Clash Of Clans Sneaky Goblin Detailed Guide - Theria Games

Introduction to Clash of Clans Sneaky Goblin Detailed Guide

The Sneaky Goblin in Clash of Clans is a Super Troop that is based on the regular Goblin, offering enhanced abilities that make it especially useful for raiding and looting. As a Super Troop, it possesses special characteristics that set it apart from its regular counterpart, notably its ability to stay hidden for a limited time. This allows it to bypass defenses more effectively, making it an ideal choice for players looking to raid resource-heavy bases without triggering many traps or defenses.

To unlock the Sneaky Goblin, players must boost a Goblin that is at least level 7. The boosting process requires either 25,000 Dark Elixir or a Super Potion. Once boosted, the Goblin is transformed into a Sneaky Goblin for 3 days. The level of the Sneaky Goblin you obtain directly corresponds to the level of the Goblin that was boosted, so it’s important to have a sufficiently high-level Goblin to get the most out of the boost.

Although the ability to boost Goblins into Sneaky Goblins requires a Town Hall level 11 or higher, players with Town Hall 8 or above can still receive Sneaky Goblins through Clan Castle donations. To be able to donate Sneaky Goblins, your Clan Castle must be at least level 4. This makes Sneaky Goblins accessible to a wider range of players, allowing them to benefit from the unique advantages this Super Troop offers, even if they haven’t yet reached Town Hall 11 themselves.

Key Attributes

Increased Stats:

The Sneaky Goblin, in comparison to the regular Goblin, boasts a significant increase in both damage and hitpoints, making it far more resilient and effective during raids. While the regular Goblin is fast and efficient at looting resources, it has lower hitpoints and is easily taken out by defenses. The Sneaky Goblin, however, can endure more damage, allowing it to survive longer and complete its objective of raiding resource storages with greater success.

This increased durability, combined with its higher damage output, makes the Sneaky Goblin much more versatile and dangerous, especially when used in large groups. Its ability to withstand some defenses means it can often complete the looting process without being eliminated prematurely, ensuring that players can gather more resources from a base before the Sneaky Goblin is taken down. The combination of these enhancements, along with its ability to remain hidden briefly, makes the Sneaky Goblin a stronger choice for resource-focused attacks compared to the standard Goblin.

Cloak Ability:

Upon deployment, the Sneaky Goblin activates a unique “Cloak” ability that makes it invisible for 5 seconds, much like the Sneaky Archer’s ability. This Cloak provides a distinct advantage, as it allows the Sneaky Goblin to avoid being targeted by enemy defenses during its brief window of invisibility. This feature makes the Sneaky Goblin highly effective for raiding, especially when targeting resource storages or key structures that might otherwise be guarded by point defenses or splash damage units.

The 5 seconds of invisibility allows the Sneaky Goblin to get close to its target and begin its attack without immediately drawing the attention of defenses. This cloak ability can be critical for surviving in the early moments of deployment, especially against defenses that could quickly eliminate a regular Goblin, such as Archer Towers, Cannons, or Bombs. After the Cloak wears off, the Sneaky Goblin continues its attack on nearby structures, using its higher hitpoints and damage to finish the job.

Targeting Preferences

Resource Prioritization:

Sneaky Goblins are specifically designed to prioritize resource buildings, such as Gold Storages, Elixir Storages, and Dark Elixir Drills, above all other targets. This prioritization makes them exceptionally effective for farming and raiding, as they will head straight for these buildings and ignore everything else in their path, including defensive structures and troops.

As long as resource buildings are still present, the Sneaky Goblins will relentlessly pursue them, making them perfect for quick, targeted raids aimed at gathering resources. This focus allows them to be used strategically in farming operations, where players need to maximize resource collection efficiently. It also helps that they are immune to distractions from other buildings, ensuring that their path remains clear until they complete their task of looting the resource buildings.

However, once all resource buildings are destroyed, the Sneaky Goblins will switch their target to the nearest building. If there are no resource buildings left to attack, their effectiveness drops off significantly, as they will continue to attack buildings with little strategic value, making them more vulnerable to enemy defenses.

Special Cases:

The Clan Castle and Town Hall are classified as resource buildings for the Sneaky Goblin, meaning they will prioritize these structures over other non-resource buildings. This distinction is important because, unlike most other troops, Sneaky Goblins will target these buildings even if they do not contain loot, making them highly effective in attacking the Town Hall for star accumulation or targeting Clan Castles to disrupt defensive reinforcements.

Additionally, the Sneaky Goblin deals double damage to both the Clan Castle and Town Hall. This increased damage output allows them to quickly dismantle these critical structures, whether the Town Hall has loot or its weapon is activated. As a result, Sneaky Goblins can play a vital role in obtaining stars by targeting the Town Hall, even when the base’s loot has been emptied.

This unique ability makes Sneaky Goblins an ideal troop for specific strategies like Town Hall snipes or disrupting Clan Castles with minimal troop expenditure. Their ability to deal double damage to the Town Hall is particularly useful in achieving one-star victories, especially in farming or trophy-pushing situations.

No More Resources:

Once all resource buildings, such as the Clan Castle and Town Hall, have been destroyed, the Sneaky Goblin’s behavior shifts to that of a standard troop. With no further resource targets to prioritize, the Sneaky Goblin will no longer seek out specific buildings and will instead attack the nearest structure or unit in its vicinity.

In this phase of their deployment, Sneaky Goblins will engage enemy units like defending Heroes, Clan Castle troops, or Skeletons, especially if these units are near and capable of dealing damage to them. This behavior can be both beneficial and risky depending on the situation. If there are no immediate threats nearby, the Sneaky Goblins will simply continue to target structures, potentially making them useful for clean-up operations.

However, without their resource-focused priority, Sneaky Goblins become more vulnerable to enemy defenses like splash damage or ranged defenses, which can eliminate them quickly. Their lack of target preference means they could engage in combat with enemy troops or buildings in a less controlled way, which may result in unnecessary losses if not managed properly.

In essence, while Sneaky Goblins are highly effective when targeting resource buildings, their utility declines once these are destroyed, requiring careful planning and timing to make the most out of their deployment.

Offensive Tactics & Strategies

Base Selection:

Sneaky Goblins excel in attacking bases where the focus is on defending the Town Hall rather than the resource collectors and storages. In these types of bases, the resource buildings—such as gold mines, elixir collectors, and dark elixir drills—are often left more exposed or less defended, allowing Sneaky Goblins to exploit their high damage output and quick movement.

Their ability to prioritize resource buildings, coupled with their “Cloak” ability that grants temporary invisibility, makes them ideal for sneaking in and targeting these structures without being immediately detected or attacked by defenses. This is particularly useful in bases where the Town Hall is heavily fortified, and defending structures like air defenses, splash damage units, or high-damage point defenses are concentrated around it.

When used strategically, Sneaky Goblins can quickly dismantle the outer layers of a base, targeting loot storage while avoiding confrontation with powerful defenses. This allows for a swift, low-risk attack that can gather significant amounts of loot, especially when the enemy base has poor protection for its collectors and storages.

In these scenarios, Sneaky Goblins provide an efficient farming tool, allowing players to maximize loot collection with minimal resource investment. However, if the base is built with heavy protection around the storages and collectors, Sneaky Goblins will need careful coordination to avoid getting wiped out before they complete their task.

Battle Blimp Deployment:

A highly effective tactic with Sneaky Goblins involves using a Battle Blimp to deploy them directly onto the Town Hall. This strategy is especially potent at Town Hall 13 and higher, where the Town Hall’s destruction is a critical factor in securing a one-star victory. Since Sneaky Goblins deal double damage to resource buildings, including the Town Hall, their high damage output allows them to quickly take it down once they land.

To maximize the effectiveness of this tactic, players often use the Grand Warden’s Eternal Tome ability to shield the Battle Blimp and its payload of Sneaky Goblins from enemy defenses. The Eternal Tome can keep them protected from damage for several seconds, giving the Sneaky Goblins the time they need to destroy the Town Hall. Pairing this with a Rage Spell can further amplify their damage output, ensuring that the Town Hall is quickly eliminated, even in the face of heavy defenses.

While this approach is powerful, there are potential risks to be aware of. Tornado Traps can drag the Battle Blimp off-course, potentially causing it to miss its intended target. Additionally, Giant Bombs can destroy the Battle Blimp before it reaches the Town Hall, preventing the Sneaky Goblins from being deployed. To mitigate these risks, players can scout bases for likely trap locations and adjust their deployment strategy accordingly.

This tactic is particularly useful in trophy pushing or Clan War attacks, where Town Hall destruction is crucial for achieving the minimum one-star requirement, while also allowing players to collect valuable loot from surrounding resource buildings.

Funneling:

Sneaky Goblins are particularly effective in funneling troops due to their high damage output against resource buildings and their ability to stay undetected with their Cloak ability. This makes them ideal for clearing out peripheral resource buildings, creating a path for more significant attacking forces to move in without being distracted by scattered structures.

When deployed correctly, a single Sneaky Goblin can quickly destroy an exposed Gold Mine or Elixir Collector, thanks to their high damage against resource structures. Their Cloak ability ensures that they can reach these buildings without immediately drawing the attention of defensive structures, allowing them to deal substantial damage before becoming visible.

Farming:

Sneaky Goblins offer a great alternative to regular Goblins for farming purposes. Their higher health allows them to survive longer, making them more reliable when targeting resource buildings. For instance, they can survive a hit from a Mortar, unlike regular Goblins, which would be instantly destroyed. This increased durability allows them to clear out resources more effectively, ensuring you can farm larger amounts of loot with fewer losses.

Core Diving:

The Sneaky Goblin’s enhanced health also makes them valuable in the core of a base, where they can resist splash damage better than their regular counterparts. When combined with the Life Gem, their durability increases even further, enabling them to survive longer while targeting vital structures like resource storages or the Town Hall. This makes Sneaky Goblins a key component in Goblin-Knife strategies, where deep penetration into the base is needed to access high-value loot or achieve specific objectives like Town Hall destruction.

Spell Synergies:

Sneaky Goblins work well with certain spells, enhancing their effectiveness. The Jump Spell is an excellent choice, as it allows them to reach compartments containing valuable resource storages or the Town Hall itself. The ability to bypass walls and obstacles gives them greater flexibility and access to critical structures. Additionally, the Haste Spell works synergistically with the Sneaky Goblin’s Cloak ability, helping them move deeper into the base while staying undetected. This maximizes their potential to destroy key structures before they are spotted by defenses.

Clan Castle Exploitation:

One of the Sneaky Goblin’s key advantages is its ability to remain invisible to defenses. Clan Castles do not react to Sneaky Goblins when they are cloaked, allowing you to exploit exposed Clan Castles by eliminating them before any defensive troops are deployed. This can be a game-changer, especially when dealing with Clan Castles that might otherwise be a threat to your other troops or strategies.

Clone Spell Mechanics:

The Clone Spell works differently with Sneaky Goblins compared to other troops. When cloned, the duration of the cloak for the cloned units depends on how long the original Sneaky Goblin’s cloak lasts. For example, if the original Sneaky Goblin’s cloak only has one-second remaining, the cloned versions will also have just one second of invisibility. This adds a layer of strategy when deciding how and when to use Clone Spells with Sneaky Goblins.

Tanking:

While Sneaky Goblins are primarily damage dealers, they can also benefit from tanking strategies. Pairing them with a tank unit like a Giant creates an effective but inexpensive funnel, especially when attacking bases with exposed resource storages. The Giant will absorb hits from defenses while the Sneaky Goblins target and destroy the resource buildings, allowing the attack to proceed smoothly. This tactic is especially useful in farming raids, where cost-effective troop deployment is key.

Town Hall Takedown:

One of the more surprising uses for Sneaky Goblins is their ability to take down a Town Hall. With the right setup and no traps to hinder them, as few as five Sneaky Goblins can destroy a Town Hall before their cloak ability wears off. This is particularly useful in Town Hall 13 and above, where a quick Town Hall destruction can secure a one-star victory and loot, especially when paired with a Battle Blimp or other strategic support. The high damage output combined with their invisibility can make Sneaky Goblins a powerful tool in Town Hall takedowns.

Defensive Strategies Against Sneaky Goblins

Giant Bombs:

Giant Bombs can completely wipe out Sneaky Goblins with a single hit, making them an effective counter when placed near the Town Hall or other key structures. This is especially relevant in the case of Battle Blimp attacks, where Sneaky Goblins are often deployed to destroy the Town Hall. If there is limited space, using multiple high-level Bombs or Spring Traps in strategic positions can act as a substitute, ensuring that the Sneaky Goblins are eliminated before they can reach their target.

Giga Bomb:

The Giga Bomb, associated with the Town Hall’s defensive weapon, is another significant threat to Sneaky Goblins. A single Giga Bomb can wipe out Sneaky Goblins if they are too close. However, it’s important to note that the Giga Bomb may not trigger if there are fewer than six Sneaky Goblins present, making it less effective against smaller groups. Strategically placing Sneaky Goblins in a larger group can help overcome this, though timing and positioning are crucial to avoid triggering the Giga Bomb prematurely.

Resource Diversion:

Placing resource storages near the Town Hall can be an effective strategy to divert Sneaky Goblins and prevent them from focusing on the Town Hall. Since Sneaky Goblins prioritize resource buildings, they will attack the storages instead, wasting valuable time and their cloak ability. This diversion tactic is especially useful when trying to stall Sneaky Goblins while other defensive measures are triggered. Additionally, the high health of resource storages can help to further delay their progress.

Defensive Structures:

Multi-targeting defenses such as Inferno Towers, Multi-Archer Towers, Eagle Artillery, and Scattershots are all effective at dealing with Sneaky Goblins due to their ability to deal consistent damage over time. In addition, basic splash damage defenses like Mortars, Wizard Towers, and Archer Towers (especially when set to fast attack mode) are also capable of eliminating Sneaky Goblins if they are clustered together. These defenses make it difficult for Sneaky Goblins to remain undetected long enough to reach critical structures like the Town Hall or resource storages.

Anti-Warden Walk Bases:

Bases designed to counter Warden Walks often incorporate heavy splash damage defenses and clever troop placement, which can also indirectly counter Sneaky Goblins. Since Sneaky Goblins are sometimes used in conjunction with the Grand Warden’s Eternal Tome ability during war strategies, bases that disrupt Warden Walks can make it more difficult for Sneaky Goblins to reach their target or complete their objectives without being damaged or killed by splash defenses.

Building Placement:

The placement of resource buildings plays a significant role in how effective Sneaky Goblins are. Placing resource buildings behind other structures or within a tight layout can slow down Sneaky Goblins due to the no-spawn zone around buildings. This tactic effectively creates a barrier that delays Sneaky Goblins from reaching their targets on time, forcing them to waste more time and potentially leaving them exposed to defensive fire.