Clash Royale is known for its fast-paced battles, but with the launch of Merge Tactics, the game takes a whole new direction. This mode borrows ideas from auto-battlers like Clash Mini and gives players a different way to use their favorite cards. Instead of real-time action, players now build teams, merge troops, and rely on smart planning to win matches.
In Merge Tactics, 4 players face off in matches that last around five to eight minutes. Each round is split into two parts: one where you buy and merge troops, and one where those troops fight automatically. At the heart of the mode are Traits, which give troops extra abilities and bonuses that can make or break your strategy. Here’s a look at how the mode works and what each Trait does.
How Merge Tactics Works
Merge Tactics plays very differently from the standard Clash Royale battles. Instead of sending cards across a bridge, you’re managing troops on a grid-based battlefield. Each match goes through several rounds, and every round has two phases:
Deploy Phase
During the Deploy Phase, you’ll earn 4 Elixir at the end of each round. You spend Elixir in a shop where three random troops appear for sale. You can:
- Buy troops and place them on your bench or battlefield.
- Sell troops back to the shop to recover Elixir (but you lose 1 Elixir compared to the purchase price).
- Merge troops to create stronger versions if you have two of the same troop at the same Merge Level.
Merging gives you an extra +1 Elixir, even if you merge troops just to free up space. Merge Levels boost a troop’s power a lot:
- 1-star: normal stats
- 2-star: double stats
- 3-star: four times the stats
- 4-star: eight times the stats
Your team starts small, with only two troops allowed on the battlefield. As the rounds progress, the team size grows to a maximum of six.
Battle Phase
In the Battle Phase, your deployed troops fight automatically against another player’s team. The player who loses all their troops first takes damage equal to the number of enemy troops left plus one. This repeats until only one player is left standing.
Shared Troop Pool
A key part of Merge Tactics is that all players draw from a shared pool of troops. There are only four copies of each troop in a single match. So, if you and another player both try to build the same team, you’ll be competing for the same cards, and those troops will show up less often in the shop. Keeping an eye on what other players are buying is a big part of staying ahead.
What Are Traits in Merge Tactics?
In Merge Tactics, every troop comes with two Traits. These Traits give special abilities or bonuses that help shape your team’s strategy. Some Traits work on just one troop, while others get stronger if you have more troops with the same Trait on the battlefield.
Building your team around Traits can give you powerful advantages, like extra damage, faster attacks, healing, or defensive shields. Deciding whether to focus on one Trait or mix different ones is a big part of winning in Merge Tactics.
Let’s go over each Trait, what it does, and which troops feature it.
All Traits in Merge Tactics, Explained
Here’s a look at every Trait you’ll find in Merge Tactics, explained in simple terms and with examples of troops that use them.
Ace
Troops with the Ace Trait make your highest-level troop the Captain at the start of a fight. Whenever your Captain defeats an enemy, all your troops get +20% faster attack speed for 4 seconds.
- With 2 Ace troops: The Captain deals 30% more damage.
- With 4 Ace troops: The Captain deals 60% more damage and heals for 30% of the damage it deals.
Troops with Ace: Executioner, Bandit, Mega Knight, PEKKA
Assassin
Assassin troops jump straight to the back of the enemy’s field at the start of combat. This helps take out weaker but important enemy troops quickly.
- With 3 Assassin troops: They gain 35% extra Critical Chance and Critical Damage.
Troops with Assassin: Goblin, Golden Knight, Royal Ghost
Avenger
The Avenger Trait boosts damage, especially when things look bad. If an Avenger is the last troop standing on your side, it deals double damage.
- With 3 Avenger troops: Avengers deal 30% more damage.
Troops with Avenger: Archer Queen, Bandit, Valkyrie
Brawler
Brawler troops are tough fighters with higher HP. They’re great for soaking up damage in the front line.
- With 2 Brawler troops: Gain 30% extra HP.
- With 4 Brawler troops: Gain 60% extra HP for Brawlers and 30% more HP for the rest of your team.
Troops with Brawler: Barbarian, Mega Knight, Prince, Giant Skeleton
Clan
Troops with the Clan Trait get a second wind. Once per round, if their health drops below 50%, they heal and attack faster.
- With 2 Clan troops: Heal 30% of max HP and get faster attack speed.
- With 4 Clan troops: Heal 60% of max HP and get even faster speed, plus a 30% speed boost for the rest of your team.
Troops with Clan: Archers, Archer Queen, Barbarian, Valkyrie
Goblin
The Goblin Trait is all about getting free troops. Each round, it can give you a free Goblin to use in your next turn.
- With 2 Goblin troops: Gain a free random 2-Elixir Goblin.
- With 4 Goblin troops: Gain a free Goblin, with a 60% chance it will be a 3- or 4-Elixir Goblin.
Troops with Goblin: Dart Goblin, Goblins, Spear Goblins, Goblin Machine
Juggernaut
Troops with the Juggernaut Trait help protect your team by giving shields to troops standing behind them.
- With 2 Juggernaut troops: Troops behind them get a 15% shield for 8 seconds; Juggernauts themselves get a 30% shield.
- With 4 Juggernaut troops: Troops behind them get a 30% shield; Juggernauts themselves get a 60% shield.
Troops with Juggernaut: Goblin Machine, Knight, PEKKA, Skeleton King
Noble
Noble troops help balance offense and defense. Front-line troops take less damage, while back-line troops deal more damage.
- With 2 Noble troops: Front-line takes 20% less damage; back-line deals 20% more damage.
- With 4 Noble troops: Front-line takes 40% less damage; back-line deals 40% more damage.
Troops with Noble: Golden Knight, Knight, Prince, Princess
Ranger
Ranger troops get faster and faster the longer they attack. This makes them deadly in longer fights.
- With 3 Ranger troops: They gain 15% attack speed after every attack, stacking up to 15 times.
Troops with Ranger: Archers, Dart Goblin, Princess
Thrower
Thrower troops attack from farther away and do more damage to enemies at a distance.
- With 3 Thrower troops: Gain +1 attack range and deal 10% more damage for each hex between them and the enemy.
Troops with Thrower: Bomber, Executioner, Spear Goblins
Undead
The Undead Trait curses enemies with high HP at the start of the battle. When those cursed enemies die, your Undead troops deal more damage for the rest of the fight.
- With 2 Undead troops: Curses one enemy, reducing its max HP by 25%.
- With 4 Undead troops: Curses two enemies, reducing their max HP by 50%.
Troops with Undead: Bomber, Royal Ghost, Skeleton Giant, Skeleton King
Rulers: Who’s in Charge of Your Team
In Merge Tactics, you choose a Ruler, which acts kind of like your King Tower in regular Clash Royale. Your Ruler has HP, and if it hits zero, you’re out of the match. When you win a round, your Ruler deals damage to your opponents based on how many of your troops survived, plus one.
At launch, there are two Rulers:
- Royale King: Gives you +4 Elixir whenever you lose a round.
- Spirit Empress: Gives you +1 extra Elixir every time you merge troops.
For now, Ruler levels only unlock cosmetic rewards like skins and confetti—they don’t affect gameplay.
How Modifiers Change Each Match
Each match in Merge Tactics starts with one random Modifier that changes the rules for everyone. There are 27 Modifiers in total, and they can completely shift how you play. Some examples include:
- Party Time: Team size is always six.
- Rare Star: Start the match with a 2-star, 2-Elixir troop.
- Lucky Discount: One troop in the shop costs 1 Elixir less every time it refreshes.
- Promotion: Each round, the troop in your right-most bench slot transforms into a random troop costing +1 Elixir more.
These Modifiers keep every game feeling fresh and force players to adapt.
Climbing Leagues and Earning Rewards
Merge Tactics has a ranking system with 10 leagues, from Bronze I up to Diamond. You move up by earning Merge Trophies based on your results in matches. A “win” counts as finishing first or second out of four players.
Rewards include:
- Badges showing your highest league
- Random troop cards
- Crowns for Pass Royale progress
Supercell is still testing the mode, so rewards are pretty modest for now.
All Troops in Merge Tactics
Here’s list of all the troops currently available in Merge Tactics:
| Troop | Elixir | Traits |
|---|---|---|
| Archer | 2 | Clan, Ranger |
| Barbarian | 2 | Clan, Brawler |
| Bomber | 2 | Undead, Thrower |
| Goblin | 2 | Goblin, Assassin |
| Knight | 2 | Noble, Juggernaut |
| Spear Goblin | 2 | Goblin, Thrower |
| Dart Goblin | 3 | Goblin, Ranger |
| Executioner | 3 | Ace, Thrower |
| Giant Skeleton | 3 | Undead, Brawler |
| PEKKA | 3 | Ace, Juggernaut |
| Prince | 3 | Noble, Brawler |
| Valkyrie | 3 | Clan, Avenger |
| Bandit | 4 | Ace, Avenger |
| Goblin Machine | 4 | Goblin, Juggernaut |
| Mega Knight | 4 | Ace, Brawler |
| Princess | 4 | Noble, Ranger |
| Royal Ghost | 4 | Undead, Assassin |
| Archer Queen | 5 | Clan, Avenger |
| Golden Knight | 5 | Noble, Assassin |
| Skeleton King | 5 | Undead, Juggernaut |
Merge Tactics isn’t just a side mode—it’s part of Clash Royale’s push to try new things. One cool detail is that troops in this mode are in full 3D, with smoother animations and new visual effects. Supercell might bring these visuals to the main game in the future if players like them.
Whether Merge Tactics becomes permanent or remains a limited-time mode will depend on how much players enjoy it. For now, it’s a fun and fresh way to play Clash Royale, giving fans new strategies and combos to explore.
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