It is time for a new rare card rankings for all the rare cards in Clash Royale! We will be having a power ranking, 24-1, of the rare cards in Clash Royale as of February 2019. As many of you know, I have done this ranking before, back in November when there were still 24 cards. The top 5 cards then, in order, were fireball, ice golem, battle ram, dart goblin, and hog rider. Let’s see how much those rankings were shaken up over the past couple balance changes and updates!

You can view the old ranking here: https://clashfordummies.com/2018/11/17/clash-royale-rare-card-rankings-november-2018/

How the Rare Cards are Ranked

When ranking these cards we put a lot of thought and effort into what makes the best rare card the best. We are considering a variety of different ways to rank which are order in importance as follows:

1. Versatility
2. Cost/Damage Ratio (is the card worth it?)
3. Strength on defense and offense

So now that you know what we are judging on, lets go ahead and get into the rankings, starting with number 24!

Note: Text color indicates which way the card is trending in regard to the November rankings.

Rare Card Rankings

#24- Bomb Tower

These is almost a complete consensus between players that the bomb tower is the worst defense in Clash Royale and one of the worst overall cards in the game. Despite being revamped to 4 elixir, it still suffers, mostly because it can get overwhelmed by flying units, while the cheaper cannon isn’t such an elixir investment.

#23- Three Musketeers

Based on the timing of this article, the three musketeers could have either been #1 or #23! Before the February balance changes upped their cost to 10 elixir, the three musketeers were one of the most dominant cards in the game. Instead, 10 elixir is too high of a commitment, which makes the 3M our biggest fallers, down 15 spots.

#22- Goblin Hut

I have to admit that I’m happy to see the first of the spawners this low in the rankings, as the goblin hut is barely even seen anymore, neither on ladder or in challenges. With buildings that do a better job defending, the goblin hut turns into an offensive minded card. However, slow chip damage won’t cut it in the current meta, so it remains at the bottom of the rare cards.

#21- Heal

Finally, finally, finally, Clash Royale buffed the heal, reducing its cost to 1 elixir and completely changing the gameplay. While the heal has definitely improved and seen more playing time, it is still a very unpopular and weak card, with the card barely offering any healing. Still, this is a huge improvement over the old three elixir heal, so with a few tweaks, it can definitely rise up.

#20- Barbarian Hut

Every time I make these rare card rankings and every time the barbarian hut is not in the top half, I praise the Clash Royale gods. A meta where the barbarian hut is OP would be TERRIBLE, and the statistics are there to make it happen. Fortunately, in the December balance changes, the HP was nerfed by 7%, toning the BH back down to a manageable place.

#19- Elixir Collector

Since three musketeers are the card that the elixir collector is most paired with, its understandable that the pump sees a decrease in use over the next few months. Before the 3M nerf, I already felt like the elixir collector was a risky investment; one fireball or miner and you have a massive negative elixir trade. I think we need to go back to a 5 elixir pump for it to be viable.

#18- Zappies

It is good to see the zappies on the return, even though they are still overshadowed by the electro-wizard and electro-dragon. Again, with the three musketeers nerf, the zappies are going to be hurting a bit, but they are versatile enough to be incorporated into other deck archetypes. I want to see a small buff to really get these guys into an elite support card role.

#17- Rocket

The rocket has been pretty consistent in past rare card rankings, slotting between 11-15 the last three rankings. However, with the popularity of the fireball and poison, the rocket’s main competition, it is slowly falling out of use. The massive damage that it inflicts still has no equal, though for two elixir less, you can get pretty close.

#16- Wizard

In all of the rare card rankings we have ever done, this is the lowest that the wizard has ever been ranked. Whether it is the popularity of the fireball or the rise of new cards that offer a better option than the wizard, his usage rate is down to 1 percent in grand challenges, which is a historic low for a card once trending around 20 percent in grand challenges.

#15- Royal Hogs

I’m a super fan of this win condition so it saddens me a little bit that the royal hogs aren’t cracking into the top 50% of rare cards. With the uniqueness of the card, being the only swarm win condition, I feel like Clash Royale needs to buff this card to be one of the best rare cards in the game. Please add a damage increase to the royal hogs so they can be elite!

#14- Mini-PEKKA

We can call this a partial return of the mini-PEKKA. He is nearing the elite of the rare cards, though he is still a few spots away from really becoming meta. Like the royal hogs, I’m a huge fan of the mini-PEKKA and want to see him at the top of game. However, he needs a faster hit speed to really move up as a popular defensive option.

#13- Furnace

One of the biggest risers in these rankings, the furnace is going to be up 8 spots to the 13th spot here. It really pains me to say this, but the furnace has been a solid building, offering constant chip damage to the tower over time. You basically have to answer this four elixir spawner or suffer tons of damage onto your arena tower.

#12- Inferno Tower

In a meta where PEKKAs, lava hounds, and golems run amuck, it is always helpful to have an inferno tower in your back pocket to melt these tank cards. There’s no doubt that the inferno tower is the most powerful defense in Clash Royale, not only destroying these tanks, but usually being able to take out whatever support cards are behind as well.

#11- Valkyrie

With such slow movement speed, it is tough for the valkyrie to convert offensive opportunities but on the defensive end, there is no alternative to the valkyrie. Royal hogs can get absolutely shut down by the valkyrie, and it is always great to play a valk in the middle of several support units in order to shred them.

#10- Giant

Since PEKKA is so OP right now, it is tough for a card like the giant to gain playing space, but right now, this card isn’t doing a bad job. The giant retains the distinction of a top win condition, being a cheaper option for players who don’t like to commit as much elixir as a PEKKA or mega knight. The giant can be considered a smaller form of beatdown.

#9- Tombstone

Seemingly out of nowhere, the tombstone is also going to rise up 8 spots to claim a share of our biggest riser title in February. The main cause for the rise in popularity of the tombstone is the lava hound gaining ground, since the synergy between these two cards is through the roof. Even without the lava hound, the tombstone can still shut down a number of cards.

#8- Dart Goblin

For some reason, the dart goblin got a small nerf in February, which hurt it softly, but the rise of another long range unit also moved the dart goblin down. Despite these two changes, the dart goblin is still one of the best three elixir cards in Clash Royale, giving almost unbeatable range that can snipe defenses from across the river.

#7- Mega Minion

Even though lava hound is at an all time high, mega minion is going to drop. Don’t worry about that though, since the mega minion is undeniably one of the best support cards in Clash Royale. The damage that the mega minion packs means that it can shut down a number of ground troops, making it a solid counter to just about every card in Clash Royale.

#6- Flying Machine

This top 6 ranking has been a long time coming, with the flying machine just waiting to break out as a top meta card over the last few months. There has been no buffs or nerfs, but the flying machine’s range has been the real reason behind its climb, fitting in well behind almost any troop in Clash Royale.

#5- Musketeer

With the three musketeers constantly overshadowing the musketeer over the past year, I’m glad to see the musketeer back in the top 5. In the slight buff to offset the big nerf to the three musketeers, the musketeer was buffed, giving it just enough to really change the meta and shoot to the top of all support units in Clash Royale.

#4- Hog Rider

It seems as if the hog rider is basically untouchable, constantly appearing within the top 5 rare cards every single time that the rare card rankings have been published. It is a constant in an ever changing meta and you have to give the Clash Royale team props for that. Expect the hog rider to stay here for many rankings in the future.

#3- Ice Golem

Without a doubt the ice golem is one of the most valuable cards in Clash Royale. For only two elixir, you can play a mini tank or a defensive weapon that slows all attacking units within its radius. This guy can also be used as a cheap spell if you don’t have zap, log, or barbarian barrel in rotation at the moment. The two elixir is almost always worth it.

#2- Fireball

Right now, with exception of *possibly* barbarian barrel and zap, fireball is the most OP card in Clash Royale. In fact, fireball bait decks have been created, featuring many cards that the fireball can be baited out with. With the fall of the three musketeers, there is no doubt the fireball will take a small hit, but will it really matter in its dominance?

#1- Battle Ram

For the first time, the battle ram is going to be the #1 rare card in Clash Royale. For a win condition to have a usage rate of around 30% is unbelievable and means that the battle ram has to be rated the best rare card. Yet again, with the three musketeers nerf, a card the BR paired well with, the future is uncertain, but the battle ram is looking good for at least a few more months or until a nerf.

So that is going to wrap it up for our rare card rankings for February of 2019! Stay tuned soon to see our epic and legendary card rankings soon. Thanks for reading and comment below what you think of the rankings!

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