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By GamGem ResearchLast updated 24 Oct 2026

Balance:Guards was last changed on Oct 24, 2025 (October Balance Changes!, nerf).

Card overview

Guards — Clash Royale card art (Supercell Fan Kit)
Unofficial guide · Card · Checked Oct 24, 2026

Guards Clash Royale card

3 elixirEpicTroopMeleeGround only
Guards is a 3-elixir epic troop. In ranked battles of top Path of Legends players (Sep 1, 2026 – Oct 24, 2026) it was in 4.1% of deck-sides and won 49.5% ±1.0 of its 8,912 uses. It ranks #84 of 123 battle cards by win rate and #78 by use rate in our counts.
Source: official card list, checked Oct 24, 2026 · rates counted Sep 1, 2026 – Oct 24, 2026 (n 108,336 battles)

What beats Guards, and what it beats(win rate)

  • Barbarian Barrel — Clash Royale card art (Supercell Fan Kit)
    Barbarian Barrel
    48%wins
    52% losses±1.8 · n 2,866
  • Arrows — Clash Royale card art (Supercell Fan Kit)
    Arrows
    53%wins
    47% losses±2.1 · n 2,069
  • Skeletons — Clash Royale card art (Supercell Fan Kit)
    Skeletons
    51%wins
    49% losses±2.2 · n 2,009
  • Fireball — Clash Royale card art (Supercell Fan Kit)
    Fireball
    49%wins
    52% losses±2.2 · n 1,937
All 120 counted matchups for Guards

How much Guards is played

Usage rate 4%
Win rate 50%

±1.0 pp · n 8,912 uses

Crown rate Sample27%
Avg elixir cost4.0
Decks counted47

Guards's latest balance change

nerf
  • +25%First Hit Speed0.4s → 0.5s
Official notes · Oct 24, 2025 · October Balance Changes!
All balance changes

Cards that work with Guards

Top decks using Guards47 counted

All decks

Key interactions

Guards — Clash Royale card art (Supercell Fan Kit)Graveyard — Clash Royale card art (Supercell Fan Kit)Beats decks with Graveyard: Guards decks won 57.4% ±4.0 of 577 games. +2 elixir trade.
Guards — Clash Royale card art (Supercell Fan Kit)Inferno Tower — Clash Royale card art (Supercell Fan Kit)Loses to decks with Inferno Tower: Guards decks won 39.7% ±5.1 of 355 games. +2 elixir trade.

Evidence

Battles8,912
Win rate49.5% ±1.0
Δ WR vs last patch+0.6%Sample
ConfidenceHigh

Optimal and learnable picks

Optimal pick
Bandit
52.2% win rate ±0.7
Learnable option
Royal Ghost
51.0% win rate ±0.6

Guards level stats

DamageDPSShield HitpointsHit speedSpeed
65073731591.00 sfast
96797972121.00 sfast
11standard811171172561.00 sfast
141081561563411.00 sfast
161301881884121.00 sfast

Ground only · Melee · fast speed · hits every 1 s · deploys in 1 s · 3 units. Level 11 is the tournament standard.

Card statistics and mechanics: Clash Royale Wiki, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0 — Wiki page “Guards”, revision of 2026-07-16. Figures reformatted, wording ours.

Upgrade impact(6 → 16)

Hitpoints↑ 160%
Damage↑ 158%
DPS↑ 158%
Overall impact
Balance history (all patches)
  • Oct 24, 2025 · nerf: First Hit Speed 0.4s → 0.5s
Does it hold in other forms?
  • Base card: Always available. Counted: 49.5% ±1.0 over 8,912 uses.
  • Evolution: Not flagged in the official card list.
  • Hero: Not flagged in the official card list.
Same job, other cards
  • Knight · 3 elixir · troop · Ground · same cost
  • Royal Ghost · 3 elixir · troop · Ground · same cost
  • Skeleton Army · 3 elixir · troop · Ground · same cost
  • Bandit · 3 elixir · troop · Ground · same cost
Quick answers
How much elixir does Guards cost?
Guards costs 3 elixir (official card list).
What rarity is Guards?
Guards is epic (official card list).
Does Guards have an Evolution?
No Evolution is flagged in the official card list.
Does Guards have a Hero form?
No Hero form is flagged in the official card list.
What level range does Guards have?
Levels 6 to 16 on the unified scale (community wiki).
What are Guards's stats at level 11?
81 hitpoints and 117 damage (community wiki).
What are Guards's stats at level 16?
130 hitpoints and 188 damage (community wiki).
What is Guards's win rate?
49.5% ±1.0 over 8,912 uses in ranked battles of top Path of Legends players, Sep 1, 2026 – Oct 24, 2026. Counted by GamGem, not an official statistic.
What counters Guards?
By our counts, decks with Inferno Tower (39.7% for Guards over 355 games), Goblinstein (41.8% for Guards over 316 games), Minion Horde (42.8% for Guards over 411 games) do best against it.
Which deck does best with Guards?
Minions, Witch, Golem, Baby Dragon, Mini P.E.K.K.A, Guards, Barbarian Barrel, Vines won 73.5% over 34 counted uses.
Was Guards changed in a balance update?
Yes, last on Oct 24, 2025 (October Balance Changes!): nerf, First Hit Speed 0.4s → 0.5s.
Is Guards a good card right now?
It ranks #84 of 123 battle cards by win rate and #78 by use rate in our counts. Counted from 8,912 uses in ranked battles of top Path of Legends players, Sep 1, 2026 – Oct 24, 2026; a rank is a place in that sample, not an official tier.

Every interaction we hold

Guards vsBarbarian Barrel — Clash Royale card art (Supercell Fan Kit)Barbarian BarrelArrows — Clash Royale card art (Supercell Fan Kit)ArrowsSkeletons — Clash Royale card art (Supercell Fan Kit)SkeletonsFireball — Clash Royale card art (Supercell Fan Kit)FireballZap — Clash Royale card art (Supercell Fan Kit)ZapThe Log — Clash Royale card art (Supercell Fan Kit)The LogTornado — Clash Royale card art (Supercell Fan Kit)TornadoKnight — Clash Royale card art (Supercell Fan Kit)KnightWin rate48%53%51%49%50%50%47%51%Elixir trade−1±0−2+1−1−1±0±0DifficultyHardMediumMediumMediumMediumMediumHardMedium
■ Great■ Good■ Even■ Poor■ Bad

How to counter Guards: every counted matchup(120 cards)

Inferno Tower does best against Guards: its decks win 60.3% of 355 decided games. Of 114 cards with at least 100 decided games, 17 beat it, 86 play even and 11 lose to it.

Cards that beat Guards

Their decks’ win rate against Guards decks

Cards Guards beats

Guards decks’ win rate against theirs

Guards against every card, by Guards win rate, lowest first
CardGuards winsGamesResultElixir trade
Inferno Tower39.7% ±5.1355LOSES+2
Clone41.7% ±12.160EVEN±0
Goblinstein41.8% ±5.4316LOSES+2
Minion Horde42.8% ±4.8411LOSES+2
Mother Witch42.9% ±3.8634LOSES+1
Magic Archer42.9% ±6.5219LOSES+1
Princess43.1% ±3.7687LOSES±0
Electro Giant43.9% ±4.1547LOSES+4
Goblin Barrel44.1% ±3.6740LOSES±0
Goblin Giant44.1% ±8.0145EVEN+3
Cannon Cart44.4% ±4.0595LOSES+2
Giant Skeleton44.5% ±4.6443LOSES+3
Mortar44.7% ±4.1559LOSES+1
Goblin Gang44.9% ±3.5775LOSES±0
Balloon45.1% ±4.3501LOSES+2
Bomb Tower45.3% ±6.6212EVEN+1
Monk45.6% ±6.6215EVEN+2
Suspicious Bush45.6% ±6.9195EVEN−1
Heal Spirit45.7% ±4.3506EVEN−2
Dark Prince46.2% ±3.8667EVEN+1
Rage46.3% ±4.1553EVEN−1
Ice Golem46.3% ±4.7428EVEN−1
Dart Goblin46.4% ±3.4830LOSES±0
Wall Breakers46.5% ±4.3514EVEN−1
Sparky46.5% ±4.4490EVEN+3
Fisherman46.5% ±6.6215EVEN±0
Spear Goblins46.5% ±11.371EVEN−1
Lightning46.8% ±2.71,337LOSES+3
Skeleton Army47.0% ±3.2948EVEN±0
Mighty Miner47.0% ±5.2349EVEN+1
Lumberjack47.1% ±4.3512EVEN+1
Tornado47.2% ±2.51,489LOSES±0
Wizard47.2% ±4.1563EVEN+2
Vines47.4% ±4.7437EVEN±0
Ice Spirit47.5% ±3.2954EVEN−2
Goblin Hut47.5% ±3.8652EVEN+1
Electro Dragon47.5% ±5.0387EVEN+2
Prince47.6% ±5.9269EVEN+2
Barbarian Barrel47.7% ±1.82,866LOSES−1
Hunter47.7% ±5.7287EVEN+1
Miner47.8% ±4.8412EVEN±0
Battle Healer47.9% ±11.273EVEN+1
Electro Wizard48.1% ±2.71,348EVEN+1
Skeleton Barrel48.1% ±3.5772EVEN±0
Three Musketeers48.1% ±7.2183EVEN+6
Bowler48.3% ±3.1993EVEN+2
Bandit48.3% ±3.4810EVEN±0
Battle Ram48.4% ±3.3862EVEN+1
Fireball48.5% ±2.21,937EVEN+1
Rascals48.6% ±4.2531EVEN+2
Baby Dragon48.7% ±3.1979EVEN+1
Inferno Dragon48.8% ±4.1570EVEN+1
Bats48.9% ±3.9613EVEN−1
Giant49.0% ±3.8665EVEN+2
Royal Ghost49.1% ±3.01,092EVEN±0
Royal Giant49.2% ±7.2181EVEN+3
Mirror49.3% ±11.075EVEN–
Minion Giant49.4% ±5.3338EVEN+1
Goblin Demolisher49.4% ±7.5166EVEN+1
Musketeer49.5% ±4.0602EVEN+1
Berserker49.6% ±6.0260EVEN−1
Freeze49.7% ±5.3340EVEN+1
Spirit Empress49.7% ±7.1189EVEN+3
The Log49.8% ±2.41,702EVEN−1
Rocket49.8% ±5.3333EVEN+3
Zap49.9% ±2.31,843EVEN−1
Rune Giant50.0% ±11.470EVEN+1
Elixir Collector50.1% ±4.7433EVEN+3
Barbarians50.3% ±5.6302EVEN+2
P.E.K.K.A50.4% ±3.9617EVEN+4
Knight50.5% ±2.61,381EVEN±0
Mega Minion50.5% ±4.5467EVEN±0
Goblins50.5% ±5.7295EVEN−1
Giant Snowball50.6% ±3.9616EVEN−1
Ice Wizard50.9% ±3.2929EVEN±0
Zappies50.9% ±3.8652EVEN+1
Mega Knight50.9% ±4.1554EVEN+4
Electro Spirit51.0% ±3.01,086EVEN−2
Skeletons51.3% ±2.22,009EVEN−2
Minions51.3% ±4.0595EVEN±0
Golden Knight51.3% ±4.6452EVEN+1
Archer Queen51.3% ±4.8421EVEN+2
Boss Bandit51.5% ±9.6101EVEN+3
Lava Hound51.7% ±6.0259EVEN+4
Cannon51.8% ±3.01,054EVEN±0
Valkyrie51.8% ±3.2910EVEN+1
Elixir Golem51.9% ±5.7293EVEN±0
Archers52.0% ±4.8404EVEN±0
Skeleton King52.0% ±5.8279EVEN+1
Witch52.1% ±3.6752EVEN+2
Goblin Cage52.1% ±4.5466EVEN+1
Firecracker52.1% ±4.8413EVEN±0
Phoenix52.1% ±6.3234EVEN+1
Ram Rider52.1% ±6.6213EVEN+2
Mini P.E.K.K.A52.2% ±2.91,166EVEN+1
Tombstone52.4% ±4.7439EVEN±0
Elite Barbarians52.5% ±3.7714EVEN+3
Skeleton Dragons52.7% ±5.8283EVEN+1
Goblin Drill52.7% ±5.9273EVEN+1
Void52.9% ±8.8119EVEN+2
Arrows53.0% ±2.12,069WINS±0
Golem53.0% ±3.6725EVEN+5
Furnace53.1% ±3.5776EVEN+1
Hog Rider53.2% ±3.3853EVEN+1
Tesla53.2% ±3.4804EVEN+1
X-Bow53.6% ±7.2183EVEN+3
Night Witch54.1% ±4.0595WINS+1
Poison54.4% ±3.5768WINS+1
Fire Spirit54.4% ±6.4228EVEN−2
Royal Hogs54.6% ±3.8645WINS+2
Goblin Curse54.9% ±6.3233EVEN−1
Little Prince55.1% ±9.798EVEN±0
Executioner55.4% ±5.7289EVEN+2
Earthquake55.6% ±4.5455WINS±0
Bomber56.3% ±5.2348WINS−1
Royal Recruits56.4% ±5.1360WINS+4
Ronin56.5% ±5.3336WINS+2
Flying Machine57.1% ±5.6294WINS+1
Royal Delivery57.3% ±5.8279WINS±0
Graveyard57.4% ±4.0577WINS+2

Data window

Mode: Ranked 1v1Facts checked: Oct 24, 2026Rank range: top Path of Legends playersSample size: 108,336 battlesTime frame: Sep 1, 2026 – Oct 24, 2026

Counted by GamGem from 108,336 ranked 1v1 battles of top Path of Legends players, 1 Sep – 24 Oct 2026. A sample, ± is the 95 % interval in percentage points — not official Supercell statistics.

Card statistics and mechanics: Clash Royale Wiki, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0 — Wiki page “Guards”, revision of 2026-07-16. Figures reformatted, wording ours.

Card, arena and character art: Supercell Fan Kit (fankit.supercell.com), shown unchanged. Fan Kit · Fan Content Policy

Fan-made; not affiliated with or endorsed by Supercell.