Introduction
The Graveyard spell is a game-changing Legendary card in Clash Royale, capable of summoning 16 Skeletons across a wide area anywhere on the arena. Mastering the Graveyard card and its unique mechanics can be the difference between victory and defeat.
The element of surprise that the Graveyard brings to the battlefield can make it difficult to predict and counter, making it a powerful tool in both challenges and tournaments. Whether you’re new to the Graveyard or looking to refine your strategy, this Clash Royale Graveyard Guide will provide the insights needed to master the card and turn the tide of any match. To be successful with Graveyard, it is vital to recognize that the opponent may also carry the Graveyard card in their deck.
Graveyard Basics
The Graveyard is a Legendary spell in Clash Royale that costs 5 Elixir and is unlocked in Spooky Town (Arena 12). When deployed, it has a 2-second delay before any skeletons spawn. After this delay, it starts summoning 16 skeletons at a rate of one every 0.5 seconds.
These skeletons appear randomly within the 4-tile radius of the spell, typically appearing around its outer edge. The potential for damage with the Graveyard is substantial, as the skeletons can accumulate and overwhelm the opponent’s tower if left unchecked. The card’s visual cue is a tombstone marked with the letters “XX,” from which the skeletons rise. If the Graveyard is properly supported or not countered, it can inflict significant damage over time.
Graveyard Strategies
To use Graveyard effectively in Clash Royale, patience and timing are key. It’s crucial to wait for the right moment to deploy the spell, taking advantage of an opponent’s mistakes or vulnerabilities. A well-timed Graveyard can often be the difference between victory and defeat, especially when paired with efficient defense and counter-attacks.
As the game progresses, Graveyard decks become more effective, and one strong push is usually enough to secure a win. Avoid overcommitting with the Graveyard during single Elixir and aim to survive early game pressure to set up for a powerful push. Offensive combos like pairing Graveyard with a Knight, Barbarian Barrel, or Baby Dragon are effective, as they provide support and help in dealing with enemy troops.
On offense, pair the Graveyard with a tank to absorb damage, or use a mini-tank like an Ice Golem or Knight for a punishing counter-push. Applying pressure when your opponent plays heavy units like Golem or Night Witch in the back can also open up opportunities for a strong Graveyard push.
Graveyard can also serve as a powerful defensive tool, distracting or stopping pushes from high hitpoint units. Using a defensive Graveyard can create great value against cards like PEKKA or Sparky, potentially winning the game if played well. Be cautious of accidentally activating your opponent’s King Tower when deploying the Graveyard. You can activate your own King Tower with the Tornado to help neutralize Graveyard pressure.
For optimal placement, try to position the Graveyard so its edge touches the opponent’s Crown Tower for maximum damage. Place it lower to avoid accidentally activating the King Tower, and if the opponent has a building behind their Crown Tower, adjust your placement accordingly. Additionally, if you want to spawn skeletons on the opposite side of the unit defending against your Graveyard, shift the placement one tile to the right or left.
Card Synergies
When using the Graveyard in Clash Royale, several cards synergize well to enhance its effectiveness and increase your chances of victory.
Poison is one of the best synergies for Graveyard. It not only helps stop swarms that may attempt to counter your skeletons but also adds value by dealing damage over time to the enemy’s defensive troops and Crown Tower. When facing a Poison deck, your opponent may save their Poison to counter your Graveyard, so using other cards like Barbarian Hut or Magic Archer, which are also vulnerable to Poison, can help create additional pressure. If the opponent uses Poison on your Barbarian Hut, your Graveyard will be free to cause damage without interference.
The Ice Golem serves as an excellent punish play option. With its low cost and decent HP, the Ice Golem allows the skeletons from your Graveyard to spawn freely while still keeping the elixir cost manageable. The Knight is a solid defensive option, offering sturdiness and the ability to protect your Graveyard push.
Barbarian Hut works well as it provides a constant stream of Barbarians, which serve as an HP pool for your Graveyard skeletons to spawn into. It can also act as Poison bait, drawing your opponent’s Poison away from your Graveyard and allowing your skeletons to do damage unopposed.
Small spells like Log, Barbarian Barrel, or Arrows complement the Graveyard by clearing out enemy troops. The Barbarian Barrel, in particular, adds an additional mini-tank to your deck, and while Arrows are effective against air units, they cost more elixir than Log, which is ideal for cycling spells when your Graveyard is countered.
Freeze offers a high-risk, high-reward synergy. When paired with Graveyard, it can disable key counters, such as Valkyrie or Baby Dragon, allowing your skeletons to deal massive damage to the enemy Crown Tower. However, it’s important to use Freeze only when you’re confident that your opponent is out of elixir and you will be able to take their tower.
The Tornado works effectively with splash damage units, such as Baby Dragon and Ice Wizard, for defense. The Bowler is especially useful as it pushes enemies back while tanking for your Graveyard. This allows the Bowler to preserve its health and provide additional protection to your skeletons.
The Cannon Cart pairs well with the Graveyard because of its range and high damage per second (DPS). Your opponent will need to split their defense between dealing with the Graveyard and the Cannon Cart, which can lead to a more difficult defense, especially when combined with Poison.
Finally, Snowball is an excellent card to slow down the arena tower and defending troops. It can help accumulate more skeletons by slowing down swarms, mini-tanks, and bats, allowing your Graveyard to take full advantage of the slowed enemies.
By strategically using these synergies, you can maximize the impact of your Graveyard and outplay your opponents in various scenarios.
Deck Matchups
When using the Graveyard in Clash Royale, understanding the matchups is crucial to mastering the card and overcoming various opponents.
The Three Musketeers deck is one of the hardest matchups for Graveyard decks. It forces you to use your Poison defensively, which limits your offensive options. To deal with this, it is essential to track your opponent’s Poison bait cards, such as Pump and Minion Horde, to know when to use Poison effectively. You should aim to get most of your damage in single elixir because, in double elixir, the opponent can easily cycle their muskets, making it hard to keep up. Additionally, punishing the Pump, especially if placed behind their tower, is key to gaining an advantage.
Siege decks, like X-Bow and Mortar, also pose significant challenges. Proper Poison management is crucial in defending against these win conditions. You should distract their siege units using whatever cards you have and attempt to get damage with your spells and ranged troops. These matchups require constant attention to defend their win conditions while managing your own offensive moves.
The Lava Hound Balloon combination can be a tough matchup for Graveyard players, especially on defense. If you’re not running cards like Executioner-Tornado or Ice Wizard-Tornado, it becomes very difficult to stop their pushes. Offensively, it’s important to punish the Lava Hound aggressively, particularly if they mismanage their defense. In a close game, you may need to base race them, especially if you’re using Graveyard Freeze.
Against another Graveyard deck, the goal is to always keep your Poison ready to counter their Graveyard. Use your skills to bait or outcycle their Poison when possible, but your primary focus should be preventing them from getting any damage with their own Graveyard pushes.
Log Bait decks require you to push into their bait cards. If you spot a Princess in the back, pair Graveyard with Poison to get value and prevent it from being a nuisance. Save your small spells for their win conditions, such as the Goblin Barrel.
When facing Bridge Spam, defending against their spammy troops is straightforward, but they may attempt to build a larger push around a PEKKA in the back. Don’t panic, and make sure to keep your PEKKA counters ready for this scenario, punishing them whenever possible.
With Golem decks, constant pressure is key. When you see a Golem or Night Witch placed at the back, apply pressure to prevent them from completing their massive push. Your goal should be to stop their investments and keep them on the defensive.
Hog Cycle is manageable if you save your Tombstone and use Tornado to pull the Hog to your King Tower. This allows you to activate your King Tower early and make it harder for your opponent to get damage with their Hog pushes.
Elixir Golem is relatively easy to deal with as the Graveyard can swarm the Elixir Golem with skeletons, and its split push potential is weak against the sheer number of skeletons.
Lastly, RG Flying Machine, Bowler decks, and X-Bow decks can give your Graveyard deck some trouble. These decks have powerful defenses and can quickly counter your pushes if you’re not careful with your spell management and elixir use.
By understanding these matchups and adjusting your strategy accordingly, you can improve your performance with Graveyard and outplay your opponents across a variety of scenarios.
How to Counter Graveyard
Countering the Graveyard in Clash Royale requires a thoughtful approach, as this card can quickly overwhelm opponents when used effectively. The first step in countering Graveyard is to always assume your opponent has it in their deck. This mindset helps you stay cautious about potential Graveyard pushes and prevents you from committing your counters too early.
The most effective counter to Graveyard is Poison. Poison not only eliminates the skeletons but also makes it difficult for your opponent to counter your counter, providing a positive elixir trade while minimizing damage to your towers. Swarm units like Skeleton Army, Goblin Gang, Goblins, Minions, Guards, Minion Horde, Electro Wizard, Night Witch, Barbarians, and Bats can also counter the Graveyard, but they are vulnerable to Poison, so be mindful of that. Tanky splash damage units like Valkyrie, Baby Dragon, and Bowler can absorb damage while effectively dealing with the skeletons.
Among these, Valkyrie is particularly effective, as her spinning attack clears the skeletons quickly. Single-target, fast-attacking units like Lumberjack and Dart Goblin can also handle Graveyard, but they require precise timing and placement. Additionally, using a Tornado combined with splash damage units offers strong control over the swarm of skeletons.
When dealing with Graveyard, it’s important to avoid using your counters too early in the game. If your starting hand includes several Graveyard counters, it’s best to wait for your opponent to make the first aggressive move, as this prevents them from counter-pushing with a Graveyard of their own. Additionally, your deck should have multiple ways to either counter or mitigate Graveyard damage, giving you flexibility during the match. One strategy is to bait out the opponent’s Poison with cards like Elixir Collector, Miner + Minion Horde, Three Musketeers, Barbarians, or buildings like Barbarian Hut, Goblin Hut, Furnace, or Tombstone. Once the Poison is used on these cards, your Graveyard will be safer to deploy.
Strategically, always be wary of tanks placed at the bridge, as this can often signal a Graveyard push. If the tank reaches the bridge, it can distract your tower, so it’s crucial to either prevent the tank from crossing the bridge or use a defensive building to distract and eliminate it while handling the Graveyard. Activating the King’s Tower using a Tornado can neutralize the impact of the Graveyard, making it much less effective. However, be careful when attempting this, as you don’t want to accidentally activate your opponent’s King Tower prematurely.
Quick action is key when defending against Graveyard. Place your defensive units before the 2-second spawn delay ends, as this gives you a significant advantage in reducing the damage. While focusing on defending the Graveyard, don’t neglect other troops that may be attacking from the river. When your opponent uses fragile ranged units to defend their Graveyard, you can use Tornado to pull those troops closer to your skeletons, ensuring they get overwhelmed quickly.
Finally, pay attention to card placement. When facing a Valkyrie, place your Graveyard more centrally on the tower to prevent the Valkyrie’s splash damage from being effective. Be cautious of activating the King Tower in this scenario. Also, avoid placing Night Witch directly behind your tower, especially if you’re unsure whether the opponent has Graveyard in their deck. Instead, place her 2 tiles in front of your King’s Tower to reduce the risk of her being caught in a Graveyard push.
With these strategies and counters, you can effectively neutralize the Graveyard’s power and gain the upper hand in your matches.
Graveyard Decks
The Graveyard card in Clash Royale can be paired with a variety of different decks to create powerful synergies and strategies. One popular deck is Splashyard, which has been a top choice for a long time. This deck typically includes Graveyard, Baby Dragon, Ice Wizard, Tornado, Poison, and Skeleton King. The Baby Dragon and Ice Wizard offer great splash damage to clear out swarms, while Tornado groups enemy troops together for more efficient damage.
Skeleton King pairs well with Graveyard, as it can build up Souls and overwhelm opponents. Poison is used to eliminate enemy swarms or troops defending against the Graveyard. In terms of gameplay, you’ll want to use the Baby Dragon and Ice Wizard defensively to counter enemy pushes, combine Tornado with splash damage for control, and deploy Graveyard with Skeleton King or Knight as tanks to soak up damage.
Another effective deck is Giant Graveyard, where the Giant serves as the main tank for the Graveyard. Key cards for this deck include Giant, Graveyard, Electro Wizard, Minions, Freeze, and Arrows. Freeze is particularly useful to catch your opponent off guard, halting their defenses while your Graveyard does damage. Arrows and the Electro Wizard help clear swarms and air troops that might otherwise cause problems. The general strategy here is to use the Giant as the damage sponge, and Freeze strategically to lock down defending troops, allowing the Graveyard to chip away at the tower.
The Inferno Dragon Graveyard deck uses the Inferno Dragon to deal with high-health tanks, while Valkyrie defends against ground swarms. Key cards in this deck include Graveyard, Inferno Dragon, Valkyrie, Freeze, Skeleton Army, and Fireball. Valkyrie is great for clearing out ground swarms, while the Inferno Dragon melts through enemy tanks. Pairing Freeze with Graveyard can catch opponents off guard, allowing your Graveyard to deal massive damage while the defenses are frozen.
For those who enjoy a more hybrid approach, the Mortar Graveyard deck uses Mortar for semi-defense and Graveyard for offense. This deck typically includes Mortar, Graveyard, Bats, Musketeer, Poison, and Skeleton Army. The Mortar serves as a reliable defensive structure, while Poison clears out enemy troops that try to counter the Graveyard. Cheap cycling cards allow you to maintain control over the match and continuously apply pressure with Graveyard.
The Lava Hound Graveyard deck combines the Lava Hound’s tankiness with the offensive power of Graveyard. Key cards include Lava Hound, Graveyard, Minions, Baby Dragon, Freeze, and Arrows. Use the Lava Hound as the primary tank, and once it reaches the enemy tower, deploy Graveyard to deal damage. Minions and Freeze provide additional support, with Freeze halting enemy defenses to maximize Graveyard damage.
For a more strategic approach, the Poison Bait Graveyard deck uses Poison traps to bait out the opponent’s Poison spell, creating opportunities for a Graveyard push. Cards like Barbarian Hut and Electro Wizard are useful for drawing out Poison, which can then be used to safely deploy Graveyard.
Cycle Decks focus on using low-cost elixir cards to quickly cycle through Graveyard and capitalize on its random spawning nature to get damage on the tower. These decks rely on quick, consistent pressure, often making it difficult for opponents to mount an effective defense.
Other variations of Graveyard decks include Golem-Graveyard, Giant Skeleton Tesla Graveyard, Night Witch (NW) Graveyard Poison cycle, Mighty Miner Phoenix Graveyard Freeze, and Goblinstein Graveyard, each bringing a unique strategy to the table depending on the synergy of cards and playstyle.
Each of these decks leverages the Graveyard’s ability to overwhelm opponents with swarms of skeletons, but the key to success lies in managing the right support cards and knowing when to push aggressively or defend.
Conclusion
Graveyard decks in Clash Royale can be powerful win conditions, but success depends heavily on understanding matchups, counters, and synergies. Certain matchups, such as Three Musketeers, are particularly challenging due to the pressure they exert on your Poison spell and their ability to defend effectively. Siege decks, including X-Bow and Mortar, can also be tough to handle, as they require careful elixir management and efficient defense.
Poison is widely regarded as the best counter to Graveyard, as it provides a positive elixir trade while minimizing the damage from the spawned skeletons. Swarm units and tanky splash damage troops, such as Valkyrie and Baby Dragon, can also handle Graveyard pushes, though they remain vulnerable to Poison.
There are several notable Graveyard deck types, each offering a unique playstyle. Splashyard, for example, incorporates splash damage dealers like Baby Dragon and Ice Wizard for effective control of the battlefield. The Giant Graveyard deck utilizes Giant as a tank to absorb damage, allowing the Graveyard to deal damage without taking hits. The Lava Hound Graveyard deck takes advantage of Lava Hound’s tankiness to support Graveyard and apply pressure, while the Poison Bait Graveyard deck aims to bait out the opponent’s Poison spell before launching a Graveyard push.
Timing is essential when playing Graveyard—you should deploy it when your tank, such as Giant or Lava Hound, reaches the enemy tower to maximize the pressure. Be mindful of your opponent’s potential counters, and try to bait out their Poison or other defensive cards before committing to a Graveyard push. Spells like Poison and Freeze can be paired with Graveyard to clear out defenses and help secure damage. Additionally, it’s important to avoid placing a naked Graveyard, as it will be easier for the opponent to defend. Always ensure you have a unit crossing the bridge to distract the tower and take some of the damage.
Graveyard also has valuable synergies with cards like Ice Golem, Knight, Cannon Cart, Bowler, and Barbarian Hut, all of which can help support the Graveyard’s offensive potential.
Lastly, Graveyard is a balanced card that can function defensively as well. Its ability to swarm the opponent with skeletons can help counter pushes, especially when combined with defensive units and spells. If balance adjustments are ever needed, the focus should likely be on the support cards rather than Graveyard itself. Adaptability is key, and mastering the various synergies and strategies will make Graveyard a consistent and potent win condition in your deck.
