Clash Royale: All Card Evolutions, Ranked

Highlights

• Bomber’s Evolution offers economic efficiency with a cycle of 1 – use it once, get the enhanced version.
• Valkyrie’s tornado ability makes her a stronger crowd control unit, but her basic stats remain the same.
• Firecracker’s Evolution makes her immune to Arrows, dealing AOE damage in a wider spread for better multi-targeting.

Clash Royale adds an enhanced variety of a troop to the player’s hand after cycling through the deck for a certain amount of time. While this feature started with Barbarians, there are now more than 10 Card Evolutions available in the game, and the number will go up even more throughout this year.

During each season of Clash Royale, players can earn a certain amount of Wild Evolution Shards, by spending which they can unlock Card Evolutions. Regarding the fact that each Card Evolution requires six shards, it is going to be a tough decision to choose which one to unlock first.

Updated by Mehrdad Khayyat on April 17, 2024: We added two more Card Evolutions to the list, including Zap and Battle Ram.

Barbarians

Best Evolution For Defensive Scenarios

Although Card Evolution helped Barbarians to finally become more useful, it did not remove the card’s main vulnerability. Even the Evolution version of Barbarians is still weak against a simple Bomber, let alone a Bomb Tower.

That being said, the significantly extra damage rate that this troop gains in the Evolution version is enough to counter many of the giants such as Mega Knight or Golem, and still survive the battle. Other than that, the fact that you can receive the Evolution version after only one cycle, makes it a worthwhile choice, though it’s not the best option yet, as cost-effective cards can easily wipe Barbarians from the battlefield.

• Works great in an all-out attack
• The core vulnerability is still there

Tesla Tower

First-Ever Evolution For Structure Cards

Tesla Tower is the first structure card to receive an Evolution in Clash Royale, but honestly, it’s underwhelming. The enhanced version of Tesla Tower unleashes a wave of electric energy whenever it comes out of its cover, and the energy deals enough damage to instantly kill spam units such as Skeleton Army. It also freezes any other enemy type for 1 second.

While that does sound great, it’s quite underwhelming that the energy wave is restricted to the tower’s rise from its cover, which usually happens once when the opponent begins a massive push. While the Evolution version has higher hitpoints, the base damage rate and hit speed remain unchanged.

• The energy pulse helps Tesla Tower to deal with spam troops
• Tying the energy pulse to the tower’s rise is a poor choice.

Ice Spirit

Best Evolution For Delaying An Opposing Rush

Similar to Skeletons, Ice Spirit is also a 1-Elixir card that receives its Evolution version after three cycles, but the main reason why it’s ahead of Skeletons on our list is the fact that it works most of the time. Unlike Skeletons, Ice Spirit does leave its mark on the opponents, thanks to its last-second jump.

Only troops with a high ranged damage rate such as Wizard can counter Ice Spirit, which makes it a superior option to significantly delay the opponent’s rush. Ice Spirit freezes the opposing troops for a longer period and in multiple sessions when it is used in the Evolution form, which makes it possible to get rid of giants in a shorter period.

• The most cost-effective option to delay a rush
• Three cycles to get the evolved version is sometimes frustrating

Archers

Best Evolution For A Support Unit

Archers usually used to be an underrated card in Clash Royale, but the recent Evolution update gave them enough value to rise and shine in certain decks. The new Archers receive their Evolution version after two cycles, and they gain access to a new Power Shot the amount of damage they can deal to the opponents. Other than that, the total range of Archers increases by one tile, which makes them quite strong against structures such as Inferno Tower.

Despite receiving an increase in hitpoints, Archers are still best to serve as support units rather than moving on the front line. They can still be destroyed with a spawn jump of Mega Knight, and their attack rate remains the same.

• Power Shots are great against rushing troops
• Almost all basic stats have been increased

Royal Giant

Best Evolution For Double-Elixir Phase

Royal Giant’s Evolution almost makes it work like an Electro Giant with two massive advantages: It deals ranged damage to its targets, and it costs one less Elixir! Knowing that you get this enhanced version in your hand after one cycle, makes it a great tank unit, especially in the Double Elixir phase.

In the Evolution version, Royal Giant can push all enemies around it backward, which deals enough damage to spam units such as Skeleton Army to kill them instantly, much similar to Electro Giant’s electrical surge that deals AOE damage.

• It works similar to an Electro Giant at a lower cost
• The hit speed remains unchanged

Valkyrie

Best Evolution For Crowd Control

Valkyrie’s truly among the best ones as it covers one of the worst vulnerabilities of this ground troop. Valkyrie’s evolution does not change any of her basic stats, but instead, it gives her a new tornado power that activates every time she swings her axe.

Not only does the tornado pull every surrounding troop toward her, but also deals enough damage that one-shots all the Bats around Valkyrie. That being said, Valkyrie will still not target aerial units, and tornado will only affect Bats if there is any ground troop in the same area.

• The tornado makes her stronger in air and ground crowd control
• Basic stats remain unchange.

Royal Recruits

Best Evolution For Offensive Scenarios

Royal Recruits are already solid units, but the latest Card Evolution added even more value to their attacking style. The enhanced version of recruits will now run toward their target soon after losing their shields. This rush will end up in a charged attack that deals significantly more damage than the ordinary attacks.

With a single cycle, Royal Recruits can now perform even better against spells like The Log or Fireball, as losing the shield is no longer equal to their death against the Tower Princess. Even if two of them reach the crown towers, the damaging result will be heavy!

• Losing shields is now an opportunity rather than a vulnerability
• The first charged hit has devastating power

Skeletons

Best Evolution Against Rushing Troops

Skeletons’ Evolution is incredible when it works, but that’s exactly where the problem lies: It does not work all the time. As a 1-Elixir card, Skeletons can be wiped from the scene quite easily using a variety of troops, from simple spells like The Log to stronger troops like Valkyrie or Mega Knight.

This card only works best when it can get a kill, and that makes it best to use against rushing troops like Hog Rider, or smaller spams like Goblins. As Skeletons get more kills, they increase in number. Using it against a card like Royal Hogs or Goblin Gang could almost give you Skeleton Army, which is incredible.

• Cheap option to distract targets and destroy rushing troops
• Still too weak against spells

Wall Breakers

Best Improvement Upon The Original Card

The Evolution of Wall Breakers is a true game-changer for this card. Not only does the enhancement significantly increase the card’s basic stats, but it also adds a new secondary rushing mode to the unit’s behavior that improves its survivability.

The original version of Wall Breaker can still deal significant damage to the tower, but it is quite difficult for them to make it out alive until they reach the crown towers. The new Evolution adds up to their Hitpoints and Area Damage significantly, which makes dealing with them harder. But even if your opponent still manages to get rid of Wall Breakers, they will still survive in an on-foot state and rush to the tower again. While this state features lower Area Damage and much lower Hitpoints, it’s still a big change to help your Evolution Wall Breakers achieve something, even if it’s small.

• Increased survivability and basic stats
• The cycle count of 2 is a bit underwhelming

Zap

First-Ever Spell To Receive An Evolution

We have all talked about troops getting enhancements, but what happens if we apply the same magic to a spell? Well, Zap is a great example of what Evolutions are capable of when injected into the spells.

With a cycle of 2, when you have evolved Zap in your hand, it will be deployed three times, instead of once, to wherever you target it. This is a huge advantage, especially when you are facing enemies like Minions, Firecracker, or Bomber, who cannot be killed with a single Zap drop.

On the other hand, the enhanced version of Zap allows you to delay the power of cards like Inferno Tower, Inferno Dragon, or Sparky to a longer extent, buying you some more time to get rid of them before its too late. The Zap Evolution is useful enough that you can almost certainly find a spot for it in any given deck.

• Increased amount of Zap drops and radius in the evolved version
• A good fit for almost all decks

Bomber

Most Efficient And Economic Evolution

Bomber’s Card Evolution is the most economic enhancement among all of the cards here, and despite costing only two Elixir points, the evolution features a cycle of 1, which means you use it once, and then you have the evolution version in your hand.

This is a huge bonus for the Bomber. Just for the sake of comparison, Royale Recruits and Bomber both have a cycle of 1, while the former costs 7 Elixir and the latter costs only 2 Elixir. So, this means you can use Bomber’s Evolution version more than any other Card Evolution in the game during a match, which makes it quite efficient, especially when you deploy behind a pack of rushing units, where the Bomber’s bouncing bombs can crush the opposing player’s crown towers.

• On paper, you can use Bomber’s Evolution more often than any other Evolution in Clash Royale
• Bouncing bombs do not deal increased damage

Battle Ram

Best Evolution For A Rushing Unit

After Wall Breakers, Battle Ram is the second rushing unit that receives an Evolution, and it’s a good one. For a long time, Battle Ram had no place in the top decks of Clash Royale, but the recent enhancement has made it quite powerful.

Activating after two cycles, Battle Ram’s Evolution allows it to bounce back after hitting a structure and then hit it again. This loop will continue as long as Battle Ram’s HP is drained, which then turns into two evolved Barbarians. Aside from that, when the Battle Ram is at full speed, it can insta-kill any spam troops in its way, including Goblins and Skeletons.

Battle Ram’s Evolution brings the most changes to a unit compared to any other Evolutions we have received in Clash Royale so far, which is why it has become quite a valuable unit once again.

• Multiple strike chances with added evolved Barbarians
• Vulnerability against spam troops has been neutralized
• Having to use the Battle Ram two times is still a bit waste of resources

Knight

Best Evolution For Targeting Structures

While there is a slight increase in the hit speed, hitpoints, and damage rate of Evolution Knight, the most important upgrade for this troop is a shield that reduces incoming damage by 60% when Knight is on the move. This shield makes Knight much stronger against aerial units such as Dragons and other ranged troops.

Coming to your hand after every two cycles, the evolved version of Knight serves much better when used as a pushing unit, unlike the original version that is mostly used in defensive scenarios, especially against big boys like Mega Knight. The Evolution Variant is also a superb option to attack on the opponent’s structures.

• Damage reduction shield adds more offensive value
• Increased hit speed is a lifesaver against bigger troops

Bats

Best Evolution For A Spam Unit

The only thing that always prevents Bats from reaching the crown towers is the fact that they can be down with a single shot of Tower Princess, and the Evolution version finally covers that vulnerability. Thanks to their new healing ability, Evolution Bats can almost double their hitpoints only a few seconds after spawn, and this healing would never stop, which forces Tower Princess to shoot three arrows for killing each of the five Bats, giving this 2-Elixir troop a golden opportunity.

At their max health, Evolution Bats cannot be even destroyed with a Zap, which makes them quite strong, especially if you have another troop on the front line to distract the crown tower’s defender for a short period. The fact that you can get access to the Evolution variant after only two cycles is another advantage of Bats.

• The healing ability increases the survival chance
• Their combination with Miner works pretty well

Firecracker

Best Evolution For Multi-Targeting

Even before the Card Evolution arrived, Firecracker was a meta in Clash Royale, but the evolved version finally neutralized the deadliest threat against her. Thanks to her increased hitpoints, the superb ranged damage dealer can no longer be destroyed using Arrows.

This is a huge advantage for Firecracker, as the opponents will have no choice other than spending more Elixir to destroy a unit that costs only 3 Elixir when using spells. Other than that, the branches of Firecracker’s shot now deal AOE damage in a longer period with a better spread, which makes it a master of multi-targeting on the battlefield.

• Deals damage to a massive area of the battlefield
• Reduced vulnerability against spells