Introduction

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The Cannon Evolution is a highly anticipated feature introduced in November 2024 as part of a significant update in Clash Royale, bringing exciting new mechanics and a fresh layer of strategy to the game. This Clash Royale Cannon Evolution is part of a broader initiative to enhance existing cards, with the Cannon being one of the latest to receive this transformation. Alongside other notable evolutions, such as the Musketeer Evolution, the Cannon's evolution marks a major shift in how players approach defensive gameplay.

To unlock the evolved Cannon, players must first collect six Evolution Shards, which are gradually earned through various in-game activities. These shards are typically gathered over time by participating in events, completing challenges, or advancing through game modes, adding a level of progression and reward to the unlocking process. Once the required Evolution Shards have been collected, players will unlock the evolved Cannon, but the transformation doesn’t happen immediately.

Instead, the evolution activates after two cycles, meaning every third Cannon placed will trigger the evolved version. This upgrade not only changes the appearance of the Cannon but also introduces a powerful new ability, distinguishing it from its base form. The evolved Cannon's unique ability adds a strategic depth that opens up new possibilities for offensive and defensive plays. This evolution is sure to "shake up the Arena" by providing a fresh dynamic in battles, giving players the opportunity to use the evolved Cannon to surprise opponents, clear swarms, or support other units in ways that the regular Cannon simply couldn’t.

As a result, the introduction of the Cannon Evolution promises to have a major impact on the meta and the way players approach building their decks and strategizing in every match.

Evolved Cannon's Ability: Deploy Barrage

The evolved Cannon introduces the powerful Deploy Barrage ability, which is activated when the Cannon reaches its evolved form. Upon deployment, the evolved Cannon fires a barrage of nine explosive projectiles across the arena, causing significant impact.

The evolved Cannon launches nine projectiles simultaneously, arranged with five rings indicating impact points horizontally in front of the Cannon and four more aligned on its sides. Each projectile delivers medium AOE damage within a 2.5-tile radius, which is larger than the 1.5-tile radius of the impact rings. While the damage areas overlap, a unit positioned at the intersection of multiple rings will only take damage once. This area damage is powerful enough to destroy Archers and one-shot Minions.

The barrage also inflicts pushback, knocking back affected units by one tile. This can be used to disrupt enemy pushes and even push units toward the Cannon itself. However, the pushback doesn’t prevent charging troops from continuing their charge. The barrage spans two rows of explosions based on the Cannon's placement. While the front-facing projectiles typically cannot reach enemy Crown Towers for direct damage, the King Tower can be hit by the barrage. The ability, however, does not directly damage Crown Towers.

The Deploy Barrage can target both ground and air units, making the evolved Cannon a versatile defensive tool. The wide-reaching area damage is ideal for clearing swarms of troops, while the pushback can be used to halt advancing troops or disrupt charging units like the Battle Ram. Additionally, the ability to target the opponent’s side offers strategic offensive possibilities, including supporting pushes or targeting specific defensive units.

Evolved Cannon's Stats

The evolved Cannon retains the same base stats as the regular Cannon at tournament standard (Level 11). Supercell has maintained a consistent approach of not directly boosting the base statistics of evolved cards. The base stats for both the regular and evolved Cannon are as follows: HP of 824, Hit Speed of 0.9 seconds, a Range of 5.5 tiles, Range Damage of 212, and it targets ground units. The Cannon has a Lifetime of 30 seconds and an Elixir Cost of 3. Additionally, the evolved Cannon requires two cycles to activate its evolved form, with every third deployment being the evolved version.

Along with these standard stats, the evolved Cannon introduces new figures specific to its Deploy Barrage ability. The Barrage Damage is 320, and the Barrage Radius is 2.5 tiles. The barrage damage of 320 is powerful enough to eliminate low-health troops and spells like Skeletons, Archers, and The Log, but it cannot one-shot Musketeers. The 2.5-tile barrage radius defines the area covered by the explosive projectiles when the evolved Cannon is deployed, making it a formidable defensive option in battle.

Gameplay Strategies and Tips

The evolved Cannon brings a versatile range of strategic applications, both offensively and defensively, due to its unique Deploy Barrage ability. Understanding how to leverage this ability effectively is key to maximizing its potential.

Offensively, the evolved Cannon can serve as a surprising tool. Placing it at the bridge allows its barrage to reach and clear out swarms of low-health troops like Goblin Gang and Princess on the opponent's side. Its ability to target the other side of the arena also makes it useful for sniping buildings placed in the middle of the opponent’s side, potentially disrupting their defensive setups. Additionally, placing it near your offensive pushes enables the barrage to clear defending troops, such as Archers or Goblins, which might otherwise hinder your advance. This is particularly effective in Hog Rider decks, where the evolved Cannon can clear supporting troops for the Hog Rider.

Defensively, the evolved Cannon excels, especially against swarms of troops. The area-of-effect damage from its nine projectiles can quickly eliminate large groups of weaker units like Skeletons, Goblins, and Minions. It is also effective against Archer Queen due to its splash damage. The knockback effect of the barrage can be strategically used to disrupt charging troops like the Battle Ram, pushing them back and giving your other defenses more time to react.

It can also push units towards the Cannon, making them easier to target with its regular attacks or other defensive buildings. Furthermore, the evolved Cannon offers improved anti-air capabilities compared to the base Cannon, as its barrage can target air units like the Flying Machine, making it a valuable asset in decks that struggle against aerial threats.

Placement is crucial for maximizing the effectiveness of the Deploy Barrage. The area covered by the barrage is directly determined by where you place the evolved Cannon, so be mindful of positioning to hit the intended targets. Avoid placing the Cannon in a poor location just to trigger its evolution, as this could leave you vulnerable to building-targeting troops like the Giant or Hog Rider, which can bypass your defenses. Consider the overall defensive structure when deploying the evolved Cannon.

As a versatile card with both offensive and defensive potential, the evolved Cannon requires experimentation with different placements and timings to discover its full range of uses in various situations. The barrage’s wide coverage and potential for knockback can lead to game-changing moments when deployed at the right time. Learning to anticipate your opponent’s troop placements can help you use the evolved Cannon to its maximum effect. Additionally, keep in mind that the evolved Cannon requires two cycles to activate, meaning you need to deploy two regular Cannons before the evolved version appears. Decks with faster cycle speeds allow you to use the evolved Cannon more frequently.

The evolved Cannon works well in decks with fewer evolution spots, allowing it to be the primary evolution to cycle toward. However, be aware of matchups where it might be less effective, such as against high-hitpoint units like the Royal Giant, Pekka, and Ram Rider, as the barrage damage may be less impactful, and the knockback could push them into undesirable positions closer to your towers.

By mastering these gameplay strategies and tips, you can effectively integrate the evolved Cannon into your Clash Royale decks and gain a strategic edge over your opponents.

Best Deck Featuring Cannon Evolution

For a deck centered around the Cannon Evolution, Goblin Drill Evolution, and other supporting cards, your goal is to create a balanced composition that maximizes both offensive and defensive synergy. This deck can effectively apply pressure, control the battlefield, and defend against a wide variety of threats.

Cannon Evolution: The evolved Cannon with its Deploy Barrage ability is a versatile defensive card, providing both area damage and knockback. It can clear out swarms, disrupt pushes, and even provide support during offensive plays. Make sure to place it strategically to maximize its barrage potential.

Goblin Drill Evolution: The Goblin Drill Evolution adds strong offensive pressure by targeting buildings. It pairs well with the evolved Cannon's area damage, as it can distract and clear out defending troops while the drill deals damage to the opponent’s towers. This synergy can overwhelm an opponent with constant pressure.

Goblinstein Evolution: Another great synergy in this deck is the Goblinstein Evolution, which brings an enhanced Goblin Giant that benefits from the evolved state. Its ability to tank damage while dealing substantial damage to both troops and towers complements the fast-paced offensive nature of this deck.

Poison: Use Poison to control enemy swarms and deal consistent chip damage over time. It can help clear out smaller units like Skeletons, Goblins, and Minions, allowing your other troops to push forward and apply pressure. It also works well in combination with the Goblin Drill and Goblinstein Evolution to help clear defensive troops.

Bomber: The Bomber is a reliable support card that can help clear out swarms of air and ground units. It synergizes well with the Cannon Evolution's area damage and Poison, allowing you to control larger groups of troops, especially in the mid to late stages of the game.

Guards: Guards provide solid defense and can help protect your evolved cards from higher-damage threats. Their shield can absorb damage from larger hits, giving your Cannon Evolution or Goblin Drill Evolution time to do their work. Guards are excellent at dealing with swarms and tanking for your key units.

Ice Spirit: The Ice Spirit adds utility for both offense and defense. It can be used to freeze enemy troops, disrupting their advance and giving your Cannon Evolution or Goblin Drill more time to deal damage. Additionally, its low Elixir cost helps cycle through your deck quickly.

The Log: The Log is a versatile spell that can clear out smaller troops like Goblins, Princess, and Skeletons, as well as knock back and disrupt pushes. It’s perfect for controlling swarms and providing additional value when paired with the Poison or Cannon Evolution's area damage.

This deck is designed to apply constant pressure with Cannon Evolution and Goblin Drill Evolution, while maintaining solid defensive options through Guards, Bomber, and Poison. The synergy between offensive and defensive cards ensures that you can handle a variety of situations while keeping up an unrelenting push. Timing your evolved units and managing your Elixir efficiently will be key to mastering this deck.

Unlocking the Cannon Evolution

The Cannon Evolution can be unlocked through two primary methods in Clash Royale. The first option is an instant unlock via in-app purchase. Upon its release in the second week of November 2024 (during Season 65), players will have the option to immediately access and use the evolved Cannon without waiting.

For those who prefer to unlock the Cannon Evolution for free, it can be obtained by collecting six Evolution Shards specific to the Cannon. These shards will be made available through regular gameplay over time, usually a few months after the initial release. Players can gather these shards through various in-game activities such as Pass Royale, the Season Shop, Challenges, Shop Offers, Battle Legends, and Level Up Chests.

Once all six Evolution Shards are collected, the Cannon Evolution will be unlocked, allowing players to use the evolved Cannon in their battles. Any extra Evolution Shards collected after unlocking the Cannon Evolution will be converted into regular Cannon cards. If the Cannon card is already at its maximum level, the additional shards will be converted into Elite Wild Cards.

Counter

While the evolved Cannon offers significant advantages, it is not invincible, and several strategies can be employed to counter it effectively. High-hitpoint troops such as the Royal Giant, Pekka, and Ram Rider can withstand the barrage damage relatively well. Though the pushback may slightly delay them, their high health allows them to reach and target the Cannon, often destroying it before it can unleash a second barrage or deal significant regular damage.

Spells can also be effective counters. A well-placed Fireball can deal substantial damage, and spells like Lightning or Rocket can eliminate the evolved Cannon outright, especially considering its moderate health pool. However, it's important to manage your Elixir effectively since the Cannon only costs 3 Elixir.

While the barrage can target air units, the evolved Cannon's regular attacks are still limited to ground units. After the barrage, deploying air troops such as Minions, Bats, or Balloons directly on or near the Cannon can be a good counter, as they are immune to its subsequent attacks.

Outranging the Cannon is another viable tactic. Ground troops with a longer range than the Cannon’s 5.5 tiles may be able to attack it from a safe distance, although this can be difficult to execute consistently due to the Cannon's strategic placement. Building-targeting troops, such as the Giant or Hog Rider, can bypass the barrage area if the Cannon is poorly placed, making them a potential threat. Careful placement of the evolved Cannon is essential to avoid allowing these troops to reach it or your towers directly.

The Monk's ability can also be used to counter the evolved Cannon by potentially blocking the projectiles from the Deploy Barrage, mitigating both its damage and pushback effects.

Prediction is another skillful counter-strategy. Since the evolved Cannon's barrage has a noticeable deployment animation with impact rings, players can predict the locations of the damage zones and move their troops out of harm’s way.

Fast cycle decks can overwhelm the evolved Cannon by applying constant pressure on different lanes, not allowing the opponent to consistently deploy and benefit from the evolved Cannon’s ability. Similarly, Log Bait decks, which rely on swarms of low-health troops, might struggle against the evolved Cannon's area damage, though skillful baiting or placing units strategically can still be effective.

Adapting your strategy based on how the opponent uses the evolved Cannon, and considering deck composition, card levels, and player skill, will be essential for successfully countering it.

Conclusion

The arrival of the Cannon Evolution in November 2024 marks a significant shift for this defensive building in Clash Royale. While it retains its core statistics, the addition of the Deploy Barrage ability transforms the Cannon into a more versatile card with both offensive and defensive potential. The powerful 9-projectile barrage, which deals area damage and provides knockback, offers a unique way to clear swarms, support pushes, and even snipe units across the arena. This has generated considerable excitement, especially among players who favor faster cycle decks like 2.6 Hog Rider, who expect a resurgence in the meta.

However, the evolved Cannon has its critics. Some players feel that its ability doesn't quite align with the traditional role of the Cannon or that its impact might be underwhelming in certain matchups, particularly against high-hitpoint troops. Initial gameplay experiences suggest that while the evolved Cannon can be devastating against swarms and provide surprising offensive pressure, its effectiveness is highly dependent on deck synergy, player skill, and the specific opponent's composition.

Ultimately, the Cannon Evolution introduces a dynamic element to Clash Royale gameplay, offering new strategic possibilities and deck-building considerations. Mastering its unique barrage ability, understanding its strengths and weaknesses, and adapting to the evolving meta will be key to harnessing the full potential of this evolved card. Whether it becomes a staple in the meta or a niche pick remains to be seen, but its arrival is undoubtedly set to shake up the Arena.