Clash Royale Mortar Evolution Guide

Introduction to Mortar Evolution

The Mortar Evolution in Clash Royale introduces a powerful update to the classic Mortar building, giving it a unique edge in the game. Unlocking this evolution requires collecting 6 Evolution Shards. Once unlocked, the Clash Royale Mortar Evolution brings a significant twist to the gameplay: with every shot, it launches a flying Goblin in addition to its standard cannonball.

After deploying two regular Mortars, the third Mortar becomes the evolved version, unleashing the flying Goblin with each shot. This mechanic adds a new layer of strategy, as the flying Goblin can cause additional damage while opponents focus on other threats. The concept of the Mortar firing Goblins was inspired by a 2016 April Fool’s joke in which the Mortar shot Goblin Barrels.

The evolved Mortar comes with several key improvements over the standard version. It boasts 20 higher Health, giving it more durability on the battlefield. Additionally, its hit speed is 25% faster, allowing it to fire one second quicker than the normal Mortar. However, it does slightly less damage than the standard Mortar, though the flying Goblin compensates for this by dealing extra damage. This makes the Mortar Evolution a potentially more versatile card, blending the traditional role of the Mortar with the added threat of the Goblin.

The Mortar Evolution operates on a two-card cycle, meaning you must cycle through two other cards after deploying a Mortar before the evolved version can be played again. This cycle continues, allowing for the strategic use of the evolved Mortar on every third deployment.

Initial reactions to the Mortar Evolution have been mixed. Some players consider it overpowered, particularly due to the flying Goblin’s ability to deal additional damage while the opponent is distracted by other units. This has led to concerns that the Mortar Evolution could be game-breaking and create an easy path to victory. Others feel that the card is more balanced, viewing the Goblin as a useful bonus rather than a game-changing mechanic. Despite these differing opinions, the Mortar Evolution is poised to make a significant impact on the Clash Royale meta, offering new opportunities for both offense and strategy.

Strengths and Advantages of Evolved Mortar

The Evolved Mortar in Clash Royale offers a range of strengths and advantages that make it a formidable force in the game. One of its standout features is the ability to launch a flying Goblin with every shot, providing constant offensive pressure. These Goblins can deal significant damage, acting like a mini Goblin Barrel on the opponent’s tower, and can even contribute to game-winning damage if left unchecked. The Goblins can hit the tower multiple times if not countered properly, making it difficult for opponents to stop the relentless attack without using spells.

The Evolved Mortar also has 20 higher Health compared to the regular Mortar, increasing its survivability against spells like Earthquake, making it more durable on the battlefield. Additionally, its 25% faster hit speed results in quicker attacks, allowing it to deal more damage and apply consistent pressure to both the opponent’s towers and troops. This faster targeting enhances its overall effectiveness.

Another key advantage of the Evolved Mortar is its versatility and adaptability within decks. Its unique mechanic opens up various strategic possibilities, making it a powerful tool to disrupt an opponent’s plans. It synergizes well with several cards, including Mighty Miner and Hog Rider, where the Goblins can deal uncontested damage while the tanks absorb hits. The Evolved Mortar pairs well with Earthquake to clear the path for a Hog Rider, and its increased health makes it harder to counter with spells like Earthquake. Cards like the Musketeer provide air defense and solid Elixir trades, while Ice Spirit and Goblins assist in efficient defense and cycling, allowing players to return to the Mortar evolution faster.

The Fisherman can help distract single-targeting units like Mini P.E.K.K.A or Prince, ensuring that the Mortar continues to target the opponent’s Crown Tower, while the Goblin Drill benefits from the Evolved Mortar’s ability to deal with swarms and high-health units meant to defend it. This synergy provides the Mortar deck with multiple win conditions, making it harder for opponents to defend effectively.

In terms of defense, the Evolved Mortar stands out for its strong defensive capabilities, defending against opposing units while simultaneously attacking the opponent’s tower. The added Goblin damage helps with chip damage and distractions, making it an effective ground control unit. It can also serve as a distraction for single-targeting units like Bandit or Mighty Miner, shifting their focus and allowing the Mortar to continue its attack.

The Evolved Mortar’s presence on the battlefield often forces opponents to spend Elixir to react, potentially leading to Elixir advantages for the Mortar player. With its powerful mechanics, it has the potential to break the current meta, becoming a dominant win condition that requires players to adjust their strategies and deck compositions to counter it. Even when partially countered, the Evolved Mortar consistently chips away at the opponent’s tower, further solidifying its position as a top-tier card.

In summary, the Evolved Mortar’s combination of increased health, faster hit speed, and the persistent threat of the flying Goblin makes it a significant upgrade over the original Mortar, providing substantial offensive and defensive advantages that can shift the balance of a match.

Strategies and Usage Tips

To make the most of the Evolved Mortar in Clash Royale, there are several strategies and usage tips to consider. One of the first things to remember is to cycle to the Evolved Mortar quickly. Since the third Mortar deployed will be the evolved version, having a deck with a reasonable cycle is crucial to accessing its enhanced capabilities as fast as possible. Low-cost cards like Ice Spirit and Goblins are effective in speeding up the cycle and getting to your evolved Mortar quicker.

For offensive placement, positioning the Mortar one tile away from the bridge is key. This allows you to place tanky units in front of it for protection, which can help apply early pressure. However, if your tower health is low, it might be better to play a bit more cautiously and avoid overcommitting with the Mortar at the river. To maximize the damage potential of the flying Goblins, you should deploy tanks like the Mighty Miner or Hog Rider in front of the Evolved Mortar. As your opponent focuses on the tank, the Goblins launched by the Mortar can deal uncontested damage to their tower, creating significant offensive pressure.

Strategic spell usage also plays a big role in maximizing the Evolved Mortar’s effectiveness. Earthquake is particularly useful for destroying or weakening enemy buildings, allowing your Hog Rider or the Mortar itself to reach the tower. It can also be used defensively to handle incoming pushes. The Log is another great spell, ideal for clearing swarms and protecting both your Mortar and other offensive units. Poison is valuable for providing area denial and chip damage, especially against units trying to defend against your Mortar.

On the defensive side, the Mortar can be used to target incoming troops while still damaging the opponent’s tower. To enhance its effectiveness, consider placing Goblins or an Ice Spirit to protect the Mortar while it defends. Using your support cards like Musketeer, Mighty Miner, Ice Spirit, and Goblins to create positive Elixir trades on defense allows you to build up an Elixir advantage, which can be spent on stronger Mortar pushes later in the match.

Adapting to your opponent’s deck is also essential. For instance, against big beatdown decks, the Mighty Miner can be an effective counter to break down their push. Against decks with Elixir Collector, the combination of the Mortar and Earthquake can prevent them from gaining a substantial Elixir advantage. Additionally, prediction and timing are important—anticipating your opponent’s moves and placing the Mortar and support troops accordingly can catch them off guard.

When you’re in favorable matchups, consider aggressively cycling to the Evolved Mortar as quickly as possible to apply pressure. Utilize the Mighty Miner’s blast-back ability to disrupt enemy pushes, giving your Mortar more time to deal damage. Protecting your Mortar is crucial—using cheap units like Goblins or Ice Spirit ensures it stays on the field to keep applying pressure. If you have offensive units like a Musketeer still alive, consider applying dual lane pressure to split your opponent’s defenses and increase the likelihood of scoring damage on both lanes.

Although King Tower activation is not always the primary focus, achieving it can provide significant defensive advantages for the rest of the match. The Goblin spawn from the Evolved Mortar can serve multiple purposes—retargeting enemy troops or providing additional chip damage on offense. These Goblins can even distract units like the Bandit, allowing your Mortar to continue targeting the tower uninterrupted.

When facing specific threats, consider countering units like the Inferno Dragon with a Musketeer, positioning it carefully to avoid taking damage from enemy tanks. Against swarms, spells like The Log or splash-damage troops like the Musketeer can help clear them out effectively. Finally, always keep track of both your and your opponent’s card cycles to predict their defenses and plan your Mortar placements accordingly. And remember, don’t overcommit on defense—saving enough Elixir for your own Mortar pushes is key to maintaining offensive pressure.

By implementing these strategies and tips, you can fully leverage the Evolved Mortar’s flying Goblin and other strengths to dominate your Clash Royale battles. Practice and adaptability are essential to mastering the Evolved Mortar and making the most of its capabilities in various matchups.

Counters and Weaknesses

The Mortar Evolution in Clash Royale, despite its powerful capabilities, has several counters and weaknesses that skilled players can exploit:

Knight Evolution: The upgraded Knight has high durability and can easily tank hits from the Mortar while dealing significant damage. It can close in quickly on the Mortar to destroy it before it gets too many shots off.

Tesla Evolution: The Tesla’s increased health and damage make it a solid counter to the Mortar Evolution, able to withstand hits while attacking from a distance, preventing the Mortar from reaching its target.

Electro Giant: The Electro Giant is a formidable tank that can absorb hits from the Mortar while dealing splash damage. Its ability to stun nearby troops makes it a dangerous opponent for the Mortar Evolution.

Phoenix: The Phoenix can provide both offense and defense against the Mortar Evolution, as it deals decent damage and can resurrect, ensuring it continues to be a threat to the Mortar, even if initially defeated.

Mini P.E.K.K.A: The Mini P.E.K.K.A is a high-damage, single-target unit that can quickly eliminate the Mortar Evolution, especially when it’s distracted by other units or tanks.

Executioner: The Executioner’s ability to attack multiple units in a straight line makes it effective at taking out the Goblins spawned by the Mortar Evolution, while also dealing significant damage to the Mortar itself.

Lightning: Lightning can target the Mortar Evolution and any supporting troops or buildings in range, dealing high damage and potentially removing the Mortar from the field.

Tornado: The Tornado can pull the Mortar Evolution and its spawned Goblins into the center of the arena, disrupting its positioning and potentially setting it up for easier elimination by other troops or spells.

These counters, when used correctly, can help negate the advantages of the Mortar Evolution and turn the tide of battle in your favor.

The Evolved Mortar also has strategic weaknesses that opponents can exploit. It is particularly vulnerable to air attacks if the deck lacks strong air defenses. For example, decks relying heavily on the Mortar may struggle against air units like the Lava Hound, especially if they only have cards like the Musketeer to counter it.

Additionally, the Mortar can be weak against fast offensive decks, such as Hog Rider cycle decks, which can outcycle the Mortar player and apply constant pressure, preventing the Mortar from locking onto the tower effectively. Decks that focus on chip damage, such as Miner Poison control, can also wear down the Mortar player by consistently pressuring the tower without giving the Mortar time to build up a significant offensive presence.

Another weakness is the Mortar’s reliance on cycle. Since the Evolved Mortar is only available after cycling through two regular Mortars, it’s not immediately accessible, allowing opponents to capitalize on this early phase before the evolution activates. Low-health ranged troops, such as Dart Goblin and Spear Goblins, should be avoided as counters since they are easily taken out by the Mortar’s attack. Moreover, placing them too close to the Mortar’s target is risky due to its splash damage. Finally, while the Mighty Miner can sometimes work well with the Evolved Mortar, the Goblins it spawns can distract the Mighty Miner, potentially preventing it from reaching its intended target.

Synergies

The Evolved Mortar in Clash Royale has excellent synergies with various cards, enhancing its effectiveness both offensively and defensively. Tanks like the Mighty Miner or Hog Rider work exceptionally well with the Evolved Mortar. While the opponent is focused on dealing with these tanking units, the Goblins spawned with each Mortar shot can freely deal significant damage to the opponent’s tower. The Hog Rider can also help by tanking for the Mortar, allowing it to fire additional shots. This synergy can create a powerful offensive combination, with the potential for overwhelming pressure on the opponent’s defenses.

Spells also work in harmony with the Evolved Mortar, helping to clear obstacles and enhance the Mortar’s impact. Earthquake is particularly useful, as it can destroy or weaken buildings that block the Mortar’s line of sight, clearing the way for the Hog Rider or allowing the Mortar to target the opponent’s tower more effectively. The Log is another key spell, perfect for clearing swarms of troops that the opponent might use to defend against the Mortar or the tanks in front of it.

Poison provides both area denial and chip damage, weakening or eliminating defending troops while potentially hitting the tower as well. Ice Spirit and Fire Spirit can be paired with Earthquake to ensure equal Elixir trades, and they can also help retarget enemy troops, providing additional protection for the Mortar.

The Fisherman is another strong synergy with the Evolved Mortar. It can distract and pull single-targeting units like Mini P.E.K.K.A. or Prince into the Mortar’s blind spot, allowing the Mortar to focus on the Crown Tower and deal more damage. This synergy helps the Mortar stay focused on its target without being distracted by high-damage units.

The Goblin Drill synergizes well with the Evolved Mortar by assisting in dealing with swarms and high-health units that might be used to counter the Goblin Drill, such as Goblin Gang, Skeleton Army, Valkyrie, and Knight. Additionally, the Goblins spawned by the Evolved Mortar further contribute to the offensive pressure, dealing extra damage to the Crown Tower and potentially forcing the opponent to respond with spells.

For fast cycle decks, low-cost cards like Ice Spirit and Goblins are crucial. They allow players to cycle back to the Evolved Mortar quickly, enabling faster access to its evolved form and maintaining consistent pressure on the opponent. This also ensures the Mortar can be deployed more frequently, keeping the opponent on the defensive.

The Musketeer provides valuable air defense, which can be essential when using a Mortar-based deck. It can protect the Mortar from aerial threats while offering high damage output. Additionally, the Musketeer can secure positive Elixir trades on defense, helping to build an Elixir advantage for future Mortar pushes.

In summary, the Evolved Mortar thrives when paired with tanks, spells, and fast cycle cards. These synergies allow players to protect and support the Mortar, clear defensive obstacles, and maximize the damage from the Goblins it spawns. The versatility of this combination gives players the ability to apply constant pressure while maintaining solid defense.

Conclusion

The Evolved Mortar has emerged as a game-changing evolution in Clash Royale, offering a significant upgrade over its base form with increased health, faster hit speed, and the powerful ability to launch a Goblin with each shot. This flying Goblin can be particularly devastating when paired with tanks like the Mighty Miner or Hog Rider, allowing for substantial, often uncontested, damage on the opponent’s tower. This synergy can lead to swift victories, especially when opponents are focused on the tanking unit.

Strategies for utilizing the Evolved Mortar effectively often involve aggressive placement near the bridge, utilizing spell support like Earthquake to clear defensive buildings, and maintaining a fast card cycle to reach the evolved form quickly. The spawned Goblins can also serve defensive purposes by retargeting enemy troops.

However, the Evolved Mortar is not without its weaknesses. It remains vulnerable to direct building counters such as Earthquake and Lightning, as well as bulky ranged troops and high-damage melee units like the Mega Knight and PEKKA. Decks that can apply fast offensive pressure or focus on constant chip damage can also challenge Mortar-centric strategies.

Ultimately, the Evolved Mortar’s effectiveness relies on synergistic deck building, skillful execution, and an understanding of its counters. When used correctly with supporting cards like the Mighty Miner, Hog Rider, and spells like Earthquake and Log, the Evolved Mortar can be an overpowered win condition capable of carrying players to high trophy levels. While some initial reactions suggested it might be “mid,” the consensus from gameplay and top-ranked players indicates that the Evolved Mortar is a force to be reckoned with in the current meta. Mastering its use requires understanding its strengths and weaknesses and building a deck that complements its unique abilities.