Introduction
The Cannoneer is a Tower Troop introduced at the start of Season 55 in Clash Royale, adding a new layer of strategy to the game. This Epic rarity troop is unique for its large, powerful cannon, which allows it to deal significant damage to enemies while remaining stationary at the Crown Tower. What sets the Clash Royale Cannoneer apart from many other troops is its ability to target both ground and air units, making it a highly versatile unit capable of defending against a wide variety of threats. Whether dealing with swarms of troops or taking down flying enemies, the Cannoneer can hold its own in multiple combat scenarios..
A major impact of the Cannoneer’s introduction is its influence on the defense of Crown Towers. Unlike traditional troops that can be easily distracted or overwhelmed, the Cannoneer remains steadfast at its designated Crown Tower, providing a reliable source of defense. Its cannon is powerful enough to deal with both small, fast-moving troops and larger, tankier units, offering substantial support for defending against enemy pushes. The Cannoneer’s role is especially important when facing opponents who rely heavily on aerial troops, as it can quickly eliminate those threats before they reach the tower.
The strategic use of the Cannoneer has significantly affected Clash Royale’s overall meta. It has shifted the focus of defense towards a more balanced approach, where players not only need to manage ground troops but also ensure protection against air-based threats. This change has led to new deck compositions and strategies, as players adjust their playstyles to incorporate the Cannoneer’s capabilities. Whether used in single-target defense scenarios or to provide consistent pressure on enemy pushes, the Cannoneer has become an important tool for players looking to fortify their Crown Towers and maintain control over the battlefield.
Cannoneer Overview
The Cannoneer in Clash Royale is a unique troop with a distinctive appearance, characterized by its chipped-off teeth and quirky design. Despite its somewhat comical look, the Cannoneer can be a formidable force on the battlefield. It has a relatively slow shooting pace, but each shot delivers high damage, making it effective against tough enemies. The Cannoneer’s range is comparable to that of the Princess, allowing it to attack from a distance and keep a safe position while dealing damage.
Its primary strength lies in its ability to excel at dealing with single targets, making it particularly useful for eliminating high-health units or dealing significant damage to tanky opponents. As a result, the Cannoneer is highly effective in decks designed to counter beatdown strategies, where opponents focus on building large, powerful pushes. With its high damage output and range, the Cannoneer offers solid defensive support and can play a crucial role in disrupting heavy push strategies.
Cannoneer Abilities
The Cannoneer in Clash Royale is a powerful troop with impressive stats and abilities. It deals significantly more damage compared to the Tower Princess, with each shot delivering 422 damage. While its hit speed is slower than that of the Princess, at 0.42 seconds, the Cannoneer compensates with its higher DPS of 176, making it effective for sustained damage over time. The Cannoneer has a solid health pool of 2616, allowing it to survive longer in battle compared to many other troops.
One of the key features of the Cannoneer is the time it takes to reload its cannon, meaning players must plan its usage carefully to avoid gaps in fire. Additionally, the Cannoneer’s tower has the ability to one-shot spirits and Wall Breakers, making it highly effective at neutralizing smaller, quicker troops that would otherwise pose a threat. With its high damage output and substantial health, the Cannoneer can be a crucial defensive unit in a variety of scenarios.
Strategies and Synergies
The Cannoneer in Clash Royale excels at dealing with low to medium-health, low-count troops, thanks to its massive single-target damage. Its high damage output is comparable to the Bandit’s dash, allowing it to quickly eliminate key threats. The Cannoneer has a 7.5 tile range, which makes it versatile in taking out troops kited into the other lane or those attacking the King Tower, giving it the ability to deal with threats from a distance. The Cannoneer is also excellent against high-hitpoint units, such as tanks, and it is especially powerful when facing an Electro Giant. Its slow hit speed allows it to deal more damage per shot while taking less counterattack damage compared to other tower troops.
For effective synergy, the Cannoneer pairs well with cards that can pull enemies towards the center, allowing it to attack incoming troops from both lanes. Troops like the Ice Golem and Goblin Giant can be used in kiting strategies, which not only help in distracting enemies but can also give the Cannoneer time to deal significant damage while the kiting troop survives and sets up a potential counterattack. Additionally, defensive buildings like the Cannon are useful for countering building-targeting troops, ensuring the Cannoneer can focus on other threats.
The Tornado and Fisherman are excellent for pulling enemies into the range of the Cannoneer, making it easier for the Cannoneer to hit multiple targets at once. Cards that can stun or slow down enemies, such as the Ice Wizard, Electro Wizard, Electro Dragon, and Zappies, work well with the Cannoneer by buying it more time to deal damage without being interrupted. The Electro Spirit also synergizes well in decks with the Cannoneer, providing cheap support to handle light swarms like Skeletons and Bats effectively.
In addition, ranged troops like Archers and Spear Goblins can position themselves in the center while the Cannoneer takes care of other troops. This combination is particularly effective against slower melee units, like the Valkyrie, as the ranged support helps chip away at them while the Cannoneer delivers high damage. Lastly, Tombstone can be used strategically against high-hitpoint units, allowing the Cannoneer to target tanks while the Tombstone distracts and spawns Skeletons, further adding to the damage output. Goblin Hut or Barbarian Hut can serve similar purposes, creating additional distractions and increasing the Cannoneer’s effectiveness in dealing with large pushes.
Matchups
The Cannoneer in Clash Royale has a number of strengths and weaknesses that make it effective in certain situations, but vulnerable in others. One of its key strengths is its ability to deal with high-hitpoint tank units such as the Electro Giant, Golem, and other beatdown decks. With its high damage per shot and slow attack speed, the Cannoneer can quickly melt through these units, making it an excellent counter to large pushes. Additionally, it can one-shot every spirit in the game, including Fire Spirits, Dark Goblins, and Firecracker Evolution, giving it an advantage against swarm cards that focus on small, fast troops.
However, the Cannoneer struggles significantly against swarm decks. Its slow attack speed means that it can become overwhelmed by swarm units such as Bats, Goblins, and Skeletons if they are left unchecked. Cards like Tombstone can easily distract and take out the Cannoneer, as its slow firing rate is not enough to keep up with the quickly spawning Skeletons. Similarly, Evolved Skeletons can reach the Cannoneer before it has the chance to fire enough shots to eliminate them, and if ignored, they can deal devastating damage to the Cannoneer, often leading to a larger push that can threaten the King Tower.
The Graveyard is another matchup where the Cannoneer falters, as the fast-spawning Skeletons overwhelm it before it can deal significant damage. The Witch also poses a serious threat to the Cannoneer, as her Skeletons spawn quickly enough to distract the Cannoneer indefinitely, making it difficult for the Cannoneer to focus on dealing damage. The Night Witch is somewhat less effective, but still poses a threat with her Bats, which can quickly overwhelm the Cannoneer if left unchecked.
On the flip side, the Cannoneer can be very effective against Balloon due to its high damage, and its ability to melt through large tank units makes it a great counter for beatdown decks. To maximize the Cannoneer’s potential, it works well with stun or slow effects, such as those from the Electro Wizard or Ice Wizard, as these cards can buy the Cannoneer more time to deal damage without interruption. Despite its effectiveness against tank units, the Cannoneer struggles in matchups where it faces swarm decks or fast-spawning units, making positioning and support crucial for its success.
How to Use and Counter
How to Use the Cannoneer:
The Cannoneer is highly effective against beatdown decks due to its impressive high damage output, which allows it to deal with large, tanky units quickly. To maximize its potential, pair the Cannoneer with stun or slow cards like the Ice Wizard and Electro Wizard. These cards can help buy more time for the Cannoneer to deal consistent damage without being interrupted. Utilizing pulling mechanics like the Tornado or Fisherman can bring enemy troops within range of both Cannoneers, increasing its damage output.
Additionally, kiting strategies using troops like the Ice Golem can lure enemies into the Cannoneer’s attack range, allowing it to eliminate threats while keeping the pressure on. The Cannoneer’s 7.5 tile range allows it to attack from a distance, making it effective for targeting troops in the opposite lane or those targeting the King Tower. It also pairs well with cheap cycle decks that can provide continuous support and build momentum over time.
Key synergies include using Ice Golem and Fisherman, which can pull and distract enemies, setting up opportunities for the Cannoneer to deliver devastating damage. The Electro Spirit is an excellent card to handle light swarms, such as Skeletons and Bats, while the Cannoneer focuses on higher-value threats. The Cannoneer works well with cards that can pull enemies towards the center, positioning them perfectly for effective attacks.
How to Counter the Cannoneer:
To counter the Cannoneer, it’s essential to exploit its weaknesses against swarm decks and fast, low-cost units. Cards like Bats and Goblins can overwhelm the Cannoneer due to its slow attack speed. The Tombstone is an effective counter, as it can distract and take out the Cannoneer with its fast-spawning Skeletons, especially given the Cannoneer’s slow firing rate. Evolved Skeletons can also easily eliminate the Cannoneer because they can reach it quickly and outpace its attack speed. Additionally, the Graveyard spell is a strong counter, as the Cannoneer struggles to keep up with the quickly spawning Skeletons from the spell.
The Witch is another major threat, as her Skeletons can distract the Cannoneer indefinitely, preventing it from dealing significant damage. Outranging the Cannoneer with troops like X-Bow or Mortar can also neutralize its effectiveness, as these buildings can attack it from a distance. Be cautious of spell cycling, as the Cannoneer’s lower health makes it vulnerable to spells like Rocket, which can deal significant damage or even eliminate it outright.
Lastly, building-targeting troops, such as Hog Rider or Giant, can distract the Cannoneer, pulling its focus away from other threats and rendering it ineffective. Exploiting the Cannoneer’s slow attack speed with fast, low-cost units like Dart Goblin or Skeletons can also make it difficult for the Cannoneer to keep up with the pace of the game.
Common Mistakes
When using the Cannoneer in Clash Royale, players often make several key mistakes that can hinder its effectiveness. One common mistake is wasting Elixir on ineffective plays. For example, cards like Spirits or the Furnace are not ideal against the Cannoneer. The Furnace, once facing the Cannoneer, becomes a dead card, offering little value, as it no longer functions as a passive card and is inefficient for defense. Similarly, splitting Archers and using Wall Breakers are generally ineffective against the Cannoneer. Split Archers lose value once they cross the bridge and don’t pose much of a threat, while Wall Breakers often fail to connect with the Cannoneer due to its slightly faster attack speed.
Another mistake is ignoring swarm units. The Cannoneer struggles against swarm decks, and while beatdown decks can sometimes be slow and expensive, failing to manage swarms effectively can leave the Cannoneer vulnerable. Additionally, not considering the Cannoneer’s slow hit speed can be detrimental. While its high damage output is an advantage, the slow attack means that if the Cannoneer is left with just a sliver of health, it can still be defeated before it has the chance to fire again. Pairing the Cannoneer with stun or slow cards is crucial to mitigate this weakness.
Another mistake players make is not utilizing cycle decks. The Cannoneer performs best in a cycle deck, as this allows for consistent support and counters to quicker swarm units. Players also often fail to underutilize kiting strategies. Using kiting tactics with troops like the Ice Golem or Goblin Giant can be an effective way to pull enemies into the Cannoneer’s range while keeping them distracted and allowing the kiting troop to survive for a potential counterattack.
Additionally, players may make the mistake of leaving the Cannoneer undefended. Since the Cannoneer is a high-damage unit, it’s critical to provide support and protect it from enemy attacks, or it will quickly become a liability. Ignoring Tombstone can also lead to disaster. The Cannoneer’s slow attack speed means that the Tombstone will spawn Skeletons faster than the Cannoneer can deal with them, resulting in the Cannoneer being overwhelmed. Even single Skeletons can cause issues if they manage to reach the Cannoneer, as the slow firing rate makes it difficult to defend.
Finally, failing to use splash damage cards effectively can lead to problems. Swarm units, like Bats and Goblins, can accumulate chip damage on the Cannoneer if not addressed. It’s important to pair the Cannoneer with splash damage cards to clear out these smaller threats and keep the Cannoneer safe. Adjusting to the Cannoneer’s unique interactions is also vital for success, as this troop plays very differently compared to other units, requiring a more thoughtful and strategic approach.
Conclusion
The Cannoneer is a unique and powerful Tower Troop in Clash Royale that can make a significant impact on the battlefield when used effectively. As an Epic rarity troop with a massive metal cannon, it can target both ground and air units, making it versatile in various situations. The Cannoneer excels against beatdown decks and high-hitpoint units, thanks to its high damage output, which allows it to quickly eliminate large threats. It also performs particularly well against cards like the Electro Giant, dealing substantial damage with its slower hit speed, which minimizes the frequency of counterattacks.
However, the Cannoneer has some weaknesses. It struggles against swarm decks, as its slow attack speed makes it vulnerable to being overwhelmed by numerous smaller units. The Tombstone, Evolved Skeletons, and Graveyard spell are all effective counters, as they can quickly overwhelm or distract the Cannoneer before it has a chance to deal significant damage.
To maximize the Cannoneer’s effectiveness, it’s crucial to take advantage of its synergies. Pairing it with cards that can stun or slow down enemies, such as the Electro Wizard or Ice Wizard, will give the Cannoneer more time to deal damage without being interrupted. Additionally, using pulling mechanics like the Tornado or Fisherman, or splash damage cards to handle swarms, can further enhance its performance. Kiting strategies are also highly effective in distracting and directing enemies into the Cannoneer’s attack range.
Some common mistakes players make with the Cannoneer include wasting Elixir on ineffective plays, such as using Furnace or Spirits, and underutilizing kiting strategies. Additionally, failing to manage swarms effectively or ignore Tombstone can lead to the Cannoneer being overwhelmed. To make the most of the Cannoneer, players must adjust their playstyle to account for its unique interactions and weaknesses. It’s important to build decks that complement the Cannoneer and help cover its vulnerabilities, such as pairing it with cards that can handle swarm units and using it in conjunction with cards that can provide support or crowd control. With careful consideration of these factors, the Cannoneer can be a powerful asset in your Clash Royale deck.
