How to use elixir effectively in Clash Royale
Clash Royale may be free to play, but it does a good job of keeping "pay-to-win" shenanigans at bay with the elixir system.
Read on to learn how to do use elixir effectively in Clash Royale.
Establish elixir advantage
The first rule you should learn about elixir, is that it's never a good idea to waste it by throwing high cost cards at low cost enemies.
For example, if you spend five elixir countering enemies that cost four or less elixir, you allow the other player to build up a "surplus" that they can use to pump out extra units later in the game.
Even though matches in Clash Royale last only three to four minutes at most, even the smallest elixir advantage can turn the tide.
To effectively establish elixir advantage, look at unit match ups and tune your deck so it can counter common strategies without spending too much elixir.
Some common counters that many players are already using are Skeleton Army (four elixir) to counter Giant (four elixir) and Arrows (four elixir) to counter Skeleton Army (four elixir).
Always earn elixir
At the beginning of a match, you might be tempted to wait and see what your opponent is up to before playing any units, but that can be a bad mistake.
If you ever have 10 elixir at your disposal, your bar stops filling up. As a result, you're missing out on elixir you could spend.
If your opponent takes the wait and see approach, that's all the better for you, as you'll gain elixir advantage right away, despite the fact that they're trying to even the odds by strategically countering you.
Balance your deck
The most important consideration for elixir usage should be your deck itself. Keep in mind that you want to have a good average elixir cost (which many agree right now is around 3.5 - 4.5) while still having a good set of offensive, defensive, and counter cards.
If you try to make positive elixir trades and find yourself still losing, you might want to try varying up your deck.
Want more Clash Royale-related stuff? Then check out our review, podcast,or the following guides:
- The March update explained
- How to destroy towers
- What's inside each chest
- How to spend your gems
- How to defend
- How to make a good clan
- How to counter the Prince
- How to counter the Baby Dragon
- How to counter the Balloon
- How to start a battle
- How to counter the Goblin Barrel
- How to counter the Fireball
- How to counter the Goblin Hut
- How to counter the Giant
- How to counter the Musketeer
- How to counter the Witch
- How to counter Mini P.E.K.K.A.
- How to counter the Valkyrie
- How to counter the Hog Rider
- How to counter the Barbarian Hut
- How to counter the Skeleton Army
- How to counter the Bomb Tower
- How to counter the Tombstone
- How to counter the Lightning
- How to counter the Inferno Tower
- How to counter the Rocket
- How to pay to win
- How to prepare yourself for victory
- How to stop being a loser
- How to win
- How to play for free
- How to build a good deck with core cards
- How to get chests faster
- How to survive The Bone Pit
- The best common cards
- The best rare cards
- The best epic cards
Have any other tips for elixir balance? Let us know in the comments!