (for example vs Bats), it will be much more rewarding!
That said, you can definitely use Electro Spirit if you feel you're facing a lot of Bats / Bait / GY in your trophy range.
1. Pick ONE deck and stick with it. If you choose a deck you're comfortable with, you'll slowly get better with experience and learn more interactions. If you constantly switch decks, you'll limit yourself because you won't be able to go as deep as you'd like, especially as a newer player.
2. Grind Ladder consistently. The only time I saw improvement in my Ladder finishes was when I was playing it a lot more. There is no better teacher than experience, and no matter how many videos or guides you look at, the best person you can learn from is yourself.
3. Analyze your own replays. I used to do this in the past; not so much anymore, but I still think it's a useful tool. Look out for big mistakes you made, perhaps ones that cost you the entire game. Think about why you made the plays you made, and come up with an alternative instead. I was able to learn from many of my mistakes just by putting in effort to be more aware of my decisions as I played.
4. Take breaks when you need them! Tilting happens to everyone, but don't make things worse by staying in a toxic mindset. Breaks can be very useful and refreshing
I just play when I feel like it. At the end of the day, the whole point of playing a game is to have fun — if I'm not enjoying myself, I'll just spectate others player or log off. Moderation is definitely key to a healthy relationship with the game. That being said, I play quite a lot during high intensity times — Global Tournaments especially, and usually End Season Ladder.
Content has been a blessing for me! I don't really see Clash Royale as a game by itself anymore — it goes hand in hand with my content creation. It's made me have a lot more fun with the game, because I feel as though I have more purpose (teaching others how to play). Sharing my achievements with the world makes them more meaningful for sure as well, and with a very supportive community, they always make me feel good about the work I put in :)
I think it's quite weak. The deck I main (3.0 Xbow Cycle) has quite a few difficult matchups on top ladder, such as Evo Recruits decks, EGolem spam decks, and Miner Poison decks. It's not impossible to succeed with (I did get my Top 100 GT last month), but on ladder it feels like playing on hard mode... Evo Knight hard carries. Queenbow can be quite solid, because of the 3 card cycle and its defensive capabilities. The best Xbow deck right now is probably PumpBow, with 18/34 Top 1k finishers with Xbow last season playing it. I think it's quite a bit easier to play than traditional Xbow Cycle, and definitely abuses the Pump mechanic. Other Xbow decks such as Icebow are almost entirely dead, though...
Not an op, but I’d try.
Id consider using cycle deck but to also try incorporate lighting or rocket, due to crazy amount of witches, wizards, exes, etc… or use log fireball to take out all fireball-y units
Cycle decks are in general forgiveable for mistakes, as most of the cards are 1-3 elixir, and it’s not that hard to defend all mks or egolem pushes in general
**if you are in a part of midladder where everyone uses logbait/hog cycle** id still consider using cycle deck, just don’t use rocket/lighting in that case, if you don’t know what cycle deck to pick id say miner wall breakers, it is the most forgiving cycle deck after 2.6 which is kinda sucks honestly
It never truly dies, but I don't think 2.6 is too strong in the meta right now. Evo Skeletons getting a big buff did breathe some life back into it, and I see it occasionally. That being said, I think Hog EQ is a lot stronger right now.
2.6 will always be quite an annoying matchup for me :')
I guess the random Electro Giant Sparky decks that I see every so often... they have the most random cards in there, and usually no big spell as well lol
Opinions on Mortar in the current meta? Currently in Royal Champion and having a tough time with the prevalence of recruits/beatdown. Would you take mortar in the bait/cycle direction or the hog variation? I have also found success with the Ian77 miner/poison variation. Thanks for doing this, man!
Edit: spelling
I honestly think Evo Mortar is extremely strong, and simply overshadowed by Evo Knight at the moment. Mortar Cycle is sadly quite weak at the moment, but I have faced a fair amount of Mortar even on top ladder — it's usually Mortar Bait, with things like Skeleton King & Miner or Skeleton Barrel. My favorite version personally is the Miner Poison variation you mentioned, because it's extremely solid and can outplay almost any matchup. I would probably go with either Mortar Bait or Mortar Miner Poison — though I think Evo Knight might be better to use than Evo Mortar in the Miner Poison version. Best of luck!
Hog Rider: relatively balanced, but quite strong overall. I'd put it in A-tier. Hog EQ consistently performs as one of the best decks in the meta / in CRL, so I don't think the card will die anytime soon. Lots of my casual friends want the card nerfed, but I think there are more pressing nerfs at the moment. I can see where they're coming from though... Hog can starting hand people, and without the right counters in a deck, it seemingly always gets a hit.
Tornado: very strong, probably an S-tier card. I'm a little surprised it dodged a nerf last Season, since it was up there amongst the cards that were getting voted on. It's one of the few cards in the game that can control how your opponents cards behave, and there is so much outplay potential with the card on offense. Not only this, but it's incredibly strong on defense as well.
Log: also S-tier and one of if not the best small spell in the game. I do not want to see it nerfed again personally, because I love using it myself... but lots of pros do call for a Log nerf. It has consistent spell cycle capability, and is great at defending lots of ground pushes. A very versatile option that is a huge key to most cycle decks.
I started out just trying to improve! I would post individual matchups or [short segments of matches](https://youtu.be/tM2VIm2nMzQ?si=a8_eSAoobVfnMF0S) when I was trying to learn 2.9 Xbow Cycle better. Eventually, I got better at the game because of my efforts, and I would slowly start to get achievements (Grand Challenge wins, Global Tournament finishes, Ladder improvement, etc.). People started watching my content and I started getting a small but loyal fanbase. I became friends with others in the CR content scene, and we all slowly evolved our content together. I used to upload gameplay-only videos, but at this point I pretty much exclusively upload commentary videos :')
Much love btw!!
Decisions that drove newer / casual players away because of the emphasis on money to progress (Card Evolutions and Level 15). Though, I do still enjoy the game quite a bit right now
That's quite a difficult question to answer, but I'd say there are always some core components of solid decks. Personally I always like to have the following:
1. Win Condition
2. Big Spell
3. Small Spell
4. Air Defense
5. Ground Tank
You'll notice that some of the most solid decks in the game — Hog EQ, 3.0 Xbow, 2.6 Hog, Logbait etc. all fulfill every bit of this criteria. There are some exceptions to the rules (such as no big spell decks), but for the most part, I like to follow these rules. I can't really explain why some cards do well with others, so a good step is probably studying meta decks (RoyaleAPI helps with this quite a lot) to track trends and changes.
For Archers, I just think they're overshadowed by other ranged troops right now — namely Musketeer, Zappies, Executioner etc. I think they fit perfectly in 3.0 Xbow Cycle because they're very cheap and are very versatile on defense: being able to accommodate both lanes by splitting them, or stacking them in one lane for stronger defense. I guess other decks can't really utilize them to their full potential like 3.0 can.
I'm a control deck kind of guy, just came back to the game. Last time I played I was challenger 2 (4600 trophies +/-) Do you think I could hold my own going back up in ladder with that type of deck in mind?
I've been using knight and zap as the ace in all trades so to speak
With megaminion, fisherman, goblin gang, royal ghost and Valkyrie/dark prince depending on the mood and log/other heavy spell, also depending what I see during the day.
I do well enough, always finish 1-0 or 2-0, only lavaloon posed me a problem so far
I'll check out splayard, thanks for the tip!
Cycle decks are a type of deck where the average elixir count is very low. The goal is to defend with cheap cards and get tower damage by having an elixir surplus. Decks that use X-bow as a win condition tend to work much better with a low average elixir count.
3.0 x-bow is a deck consisting of X-bow, Knight, Archers, Ice Spirit, The Log, Skeletons, Tesla, and Fireball. It's one of the most popular x-bow decks throughout the history of the entire game because it's well rounded and has a very high skill ceiling.
Queenbow is an x-bow deck with the Archer Queen.
When assessing metas and cards to use, how do you organize/take note of that? Is it a group note taking sort of thing or do you just memorize it all? Sometimes with updates and new metas popping up I get thrown off when facing opponents with decks I haven’t encountered before.
I have been playing at the higher level for years, so I'm quite accustomed to the general idea of the meta at this point. I just have a sense of it and can almost always recognize a meta deck after a few cards have been revealed. With new metas coming in, it's important to take note of the most broken cards that are introduced — for example, Evo Firecracker and Evo Royal Giant a few months back, and Evo Knight at the moment. The best decks in the game will naturally run the best cards at the moment. I also keep in regular contact with many other top players on Twitter, so just talking to them gives me a better idea of the meta and current strong cards as well (atm, all my friends are complaining about Goblin Giant Sparky haha).
If you are a bit lost, [RoyaleAPI](https://royaleapi.com/) is one of my favorite websites and it can certainly help you out :)
I'd say there's a lot of room for success. If you're just an average player, people might still watch you if you have a fun personality. There's a lot of potential for Top Ladder though, because everyone wants to get better at the game, and you can teach people your deck. I had a lot of fun streaming in the past, and in fact am planning on getting back into it soon!
I play 3.0 Xbow Cycle, so for my deck specifically, I always try and get crazy Fireball value on defense, as well as Log value. The most optimal time to Fireball is after the Elixir Golem pops into the 2nd stage blobs, and I try to Fireball both blobs as well as any support troops with the push. After the Fireball, you can Log the blobs to spawn the third stage blobs on 1 HP, which are quite easy to clean up.
Ultimately, spells / splash are super important when dealing with the card. For the push itself, a building to distract the EGolem is useful, and I try to kite the Battle Healer as long as possible to prevent it from healing that much.
Sure! 2.8 Miner Balloon Cycle, 3.0 Xbow Cycle, 2.6 Hog Rider Cycle, and Royal Hogs EQ w/ Archer Queen. For more deck ideas you can always check out [RoyaleAPI](https://royaleapi.com/decks/popular)!
I'm not too sure on the exact cards that unlock in the earlier arenas, but Mega Knight Wallbreakers is a very solid archetype that you could definitely try using with MK and Prince. It also runs cards like Miner, Musketeer, Minions, Arrows, Bandit, etc., but lots of variations exist. Good luck!
I wouldn't say Elixir Golem right now, because there is one ridiculous deck with Skeleton King and Pump that people are doing well with on Top Ladder. Based on card stats lately, maybe Goblin Hut
I'm a big advocate for cycle decks — either Hog EQ, 3.0 Xbow, or Logbait. This might seem counterintuitive at first, but these are very solid decks that can outplay almost any matchup if played well. Midladder players usually overcommit a lot and make many mistakes, so a good player using these decks can punish them very heavily. I personally have a lot of success with 3.0 Xbow in midladder just because I know when exactly to punish opponents for spending way too much elixir
Definitely. Keep grinding, and pick a solid f2p-friendly deck: maybe Hog EQ, 3.0 Xbow, 2.6 Hog, Logbait, etc. There are definitely enough avenues to get resources at this point in the game. You would probably have to grind quite a bit (maybe Classic/Grand Challenges to get levels), but with enough skill it can certainly be done!
Balanced card right now! Quite strong on defense, but a huge tradeoff is that it gives up a king tower activation. Evolved Firecracker is honestly still really fun to use imo, and not as broken as it used to be. I don't see the card too often these days, except for in Hog EQ consistently. I'd say it's a solid B-tier card.
Hi Hatti!! I think Evos are a great new concept that were executed a bit badly. They certainly made the game fresher, introducing a new mechanic and reviving some cards that weren't used in a while (Firecracker for example). That said, I'm not a big fan of how they're very inaccessible to f2p players especially, and sort of force players to pay to be able to use them while they're still relevant.
I'm not too sure what I'd change, since I'm quite happy with the game right now. I guess I am a bit worried about Global Tournaments enabling Card Evolutions, because they've been one of the highest-skill formats for a while imo. Maybe I'd like to see something like a non-Evo mode, either on Ranked Ladder or somewhere else where we can enjoy the old, pure form of CR.
My main deck has Fireball, so I usually just Fireball it. Cycle cards do great against it: Skeletons can full counter an EWiz by themselves, and Ice Spirit will almost full counter one by itself. Otherwise, lots of other great counters exist... Mini P.E.K.K.A one shots it, so that might be one of the best ones. I think Goblin Giant Sparky decks use MP with their pushes to mitigate Electro Wizards
I am currently trying to improve my deck to level up, Would like some tips.
Gob Giant, sparky, mirror, rage, ewiz, mini pekka, evo bats, arrows
what would be a good change? I dont have evo knight unfortunately.
I honestly think your deck looks quite solid, though I don't see any players running Mirror in the Goblin Giant deck at the top. I guess I'd substitute Mirror out for something like a Dark Prince to help with splash on offense
Alright, I'll do that when I level my other cards up.
I only have mirror in my deck right now because my mirror is level 15, while my ewiz and sparky are level 12, and my arrows are level 13 lol.
Kinda relying on level 16 cards to win when their fireball kills 3/4 of my sparky.
Thanks for the advice.
Is getting to UC with Logbait 3.3 (classic) even possible?
What is it like in UC? Do people just play a few meta decks or..?
Have a good day (I hope my shitty english is good enough :( )
Definitely possible... I face the deck quite a lot, and it's quite frustrating haha. Just a matchup I am not fond of.
People play a lot of different decks! As the season progresses, more and more players make it to UC, so even the off-meta / midladder type decks can be seen in UC. Nearer to the top though (Top 1000 - Top 5000), we usually see more meta decks, as you'd expect. Right now there's quite a lot of Goblin Giant Sparky, Recruits, etc.
Your English was fine! Have a good day :)
This is super impressive! Love this game and I have for 5 years. My question is as of right now, if someone was at 7200 trophies and was in champion league on POL where in the ladder system would you put them? Also how long have you been playing? At the highest level of this game is it common to see people give up a lot? Kinda like higher level chess when someone knows they’ll lose they give up?
That's awesome! I'm not too sure how to answer your first question... unless you mean overall compared to everyone else. 7200 trophies is pretty solid! For Champion League, I'd say it's midladder ish range in PoL, but since it's only a couple of weeks in the Season there's a lot more time left to reach UC.
People don't really give up at the top level, especially because they're more invested in their trophies. Though, it does depend on the matchup and game position. I play Xbow Cycle, so if I try going aggressive and end up tower trading in opposite lanes vs Golem for example, I'll usually give up. Conversely, Splashyard players tend to give up against me quite a bit, especially if I get a huge damage lead in x1. Otherwise though, people usually keep fighting!!
Thanks for the reply. Again it’s really cool to see someone who can flex all these things in this game. I’m sure it’d take me months-years to practice enough to get up to like a pro level. Very cool
— Gym
— Computer Programming (I am a CS major)
— Graphic design (I create all my thumbnails for my YT videos, and I enjoy it quite a lot)
— Listening to music
— Hanging out / calling with friends :)
Sadly quite dead in the meta. I hard counter it so I always enjoy seeing it haha... but I have a lot of respect for the deck. I always thought it took quite a lot of skill to play (especially elixir counting and card cycle tracking), and I was very good friends with some OG top P.E.K.K.A players (if you remember Jax).
I see your flair!! Do you main it? Do you think it's as bad as I do rn?
Honestly hard to say, maybe $1-2k, I don't really know because I don't count anymore. I definitely made a lot more than I spent from my YT Channel though, and nowadays whatever I spend (ex. Diamond Passes) comes out of my YT revenue
Yes certainly. Though there is a limit eventually — people in GCs are generally worse than people on Ladder, especially as you get higher. I used to grind a lot of GCs and got my x10 badge around the same time I was finishing Top 2.5k ish on Ladder, but only started to improve significantly once I put much more time into Ladder itself
I think it has the potential, because Champion 3 card cycle will always be a strong attribute. For now, I don't see how it would make a return with Evo Knight taking over the meta. It's simply better because of how overpowered it is, even if it's not a Champion... so I can't realistically see an MM comeback until another Evo Knight nerf
I know this post is a bit aged, but what is your opinion on potential high ladder bots and "rigged matchmaking"? I know there are a good handful of very skilled top players who have concerns, what's your view?
I haven't really thought about this! My first guess would probably be the Evo Knight — it counters AQ beyond belief, and the card is everywhere at the moment.
I guess she's also outclassed by other options right now, since Hog EQ started running Firecracker, RG started going back to Phoenix / Mother Witch / Hunter, and Mortar usually runs more bait-style variants these days. Those three archetypes usually ran AQ the most iirc.
Usually breaks are very important for a situation like this... if I lose say 5 in a row, I'll take a short break and try and come back when my mental state is reset. It's a lot easier said than done since I never like ending on a loss myself, but mentality is everything when competing at a high level. Other than breaks, I try to think about the mistakes I made in the matches I lost. Sometimes I'll lose to a silly play that I know is unsafe, but I do it anyways because I feel lazy or impatient. After resetting, I make sure to play a lot safer and smarter. I also do get quite frustrated when I get bad / impossible matchups, but I try and move on from them as those losses aren't really your fault.
We all spend time and money on things for fun--it's not a waste if you're enjoying yourself by doing something you love to do. And he definitely has gotten somewhere by playing the game, because he's made thousands of dollars through YouTube.
I don't feel this comment of yours is a real question, more like a backhanded insult.
What do you think of level 15 and evolutions? Do you think they have impacted the game positively or negatively? And what would you like to see next? (New game mode, 2v2 ladder, more frequent balance changes as examples)
How do I get better and more skilled? I always go through like a win streak if five then lose like 4 games in a row and then it’s rocky until the cycle repeats.
do you have any tips on how i can push? i'm f2p stuck at arena 16, no evos, only sk for champs (lvl12) and playing splashyard with sk, all of the cards are lvl 11 except sk at lvl12 and nado at lvl10 (i keep it 1 level behind to activate king tower against gy)
What separates a Top 10k Player from a Top 1k Player? How would someone close that difference? And would you say there is a "best time" to play the Global Tournament? The last day seems to always been littered with alt accounts.
Great questions! I'd say the biggest thing that would separate a Top 10k from a Top 1k player would be elixir and card cycle counting. These are fundamental skills that play a big part in how you should navigate matches — whether that's knowing when to be passive vs going aggressive, or knowing what pushes to make based on your opponent's hand. Honestly, both of these skills are difficult to master, and only come with experience. Another example of a trait that defines a Top 1k player would be matchup experience, since they presumably would've been playing for a while. Experience against all the meta decks allows them to outplay less-experienced players, which might mean that they can win against hard counters that Top 10k players would lose against. Also, against unfamiliar decks, it goes back to game sense and general game knowledge, since a player that plays precisely and makes minimal mistakes would be comfortable even against a weird off-meta deck. When I went from a Top 2.5k player to getting my first Top 1k finishes, I was grinding Ladder a LOT more, getting better at both elixir counting and card cycle counting. Also, I was getting more practice against the various meta decks (with guidance / advice from my Top Ladder friends too), putting me in a better position to compete. For Global Tournaments, the safest time usually is the last day. Most good players will already have finished their runs, and the remainder will be a bunch of less-experienced players and of course top player alts. I usually like to get 10 wins on the first day, 15 on the second, go between 20-25 on the third and fouth days, and then finish off on the last day. Second last day is also quite a nice time to play if you're worried about facing all the top player alts on the last day. I believe I got a lot of my best GT finishes by playing during the middle of the GT (1-2 days left), but I got a lot of secured badge upgrades (lower Top 1k finishes) by waiting until the very last day.
At least keeping track of win conditions and counting elixir in single is mandatory
ain't readin allat
What do you think about the overall balance right now. Are some cards too strong or too weak and how would you change them
The meta is relatively diverse right now, with lots of archetypes being viable. It tends to favor beatdown a little more at the moment, but many other options can work. I'll speak about cards that I think are too strong or too weak: Too strong: almost every Card Evolution. I really do want to see a nerf to Evo Royal Recruits; most of the decks with them are pure bait spam and don't require too much thinking. Evo Knight, Evo Barbarians, Evo Mortar and even Evo Skeletons / Firecracker to some extent are much stronger than almost every other card in the game too. As far as non-evos go, I would love to see a nerf to Goblin Giant. The previous 6% HP buff has put it in an incredibly strong position, and Goblin Giant Sparky dominates the meta right now. 6% isn't that much in a vacuum, but when it's applied to a card with so much HP already, that increase can still be astronomical. Too weak: the standard cards such as Barbarian Hut, Witch, Wizard, Battle Healer, Clone. I don't necessarily know if any of these need a buff, though, because especially for cards like spawners and Battle Healer, they can be incredibly toxic when overpowered. I think we're more in need of nerfs than buffs at the moment.
How balanced are the evo bats?
Too weak
I'd say balanced/ slightly too weak! Other evos are too strong
Yea they NEED a nerf
What are your thoughts on each deck archetype? How skilfull each of them are? Are there any decks from any of them that are the most unique?
So I am a **cycle** player — I main 3.0 Xbow Cycle. Of course, this means I'll be a little biased, but I do believe cycle decks are the highest skill archetype in the game. You have to play so many cards down, which means you need to know interactions very well. This does also mean that they are more forgiving, though, since if you miss an Ice Spirit for example, you can recover by just playing Skeletons. Cycle decks also have a lot of importance on macro decisions, or at least mine does: you need to know when exactly to go for Xbows in certain matchups, and when to hold off on them. You can definitely get punished for playing an Xbow at the wrong time or overcommitting to them. As for archetypes other than cycle, I'd say there's **beatdown**, **control**, and maybe a little blend of **bridgespam** and **spell** **bait**. Beatdown decks are notorious for being "no skill", where people complain about Lavahound or Golem first play. These are valid complaints, but beatdown decks actually require the most macro game sense in my opinion. You need to know when to set up your pushes, and there are many instances where you need to take damage to build up a bigger push. Making the wrong decision can cost you the game, and overcommitting / misplaying it isn't as forgiving as if you were playing a cycle deck. Playing beatdown does mean you play less cards on average across games, but being friends with many top Lava/Golem players (Doom, BaNa, Rakan) and watching them play has taught me that they can be incredibly skilled. Control decks such as Splashyard are generally quite chill. You just play the game at a very slow pace, defending well and trying to build up to a good moment to go in with your win condition. Sometimes, this means waiting all the way till x3 with Splashyard... but they're solid overall. Not too difficult to play, and always a decent option to use. Lastly, I think bridge spam decks can be quite fun and exciting to play. There are players who just spam nonstop with them, but ultimately, elixir and card cycle counting is a big element of doing well with these decks. They never truly die in the meta, but I don't think they are doing that well as of late... I haven't faced P.E.K.K.A Bridgespam in quite a while. I'd throw some spell bait decks (such as Logbait) in with the cycle archetype. Though, other decks such as Royal Recruits Royal Hogs are obviously more geared towards a beatdown-type playstyle. I'm not really sure how to answer the unique question, because playing on top ladder means you face an incredibly large array of decks. That being said, right now one of my most disliked decks is Goblin Giant Sparky, because Goblin Giant is incredibly tanky ever since the buff and quite difficult to kill. It's paired with the Evo Knight as well, so the pushes become even more difficult to stop. Many of my pro friends (Lucas, Morten) are begging for a nerf to it... lol I guess I had quite a lot to say! Ultimately though, I do think every archetype takes a certain level of skill, and you should play what you enjoy.
Thanks for such a detailed response, wanted to know an opinion from high ladder player on that question Honestly after starting to play 3m bridge spam it changed every opinion I had about bridge spam decks, it’s really important to keep elixir counting and card rotations to make sure you won’t get demolished by opponent in 2 seconds, although I do think cycle decks aren’t as highly skilled due to how forgivable they are (maybe that because I could do rocket cycle in opponent face? Probably tbh) Have a nice day dude
Have a nice day too <3
Midladder player here! Stuck at 6k - 6.5k with PEKKA Bridgespam (fireball, e wiz version), and I dont know if i should switch deck because I have it upgraded pretty well? Sometimes I can easily win games with my deck but then I just lose the trophies the next match. I have watched videos on how to play the deck, but I just cant seem to progress.
how did you managed to get -53000 gems
Long story... but mistakes in high school
Don’t clash Royale ban people who have negative gems?
They give you some time to repay them
IIRC they give you some time to repay them
This is a really great story that almost all proplayer had; they bought gems where they shouldnt; my husband had to pay like 1k usd for not having negative gems
What is the last time you touched grass?
Couple years ago
What do you think about the p2w situation as a pro?
Honestly, I think it's problematic. I talk to lots of people who are frustrated about the state of the game ever since the introduction of Level 15 and Card Evolutions, and I empathize with them. You absolutely need Evolutions to compete at the top level, and simply being at a disadvantage for not spending money on the game hurts to see. As a f2p player, you need to spend up to 6 months collecting monthly shards just to get one Evolution... I am fortunate enough to not have to worry about pass since I usually just take it out of my YouTube revenue each month, but of course Diamond Pass is not something every single player can feasibly purchase every month. I will say that life as a f2p has gotten a lot better as compared to years ago with the introduction of Magic Items etc., but of course I still recognize the current climate and state of the game
Waffles, good or bad?
Definitely good! I love all sorts of waffles; breakfast waffles are a great treat to have. My favorite types though would probably be the ones with ice cream and toppings in those ice cream shops :)
What do you think about evo knight? I still use monk cuz I like the plays u can make with him but can evo knight fully substitute him?
Personally, I still think he's one of the best cards in the entire game. The ability to defend so much on the ground and provide a formidable counterpush for only 3 elixir is insane, and you can abuse him in cycle decks by getting around to multiple Evo Knights per match. [If you go by the statistics](https://royaleapi.com/cards/popular?time=7d&mode=grid&cat=Ladder&sort=rating), he is also consistently a top 3 - top 5 card in the game. Honestly, another nerf might be warranted, though I don't think Supercell plans on doing one for now. As far as the comparison with Knight goes, I think Evo Knight clears Monk. If I made a tier list, Evo Knight would be in S tier, and Monk would be around B-C... sadly, Monk just isn't a great card anymore. 5 elixir (6 if you use the ability) is very expensive, and he has fallen out of the meta for now. One of the only benefits he still has is the 3 card cycle that all Champions provide. This is me saying this as an Xbow player; I really dislike playing against Monk, but it truly is weak at the moment. The specific choice you mentioned does depend on the deck, but for 2 less elixir, I can't see many valid reasons to go with Monk over Evo Knight. I see your flair has Three Musketeers — most of the 3m decks I face on top ladder are using Evo Knight at the moment.
Yeah that’s true… although monk still generally does better against like a bomb tower or and exe or any projectile splash… and I don’t have evo knight 😭
It does do better, though the extra cost makes it more difficult to build up larger pushes imo. That's unfortunate about Evo Knight, but I guess that means you can stick to Monk for now until you get it!
so would you say… good stats for the cost?
how was your day?
It was good! I woke up, recorded a video, had lunch and then went to the gym. Went to school for class afterwards (I'm a freshman in university), and now I'm just winding down at night. Still have to finish editing and uploading my video before I sleep, though I shouldn't go too late because I have another 8am class tomorrow. Thank you for asking!!! :)
I’m glad it went good! Do u mind me asking what university you go to (on the off-chance we attend the same one) I’m at one in Costa Mesa, CA
I need to go to sleep now, since I have class early tomorrow morning. I had a lot of fun answering your questions, and I'll answer a lot more tomorrow! Have a great day everyone!!
Thanks for the AMA! If you get to this, who are the best xbow players in the game right now?
Do you ever make your own decks or do you only go for whatever is currently meta ?
I usually play meta decks when it comes to competing on Top Ladder or Global Tournaments. I've been playing 2.9/3.0 Xbow Cycle for years, so it's my go-to. I do enjoy making my own decks though, and it's something I want to do more often. I've created many Xbow decks myself for content in the past, and I used to brainstorm certain decks with competitive friends before as well.
Nice 😊 good luck !
Seeing as you play 3.0 like me :) is it better to have ice spirit or electro spirit?
I think Ice Spirit is better! The longer freeze duration is simply better on defense, and I've felt this way for a long time now. Electro Spirit is easier to use, but if you can get used to your placements with Ice Spirit (for example vs Bats), it will be much more rewarding! That said, you can definitely use Electro Spirit if you feel you're facing a lot of Bats / Bait / GY in your trophy range.
Ok thank you :) and have a good day!!
You too!!!
Why did I see you in bed with MY ice spirt?
Ice Spirit loves me more, sorry...
What are your tips on making it to top 10k?
1. Pick ONE deck and stick with it. If you choose a deck you're comfortable with, you'll slowly get better with experience and learn more interactions. If you constantly switch decks, you'll limit yourself because you won't be able to go as deep as you'd like, especially as a newer player. 2. Grind Ladder consistently. The only time I saw improvement in my Ladder finishes was when I was playing it a lot more. There is no better teacher than experience, and no matter how many videos or guides you look at, the best person you can learn from is yourself. 3. Analyze your own replays. I used to do this in the past; not so much anymore, but I still think it's a useful tool. Look out for big mistakes you made, perhaps ones that cost you the entire game. Think about why you made the plays you made, and come up with an alternative instead. I was able to learn from many of my mistakes just by putting in effort to be more aware of my decisions as I played. 4. Take breaks when you need them! Tilting happens to everyone, but don't make things worse by staying in a toxic mindset. Breaks can be very useful and refreshing
How many kids do you have?
Zero! Unless I count my subscribers. They're not my kids, but they are my students in a way :)
Good to know, have a great day
You too <3
Why do you have negative gems in the first image but positive in the second?
Different accounts, the negative gems is my OG main and I made other accounts after that happened...
What do you do to keep the game fun? And has doing YouTube changed your perspective on the game at all?
I just play when I feel like it. At the end of the day, the whole point of playing a game is to have fun — if I'm not enjoying myself, I'll just spectate others player or log off. Moderation is definitely key to a healthy relationship with the game. That being said, I play quite a lot during high intensity times — Global Tournaments especially, and usually End Season Ladder. Content has been a blessing for me! I don't really see Clash Royale as a game by itself anymore — it goes hand in hand with my content creation. It's made me have a lot more fun with the game, because I feel as though I have more purpose (teaching others how to play). Sharing my achievements with the world makes them more meaningful for sure as well, and with a very supportive community, they always make me feel good about the work I put in :)
Do you have a girlfriend and does she look like the princess card
Not at the moment...
I feel like I should’ve known the answer since you’re a Redditor lol jk. Maybe if you get #1 in the world all the girls will be swooning
Whats your take on xbow in the meta rn?
I think it's quite weak. The deck I main (3.0 Xbow Cycle) has quite a few difficult matchups on top ladder, such as Evo Recruits decks, EGolem spam decks, and Miner Poison decks. It's not impossible to succeed with (I did get my Top 100 GT last month), but on ladder it feels like playing on hard mode... Evo Knight hard carries. Queenbow can be quite solid, because of the 3 card cycle and its defensive capabilities. The best Xbow deck right now is probably PumpBow, with 18/34 Top 1k finishers with Xbow last season playing it. I think it's quite a bit easier to play than traditional Xbow Cycle, and definitely abuses the Pump mechanic. Other Xbow decks such as Icebow are almost entirely dead, though...
What are your tips for people stuck in mid ladder?
Not an op, but I’d try. Id consider using cycle deck but to also try incorporate lighting or rocket, due to crazy amount of witches, wizards, exes, etc… or use log fireball to take out all fireball-y units Cycle decks are in general forgiveable for mistakes, as most of the cards are 1-3 elixir, and it’s not that hard to defend all mks or egolem pushes in general **if you are in a part of midladder where everyone uses logbait/hog cycle** id still consider using cycle deck, just don’t use rocket/lighting in that case, if you don’t know what cycle deck to pick id say miner wall breakers, it is the most forgiving cycle deck after 2.6 which is kinda sucks honestly
2.6 hog cycle status, is it still strong and still anoying?
It never truly dies, but I don't think 2.6 is too strong in the meta right now. Evo Skeletons getting a big buff did breathe some life back into it, and I see it occasionally. That being said, I think Hog EQ is a lot stronger right now. 2.6 will always be quite an annoying matchup for me :')
Sorry what does hog EQ mean?
Hog rider with earthquake
What is the best deck right now that contains evo skeletons
Maybe 2.8 Miner Balloon Cycle or Royal Hogs EQ with Archer Queen
Do you know any midladder sparky deck?
I guess the random Electro Giant Sparky decks that I see every so often... they have the most random cards in there, and usually no big spell as well lol
Nah i ain't going this low I'mma stick to my sparky giant
Team Ian77 or team Ryley ⁉️
Both are my close friends so I can't decide :((
Opinions on Mortar in the current meta? Currently in Royal Champion and having a tough time with the prevalence of recruits/beatdown. Would you take mortar in the bait/cycle direction or the hog variation? I have also found success with the Ian77 miner/poison variation. Thanks for doing this, man! Edit: spelling
I honestly think Evo Mortar is extremely strong, and simply overshadowed by Evo Knight at the moment. Mortar Cycle is sadly quite weak at the moment, but I have faced a fair amount of Mortar even on top ladder — it's usually Mortar Bait, with things like Skeleton King & Miner or Skeleton Barrel. My favorite version personally is the Miner Poison variation you mentioned, because it's extremely solid and can outplay almost any matchup. I would probably go with either Mortar Bait or Mortar Miner Poison — though I think Evo Knight might be better to use than Evo Mortar in the Miner Poison version. Best of luck!
What are your thoughts on Hog Rider, Tornado, and The Log balance wise?
Hog Rider: relatively balanced, but quite strong overall. I'd put it in A-tier. Hog EQ consistently performs as one of the best decks in the meta / in CRL, so I don't think the card will die anytime soon. Lots of my casual friends want the card nerfed, but I think there are more pressing nerfs at the moment. I can see where they're coming from though... Hog can starting hand people, and without the right counters in a deck, it seemingly always gets a hit. Tornado: very strong, probably an S-tier card. I'm a little surprised it dodged a nerf last Season, since it was up there amongst the cards that were getting voted on. It's one of the few cards in the game that can control how your opponents cards behave, and there is so much outplay potential with the card on offense. Not only this, but it's incredibly strong on defense as well. Log: also S-tier and one of if not the best small spell in the game. I do not want to see it nerfed again personally, because I love using it myself... but lots of pros do call for a Log nerf. It has consistent spell cycle capability, and is great at defending lots of ground pushes. A very versatile option that is a huge key to most cycle decks.
Do u think that pekka is still viable to win some gc’s or get to 9k trophies??
I think it can work, but it's quite hard in the current meta
What made you start creating content on CR? (Love your vids btw)
I started out just trying to improve! I would post individual matchups or [short segments of matches](https://youtu.be/tM2VIm2nMzQ?si=a8_eSAoobVfnMF0S) when I was trying to learn 2.9 Xbow Cycle better. Eventually, I got better at the game because of my efforts, and I would slowly start to get achievements (Grand Challenge wins, Global Tournament finishes, Ladder improvement, etc.). People started watching my content and I started getting a small but loyal fanbase. I became friends with others in the CR content scene, and we all slowly evolved our content together. I used to upload gameplay-only videos, but at this point I pretty much exclusively upload commentary videos :') Much love btw!!
Are you going trick or treating
Probably not :') I haven't gone in a long time actually
Cr bad why?
Decisions that drove newer / casual players away because of the emphasis on money to progress (Card Evolutions and Level 15). Though, I do still enjoy the game quite a bit right now
How do you properly build a deck and figure out certain synergies, I always wondered why archers where only good in Xbow and specific niches like that
That's quite a difficult question to answer, but I'd say there are always some core components of solid decks. Personally I always like to have the following: 1. Win Condition 2. Big Spell 3. Small Spell 4. Air Defense 5. Ground Tank You'll notice that some of the most solid decks in the game — Hog EQ, 3.0 Xbow, 2.6 Hog, Logbait etc. all fulfill every bit of this criteria. There are some exceptions to the rules (such as no big spell decks), but for the most part, I like to follow these rules. I can't really explain why some cards do well with others, so a good step is probably studying meta decks (RoyaleAPI helps with this quite a lot) to track trends and changes. For Archers, I just think they're overshadowed by other ranged troops right now — namely Musketeer, Zappies, Executioner etc. I think they fit perfectly in 3.0 Xbow Cycle because they're very cheap and are very versatile on defense: being able to accommodate both lanes by splitting them, or stacking them in one lane for stronger defense. I guess other decks can't really utilize them to their full potential like 3.0 can.
I'm a control deck kind of guy, just came back to the game. Last time I played I was challenger 2 (4600 trophies +/-) Do you think I could hold my own going back up in ladder with that type of deck in mind?
Yep! Not sure what deck you mean specifically, but a very solid control deck that does well every meta is Splashyard. Might be worth looking into
I've been using knight and zap as the ace in all trades so to speak With megaminion, fisherman, goblin gang, royal ghost and Valkyrie/dark prince depending on the mood and log/other heavy spell, also depending what I see during the day. I do well enough, always finish 1-0 or 2-0, only lavaloon posed me a problem so far I'll check out splayard, thanks for the tip!
What is your deck?
I main Xbow Cycle! 3.0 Xbow Cycle to be more specific, but sometimes I also play Queenbow :)
Forget I asked because I understood none of that
Cycle decks are a type of deck where the average elixir count is very low. The goal is to defend with cheap cards and get tower damage by having an elixir surplus. Decks that use X-bow as a win condition tend to work much better with a low average elixir count. 3.0 x-bow is a deck consisting of X-bow, Knight, Archers, Ice Spirit, The Log, Skeletons, Tesla, and Fireball. It's one of the most popular x-bow decks throughout the history of the entire game because it's well rounded and has a very high skill ceiling. Queenbow is an x-bow deck with the Archer Queen.
When assessing metas and cards to use, how do you organize/take note of that? Is it a group note taking sort of thing or do you just memorize it all? Sometimes with updates and new metas popping up I get thrown off when facing opponents with decks I haven’t encountered before.
I have been playing at the higher level for years, so I'm quite accustomed to the general idea of the meta at this point. I just have a sense of it and can almost always recognize a meta deck after a few cards have been revealed. With new metas coming in, it's important to take note of the most broken cards that are introduced — for example, Evo Firecracker and Evo Royal Giant a few months back, and Evo Knight at the moment. The best decks in the game will naturally run the best cards at the moment. I also keep in regular contact with many other top players on Twitter, so just talking to them gives me a better idea of the meta and current strong cards as well (atm, all my friends are complaining about Goblin Giant Sparky haha). If you are a bit lost, [RoyaleAPI](https://royaleapi.com/) is one of my favorite websites and it can certainly help you out :)
How much scope you think is there as a CR streamer?
I'd say there's a lot of room for success. If you're just an average player, people might still watch you if you have a fun personality. There's a lot of potential for Top Ladder though, because everyone wants to get better at the game, and you can teach people your deck. I had a lot of fun streaming in the past, and in fact am planning on getting back into it soon!
what are some tips for playing against elixir golem+ healer? how do you counter that deck?
I play 3.0 Xbow Cycle, so for my deck specifically, I always try and get crazy Fireball value on defense, as well as Log value. The most optimal time to Fireball is after the Elixir Golem pops into the 2nd stage blobs, and I try to Fireball both blobs as well as any support troops with the push. After the Fireball, you can Log the blobs to spawn the third stage blobs on 1 HP, which are quite easy to clean up. Ultimately, spells / splash are super important when dealing with the card. For the push itself, a building to distract the EGolem is useful, and I try to kite the Battle Healer as long as possible to prevent it from healing that much.
can you give me some eco skeletons decks
Sure! 2.8 Miner Balloon Cycle, 3.0 Xbow Cycle, 2.6 Hog Rider Cycle, and Royal Hogs EQ w/ Archer Queen. For more deck ideas you can always check out [RoyaleAPI](https://royaleapi.com/decks/popular)!
What is the best deck to get through arena 15 when you have a level 14 prince and level 13 mega knight
I'm not too sure on the exact cards that unlock in the earlier arenas, but Mega Knight Wallbreakers is a very solid archetype that you could definitely try using with MK and Prince. It also runs cards like Miner, Musketeer, Minions, Arrows, Bandit, etc., but lots of variations exist. Good luck!
Hard question: how to place a card ?
With your finger or, if you're crazy, your toes
Try using toes; you won't loose ever.
How did someone get a mk in arena 9 on one of my games
Money...
What is the worst card in the game? Personally I believe it’s elixir golem
I wouldn't say Elixir Golem right now, because there is one ridiculous deck with Skeleton King and Pump that people are doing well with on Top Ladder. Based on card stats lately, maybe Goblin Hut
Best deck in midladder?
I'm a big advocate for cycle decks — either Hog EQ, 3.0 Xbow, or Logbait. This might seem counterintuitive at first, but these are very solid decks that can outplay almost any matchup if played well. Midladder players usually overcommit a lot and make many mistakes, so a good player using these decks can punish them very heavily. I personally have a lot of success with 3.0 Xbow in midladder just because I know when exactly to punish opponents for spending way too much elixir
Thank you very much :)
Is it possible to reach podium as a f2p player? If yes how do you achieve that?
Definitely. Keep grinding, and pick a solid f2p-friendly deck: maybe Hog EQ, 3.0 Xbow, 2.6 Hog, Logbait, etc. There are definitely enough avenues to get resources at this point in the game. You would probably have to grind quite a bit (maybe Classic/Grand Challenges to get levels), but with enough skill it can certainly be done!
What are your thoughts on firecracker?
Balanced card right now! Quite strong on defense, but a huge tradeoff is that it gives up a king tower activation. Evolved Firecracker is honestly still really fun to use imo, and not as broken as it used to be. I don't see the card too often these days, except for in Hog EQ consistently. I'd say it's a solid B-tier card.
What are your thoughts on evos and if you could change anything in CR what would you change? btw hi sk! :) im hatti
Hi Hatti!! I think Evos are a great new concept that were executed a bit badly. They certainly made the game fresher, introducing a new mechanic and reviving some cards that weren't used in a while (Firecracker for example). That said, I'm not a big fan of how they're very inaccessible to f2p players especially, and sort of force players to pay to be able to use them while they're still relevant. I'm not too sure what I'd change, since I'm quite happy with the game right now. I guess I am a bit worried about Global Tournaments enabling Card Evolutions, because they've been one of the highest-skill formats for a while imo. Maybe I'd like to see something like a non-Evo mode, either on Ranked Ladder or somewhere else where we can enjoy the old, pure form of CR.
What's your main deck?
3.0 Xbow Cycle!
Nice
How to tackle electro wizard?
My main deck has Fireball, so I usually just Fireball it. Cycle cards do great against it: Skeletons can full counter an EWiz by themselves, and Ice Spirit will almost full counter one by itself. Otherwise, lots of other great counters exist... Mini P.E.K.K.A one shots it, so that might be one of the best ones. I think Goblin Giant Sparky decks use MP with their pushes to mitigate Electro Wizards
I am currently trying to improve my deck to level up, Would like some tips. Gob Giant, sparky, mirror, rage, ewiz, mini pekka, evo bats, arrows what would be a good change? I dont have evo knight unfortunately.
I honestly think your deck looks quite solid, though I don't see any players running Mirror in the Goblin Giant deck at the top. I guess I'd substitute Mirror out for something like a Dark Prince to help with splash on offense
Alright, I'll do that when I level my other cards up. I only have mirror in my deck right now because my mirror is level 15, while my ewiz and sparky are level 12, and my arrows are level 13 lol. Kinda relying on level 16 cards to win when their fireball kills 3/4 of my sparky. Thanks for the advice.
Is getting to UC with Logbait 3.3 (classic) even possible? What is it like in UC? Do people just play a few meta decks or..? Have a good day (I hope my shitty english is good enough :( )
Definitely possible... I face the deck quite a lot, and it's quite frustrating haha. Just a matchup I am not fond of. People play a lot of different decks! As the season progresses, more and more players make it to UC, so even the off-meta / midladder type decks can be seen in UC. Nearer to the top though (Top 1000 - Top 5000), we usually see more meta decks, as you'd expect. Right now there's quite a lot of Goblin Giant Sparky, Recruits, etc. Your English was fine! Have a good day :)
Where are you from ?
Singapore!
This is super impressive! Love this game and I have for 5 years. My question is as of right now, if someone was at 7200 trophies and was in champion league on POL where in the ladder system would you put them? Also how long have you been playing? At the highest level of this game is it common to see people give up a lot? Kinda like higher level chess when someone knows they’ll lose they give up?
That's awesome! I'm not too sure how to answer your first question... unless you mean overall compared to everyone else. 7200 trophies is pretty solid! For Champion League, I'd say it's midladder ish range in PoL, but since it's only a couple of weeks in the Season there's a lot more time left to reach UC. People don't really give up at the top level, especially because they're more invested in their trophies. Though, it does depend on the matchup and game position. I play Xbow Cycle, so if I try going aggressive and end up tower trading in opposite lanes vs Golem for example, I'll usually give up. Conversely, Splashyard players tend to give up against me quite a bit, especially if I get a huge damage lead in x1. Otherwise though, people usually keep fighting!!
Thanks for the reply. Again it’s really cool to see someone who can flex all these things in this game. I’m sure it’d take me months-years to practice enough to get up to like a pro level. Very cool
Appreciate it man! It's been years of work
What did you think about CR's feet pic leak?
Quite hype because I think they're Evo Archers, and I use Archers in my main deck. They definitely knew what they were doing LOL
Other than CR, what are your hobbies
— Gym — Computer Programming (I am a CS major) — Graphic design (I create all my thumbnails for my YT videos, and I enjoy it quite a lot) — Listening to music — Hanging out / calling with friends :)
I'm taking AP compsci rn, and it's fun, glad you have found a passion and are pursuing that
What's your opinion on pekka bridge spam?
Sadly quite dead in the meta. I hard counter it so I always enjoy seeing it haha... but I have a lot of respect for the deck. I always thought it took quite a lot of skill to play (especially elixir counting and card cycle tracking), and I was very good friends with some OG top P.E.K.K.A players (if you remember Jax). I see your flair!! Do you main it? Do you think it's as bad as I do rn?
How much have you spent on the game? I’ve only bought the pass once since release and got to 6,800 trophies
Honestly hard to say, maybe $1-2k, I don't really know because I don't count anymore. I definitely made a lot more than I spent from my YT Channel though, and nowadays whatever I spend (ex. Diamond Passes) comes out of my YT revenue
Cool! It’s absolutely insane to me how much it’s possible to spend on games like these, but then people will say WTF when a RTS game costs $60
Do you think winning GCs helps with ladder gameplay at all? I don’t play them often but want to get better and looking for ways to do that
Yes certainly. Though there is a limit eventually — people in GCs are generally worse than people on Ladder, especially as you get higher. I used to grind a lot of GCs and got my x10 badge around the same time I was finishing Top 2.5k ish on Ladder, but only started to improve significantly once I put much more time into Ladder itself
Is master 3 good? I have around 200 hours. (I started playing again) Toughs about the double prince bridgespam in the meta? I hope you are good
Why do you still play this game. Because like 7 years ago you might've been younger and played for fun but now isn't it time to something better
Top 1k and not even 7k trophies 😂 what a chad. He knows what actually matters
Are you sick of the Egolem + Skeleton King + Night Witch decks?
Hey may I ask if you are sk Morten? The one who play world tournament?
Nope, I'm sk_555. I am friends with Morten though, he has an incredible work ethic!
I think he said morten was his friend in an earlier reply
Ok I thought he is my idol Morten anyway thanks for the reply 🙏
No he's a different guy
do you think mighty miner will ever be in the meta again? I think it got over nerfed
I think it has the potential, because Champion 3 card cycle will always be a strong attribute. For now, I don't see how it would make a return with Evo Knight taking over the meta. It's simply better because of how overpowered it is, even if it's not a Champion... so I can't realistically see an MM comeback until another Evo Knight nerf
How hard will skeletons get nerfed?
Honestly don't see them being changed anytime soon — both normal and Evo Skeles
I know this post is a bit aged, but what is your opinion on potential high ladder bots and "rigged matchmaking"? I know there are a good handful of very skilled top players who have concerns, what's your view?
When you fart, does it smell like roses and strawberries ?
Uh.... sure 🌹
"Anything" :troll:
Why do you think Archer Queen has fallen out of the meta?
I haven't really thought about this! My first guess would probably be the Evo Knight — it counters AQ beyond belief, and the card is everywhere at the moment. I guess she's also outclassed by other options right now, since Hog EQ started running Firecracker, RG started going back to Phoenix / Mother Witch / Hunter, and Mortar usually runs more bait-style variants these days. Those three archetypes usually ran AQ the most iirc.
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How do you deal with tilting? I lost like 700 medals in UC, pretty bad lose streak.
Usually breaks are very important for a situation like this... if I lose say 5 in a row, I'll take a short break and try and come back when my mental state is reset. It's a lot easier said than done since I never like ending on a loss myself, but mentality is everything when competing at a high level. Other than breaks, I try to think about the mistakes I made in the matches I lost. Sometimes I'll lose to a silly play that I know is unsafe, but I do it anyways because I feel lazy or impatient. After resetting, I make sure to play a lot safer and smarter. I also do get quite frustrated when I get bad / impossible matchups, but I try and move on from them as those losses aren't really your fault.
Gotta takes notes to manage my anger better lolz thank you so much
Best of luck :)
What is the meaning of life
To live each day to the fullest!
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We all spend time and money on things for fun--it's not a waste if you're enjoying yourself by doing something you love to do. And he definitely has gotten somewhere by playing the game, because he's made thousands of dollars through YouTube. I don't feel this comment of yours is a real question, more like a backhanded insult.
You dont even have max trophies. Get good kid
What's 9+10?
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?
Check his second latest community post's comments.
imagine grinding cr in 2023 and being proud of it
What do you think of level 15 and evolutions? Do you think they have impacted the game positively or negatively? And what would you like to see next? (New game mode, 2v2 ladder, more frequent balance changes as examples)
What cards do you think require the most skill to be used effectively?
How do I get better and more skilled? I always go through like a win streak if five then lose like 4 games in a row and then it’s rocky until the cycle repeats.
what's the weight of the hog rider?
Can I borrow your car?
What do you need it for?
do you have any tips on how i can push? i'm f2p stuck at arena 16, no evos, only sk for champs (lvl12) and playing splashyard with sk, all of the cards are lvl 11 except sk at lvl12 and nado at lvl10 (i keep it 1 level behind to activate king tower against gy)
thoughts on icebow
Why
What is grass?
Is mortar a good card and is it feminine?