Clash Royale Barbarians Guide

Type	Level/Tier	Objective	Reward
Damage Dealer	1	Deal a total of 110,000 Damage to enemy Troops or buildings	200 Barbarians cards 25
	2	Deal a total of 330,000 to enemy Troops or buildings	2,000 25
	3	Deal a total of 550,000 Damage to enemy Troops or buildings	150 25
Troop Destroyer	1	Destroy 350 enemy Troops	3,000 100
	2	Destroy 1,000 enemy Troops	200 100
	3	Destroy 1,750 enemy Troops	150 100

Barbarian Decks

Classic Barbarian Decks
Classic Barbarian decks typically focus on using Barbarians for defense and counter-pushes. A popular combination is the Hog Rider Control deck, which uses the Hog Rider as the win condition, with Barbarians providing solid defense. This deck often includes Fireball, The Log (or Zap), Tombstone or Cannon, Dart Goblin (or Musketeer), Mega Minion, and Executioner. The strategy revolves around playing defensively and using surviving troops to make a Hog Rider push, aiming for positive elixir trades and setting up a devastating Hog Rider and Dart Goblin combo to damage the opponent’s tower.

Giant Beatdown

Giant	Barbarians	Lightning	Elixir Collector
Mega Minion	Dart Goblin	Executioner	Tornado

The Giant Beatdown deck features the Giant as the main tank, supported by Barbarians, Lightning, Elixir Pump, Mega Minion, Dart Goblin, Executioner, and Tornado. The goal here is to build elixir with the pump, defend, and make small pushes until double elixir, when a strong Giant and supporting troops, backed by Lightning, can take down a tower.

The Golem Barbarians Deck uses the Golem as the primary tank, supported by Barbarians, Minions or Minion Horde, Elite Barbarians, Three Musketeers, Elixir Extractor, and Mirror. The strategy is to place the Golem in front of the Barbarians to absorb damage while other cards support the push. Given the high elixir cost, the Elixir Extractor is used to generate additional elixir to fuel the Golem push.

A common setup includes Royal Giant, Sparky, Evolved Barbarians, Minion Horde, Hog Rider, Mega Minion, Arrows, and Zap. This highly aggressive deck aims to overwhelm opponents with a powerful swarm, using Royal Giant and Sparky or Hog Rider and Minion Horde for devastating pushes. Another example is the Flying Machine, Royal Hogs, Evolved Barbarians, Zappies, Goblin Cage, Fireball, Arrows, Ice Spirit deck, which combines pressure on both lanes with splash damage control and the ability to bait out spells.

Golem Beatdown Deck

Golem	Evolved Barbarians	Electro Dragon	Lumberjack
Skeleton Dragons	Elixir Collector	Barbarian Barrel	Tornado

For Golem Beatdown Decks, Evolved Barbarians are paired with the Golem for a strong offensive combination. One deck includes Golem, Elixir Pump, Evolved Barbarians, Electro Dragon, Lumberjack, Skeleton Dragons, Tornado, and Barbarian Barrel, where the Golem and supporting cards push while the Elixir Pump generates extra elixir. Another version includes Golem, Healer, Evolved Barbarians, and Pump, offering high healing support while building a powerful offensive.

Graveyard Decks use Barbarians, including Evolved Barbarians, to control the battlefield and defend against enemy pushes. One version combines Barbarians, Skeleton King, Rune Giant, Graveyard, Sparky, Zappies, Hunter, and Arrows for an effective combination of defense and offense. Another version includes Graveyard, Evolved Barbarians, Inferno Dragon, Tombstone, Poison, Zappies, and Skeleton King to capitalize on Graveyard and Evolved Barbarians for pressure and defense.

In Other Decks, Furnace, Poison, Miner, Tornado, Executioner, Evolved Barbarians, Dart Goblin, and Log make up a solid, low-cost deck that focuses on defensive control and chip damage with the Miner, Poison, and Furnace. A more offensive version, Elixir Golem, Musketeer, Arrows, The Log, Night Witch, Firecracker, and Inferno Dragon, uses the Elixir Golem as the primary win condition, with strong supporting troops to pressure the opponent. The Evolved Barbarians, Ram Rider, Archer Queen, Pump deck adds pressure and synergy, while the Goblin Drill, Evolved Barbarians, Cannon Cart deck includes the Goblin Drill for additional offense and a mix of Evolved Barbarians for support.

Key Considerations
Barbarians, particularly the Evolved version, synergize well with splash units that have high hitpoints, such as Valkyrie or Baby Dragon. These combinations allow Barbarians to eliminate tanks while splash troops handle swarms and other smaller units. Many Barbarian decks also focus on Fireball Bait, using Barbarians to draw out powerful spells, thus allowing more fragile or high-impact units to be played more effectively.

On defense, Barbarians are strong against tanks and glass cannon units, easily shutting down threats like Hog Rider and Ram Rider. However, Barbarians are vulnerable to splash damage, swarms, and air troops. While Evolved Barbarians have increased hitpoints and enhanced abilities, they still share many of the same weaknesses as regular Barbarians, such as vulnerability to spells and area damage.

In summary, Barbarians, especially the Evolved version, are versatile and can be included in a variety of decks, serving both defensive and offensive roles. They excel at taking down tanks and single-target troops while offering valuable spell bait. Still, they require support and careful management to mitigate their weaknesses against splash damage, swarms, and air units.

Barbarian Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths: Barbarians are a versatile card, effective in both offensive and defensive situations. They shine when used against single-target troops like the Prince, Hog Rider, or Ram Rider, as their high damage output makes them ideal for eliminating these threats. Barbarians also serve as great tanks, absorbing damage while dealing significant damage themselves. Their counter-push potential is strong, especially when they are deployed after successfully defending against an enemy push. With careful positioning, Barbarians can surround and eliminate splash damage units, offering valuable control over the battlefield. Additionally, their high damage per second (DPS) makes them particularly useful against tanky units like the Electro Giant.

Barbarians can distract air units such as the Balloon on defense, and if they reach a Crown Tower, they can quickly deal heavy damage. Their high mass and slight spread also force Hog Riders and Ram Riders to take a detour, potentially buying you more time to defend. Barbarians are great at defending against Graveyard and can surround the Crown Tower, reducing the effectiveness of a Goblin Barrel. Additionally, splitting Barbarians can throw off your opponent’s strategy, making it harder to target both towers effectively.

Weaknesses: Despite their strengths, Barbarians have several vulnerabilities. They are susceptible to area damage, such as from Fireball or Arrows, which can wipe them out quickly. Their slow movement speed and relatively slow attack speed make them less effective when trying to deal with fast-moving or heavily armored units. Barbarians are also vulnerable to swarms like the Skeleton Army, which can overwhelm them. Without supporting units, they are easily countered by many cards, and they cannot target air units. Ranged splash troops like the Bomber, Wizard, and Executioner can eliminate Barbarians with ease, especially if placed strategically.

Their low base attack damage means they struggle against high-health targets, and their squishiness compared to earlier versions of the card makes them fragile in certain situations. They are easily kited by units like the Ice Golem, and Ice Wizard can easily slow them down if placed poorly. Fireball can eliminate them with a direct hit, especially at higher levels, and while a Rocket can defeat Barbarians, it is a negative elixir trade for the opponent. Lastly, Bomb Towers and Poison can also be used to easily counter them, as they both deal area damage over time.

In summary, Barbarians are a highly effective card when used properly, excelling in offense and defense when deployed in the right context. However, they are highly vulnerable to area damage and swarms, and they require support to maximize their potential. Proper positioning and careful consideration of counterplays are essential for using Barbarians effectively.

How to Play with Barbarians

Offensive Tactics
Barbarians can be an effective tool for applying pressure on your opponent. Deploying them at the bridge forces a response, potentially disrupting their rhythm and making them commit elixir to defend. They are especially powerful against defensive structures like the Inferno Tower, where their high DPS allows them to deal significant damage if they reach the target. Barbarians can also act as a shield for more vulnerable troops, such as ranged units, absorbing damage while allowing those units to deal damage from a distance.

When supporting a main attacking troop, Barbarians create a formidable push that is harder to stop. If left unchecked and they reach a Crown Tower, Barbarians can quickly destroy it. Splitting Barbarians at the back can also be an effective strategy to keep your opponent guessing and force them to either defend both lanes or leave one side open for an attack. However, their slow movement speed means they might take time to reach their target, allowing your opponent to deal some damage first.

Defensive Tactics
Barbarians excel in defending when deployed properly. Positioning them in the middle of your side of the arena allows them to distract and dismantle incoming enemy troops. This placement also ensures that both your Crown Towers and Barbarians target the same enemy units. Barbarians are particularly effective at stalling or destroying enemy tanks such as Golem or P.E.K.K.A, preventing them from reaching your Crown Tower.

They also perform well against Hog Riders and Ram Riders, whose pathing is disrupted by the Barbarians’ high mass and spread, forcing them to go around and increasing the distance to your tower. Barbarians are a great counter to the Graveyard spell due to their large unit count, allowing them to cover a significant portion of the spell’s area. Additionally, Barbarians can surround your Crown Tower if placed early enough, reducing the effectiveness of a Goblin Barrel. However, Barbarians are ground-based and therefore will not help against air units, so you’ll need to support them with other troops if your opponent uses air-based attacks.

Additional Tips for Using Barbarians
Barbarians can be particularly effective when used to surround enemy splash damage units. By placing Barbarians directly on top of these units, you minimize the splash damage taken, as the Barbarians will surround and focus the attack on only one or two of them. However, be cautious of splash units like Valkyrie (which deals 360-degree splash damage) and Bomber, as their large area of effect can still cause problems. A successful defensive engagement with Barbarians can lead to a powerful counter-push; use them as a tank for other troops or to support glass cannon units that deal high damage but need protection.

Barbarians can also be used as bait to lure out spells like Fireball, making it easier to defend against or counter your opponent’s next play. Since Barbarians are vulnerable to area damage and spells, they perform best when supported by other troops or placed carefully. Additionally, they can act as a distraction for air troops, giving your Crown Towers time to eliminate the threat. In some cases, Barbarians can also function as a lightning rod for fragile units, drawing enemy spells like Lightning away from key units. Finally, Barbarians help increase troop count for spells like Void, contributing to your overall battlefield presence.

In summary, Barbarians are versatile and effective troops that shine when used both offensively and defensively. They can apply pressure, tank damage, and counter specific troops effectively. However, their slow speed and vulnerability to area damage mean they are less effective without careful placement and support from other units.

Conclusion

Barbarians are a common 5-Elixir troop card in Clash Royale that summon five sturdy melee units. With high hitpoints and solid single-target damage, they excel in defensive roles and can quickly shift momentum through powerful counter-pushes. Their ability to swarm and surround enemy troops makes them especially effective against tanks, slow melee units, and building-targeting threats like Hog Rider, Elite Barbarians, and Ram Rider.

Their greatest strength is their survivability. When properly placed, Barbarians can absorb significant damage while eliminating enemy threats through sheer numbers. After a successful defense, they often survive with enough health to apply pressure offensively, especially when supported by a tank, ranged unit, or spell. If left unchecked, they can deal devastating damage to enemy towers.

However, Barbarians have clear weaknesses. Their grouped formation and medium movement speed make them vulnerable to splash damage from spells like Fireball, Poison, Arrows, or Tornado. Troops with area damage like Wizard, Bomber, Executioner, Valkyrie, and Mother Witch can also eliminate them quickly if not handled properly. To get the most value, players must carefully time and space their placement to avoid giving their opponents a strong spell trade.

Barbarians fit well into a variety of deck archetypes, including beatdown decks where they serve as a defensive core, control decks where they stall and trade efficiently, and spell-bait decks that pressure opponents into using key removal early. They can also be useful in duel formats, where forcing out a Fireball or Poison can set up the win condition in a following game.

Overall, Barbarians are a reliable and flexible card that reward smart defense and tactical placement. Their ability to absorb damage, control the ground, and convert defense into offense makes them a valuable addition to many Clash Royale strategies.

Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q)