Clash Royale Deck Archetypes and Counters Guide by Siddmaster

In other card games (Yugioh is what Im basing this off of, because I play that game, even if casually
and its the best example I can think of), archetypes are used to classify a certain deck type that a
person is using. There are 10 or more card classification in Yugioh, and many have different
subtypes. Then there are the types, attributes, etc. But an archetype is not limited to how many
cards of a type a person has; If a person uses a lot of synchro monsters in their extra deck, it doesnt
make it a synchro deck if thats not their win condition. An archetype is cards used PLUS how a
person gets win condition, not unlike RPGs like pokemon, although they dont have archetypes, they
just have win conditions, because most teams look the same except rare cases like rain teams. In
another example, Hearthstone, archetypes are chosen when you pick your character, but there are
many mixups in an archetype, but they tend to stay the same generally, like the control master
Priest. There are only 3 types of cards in Clash Royale: Troops, Spells, and Structures. Troops are
divided into ranged and melee, spells are divided into damage and affect, and structures are divided
into defensive, spawners, and productive (elixir collector). There is also the mirror, which could fit
into its own classification. With all that said, I believe that these are the archetypes in Clash Royale
Basic Descriptions
Balanced Using all types of cards, with an emphasis on troops, common in all levels)
Offensive Favoring big troops like prince and giants and supportive spells to gain an edge,
common in low to mid levels
Offensive Mixed Using damaging buildings like xbow during an assault, or putting them at the
enemys crown tower after one tower is destroyed, while keeping the pressure
Defensive Favoring defensive and productive buildings to gain a lead, then using spells and
ranged troops to finish the towers, common in mid to high levels
Swarm Using small troops like witch, skeleton, gob, spear gob, minion, drag for backup, to get to
the witch easily, maybe a cheap defense, not seen a lot but most prevalent in lower to mid levels
Support Using a main tank like a PEKKA, prince, giant, or hog and making the whole deck revolve
around that one troop, and chipping down whats left of the tower NOTE: An Xbow deck is a form of
the support deck, NOT defensive
Control Using cheap defensive buildings and troops to counter almost everything your opponent
has, then rushing down the opponent with troops like the barbarian and goblin barrel
Counters for the Different archetypes
Balanced decks are countered by defensive decks
Defensive decks are countered by offensive decks and support decks
Offensive decks are countered by swarms
Swarms are countered by defensive decks
Support decks are countered by swarms
Control decks are countered by support decks
Swarms are also countered by control decks

Important Cards for Each Type of Deck

Staple Cards for All Deck archetypes: Some, if specifically helpful to a deck
type, may be used again
Baby Dragon: Can be used for countering an opponents push, or being used as a mini tank
Fireball/Arrow: Staple card for countering small cards, as well as chip damage
Wizard/Ice Wizard: A staple for continuing a push with splash damage
Mirror: Easily get two of a key card in your deck, such as double golem or double hut
Barbarians: Staple, bulky troops, much like what their cousins were supposed to be
Archers/Minions: Some air targeting troops, baby dragons fear them
Skeleton Bomber: Splash damage and good tower damage make them a multipurpose troop
Princess: Long ranged support for offense, countering small troops, or chipping on defense
Elixer Collector: Gaining on the momentum, distracting troops while making a profit and using
elixer on both offense and defense
Balanced: Most balanced decks use the above list as a base for starting off,
being the starting archetypes
Freeze: Stops a push or counters your opponents counter
Skeleton Swarm: Distracts troops that are easily distracted, like an unbacked PEKKA
Prince/Dark Prince: Can easily take down an unprotected tower, or with backup rush a protected
tower
Defensive Decks
Skeleton Tomb, Goblin Hut, and Barbarian Barracks: All are a staple to defensive decks,
distracting troops in a push
Hog, Giant, Royal Giant, and Balloon: Getting safe, guaranteed damage to the tower, tanks for
after the tower is gone
Skeleton Swarm: Distracting a push, yet easy to punish with arrows/splash
Princess: Masssive range, camp a tower
All Defensive Towers: This is pretty much self explained, being the name of the archetype
defensive
Giant Skeleton: Stopping a push while tanking for your spawned troops and making a mini push
Offensive Decks
Giant, Mini PEKKA, Prince/Dark Prince, Balloon, PEKKA, Golem: When supported, a threat to a
tower
Lightning/Arrows: Taking out an opponents counter
Goblins: Fast, taking down a tower while a troop is tanking
Xbow (Offensive Mixed card): Helping destroy a tower from the background with its insane DPS
Rage: Powers up your troops in a large radius for a push

Support Decks
Hog Rider, Giant, Mini PEKKA, PEKKA, Baloon, Xbow (Choose one): The main troop to be
supported
Goblin Barrel: A secondary support/chip troop
Freeze/Lightning/Poison/Arrows/Fireball: Spell that helps the main troop alone
Inferno Tower, Cannon, Xbow(Xbow ONLY if the main troop is not Xbow): Protects your tower
while the troops are away
Small Troops like Archers: Support the main troop in its tower quest
Swarms
Witch: Spawns skeletons, used for offense as well as distraction and anti skeleton swarm because
of splash damage; sometimes, if there are two or more witches out, an arrow or fireball wont kill
them, letting them spawn more skeletons and continue the onslaught
Skeleton: A distraction for the Prince that only uses one elixer
Small Troops; Spear Goblins, etc.: What you will be swarming with, also cheap to get more out
and cycle to the witch, your primary pushing technique
Baby Dragon: Your only tank, counters rush ins and helps in pushes
Control Decks
Tesla and Bomb Tower- Defenses for countering common troops, can be replaced with inferno
tower
Lightning and Arrows- Taking out swarms, or taking out defenses, spawners and crown towers
Minion Hoard, BARCH- Counters for common offense, while helping in rushdown
Skeletons- NOT hoard!; OR Goblins, Spear Goblins- Your counter for the prince, seeing as you
have no skeleton tomb, because that would be encroaching into defensive deck territory
Win Conditions for the Decks
Balanced decks win by outplaying an opponent and countering their moves, while reading their
attempts to counter your push with a well timed spell, much like Pokemon in a sense (because in a
game with over 700+ creatures the same 10 are used)
Defensive decks get win condition by chipping opponents towers while countering any push attempt
with giant skeletons, baby dragons, and defenses
Offensive decks and swarms tend to, well, swarm the opponent with offensive cards that have few
counters
Support decks revolve around one card chipping the tower enough for a damaging spell or xboxs to
take it down
Swarm decks revolve around being as offensive as possible when you have an elixer advantage,
and baiting your opponents arrows/fireball/baby drag/valk early so your small troops can wreack
havoc

Control decks revolve around controlling the pace of the game as well as possible, much like a
zoner/grappler in fighting games