Clash of Clans, a popular strategy mobile game made by Supercell, has attracted players worldwide.
One key feature that keeps people playing is the careful balancing of in-game troops.
Over time, some troops have undergone big changes to improve gameplay and ensure fairness.
Let’s look at the troops that have had the most balance changes and why they needed these adjustments.
The Bowler – Six Balance Changes
When first introduced, players found the Bowler weak compared to popular troops like Hog Riders and Valkyries. Initially needing 8 housing spaces, the Bowler didn’t seem worth it, leading to an increase in its attack speed.
This change wasn’t enough until its housing space was reduced from 8 to 6, making it more efficient. This change, along with other small tweaks, made it a popular choice.
By July 2016, it was part of a strong Bowler spam strategy that changed the game. Supercell responded by lowering the Bowler’s health and weakening the Healer to stop this trend.
Later, more adjustments were made to encourage players to use different troops, like slightly reducing its damage in 2018.
The Golem – Ground Army’s Backbone
The Golem, known for its toughness, wasn’t changed for three years after its introduction because it was so strong.
In January 2016, a change made Golems take more damage from the eagle artillery to shift players away from ground-based strategies. Despite this, the Golem stayed strong, and small adjustments followed to balance its performance at different levels.
In 2019, increases to its damage and death damage range brought it back to prominence, helped by changes allowing more Golem mites to split at higher levels.
This made it a strong foundation for ground attacks once again.
The Witch – From Too Strong to Balanced
The Witch is a good example of a troop needing several changes to fit well in the game.
At first too powerful because she could summon endless skeletons, the Witch was quickly changed.
Her range was reduced, and her skeletons’ health was lowered to make her less strong. These changes helped fine-tune her abilities without making her useless.
More increases and decreases in power followed, each targeting her damage output and how often she spawned skeletons to find the right balance.
By June 2018, Witches became popular again in “witch slap” strategies due to a series of small improvements.
The Giant – Struggling to Stay Relevant
The Giant, one of the original tank troops in Clash of Clans, had a hard time staying useful after the Golem became popular.
After its level six version was overshadowed by the Golem, the Giant received multiple improvements throughout 2013 to stay competitive.
After 2013, updates mainly focused on increasing its health, especially for higher-level Giants. While the Giant remains a good option for lower Town Halls, it’s often questioned at higher levels due to better troops being available.
Despite many adjustments, Giants have kept a specific role in certain strategies.
The Dragon – Constant Adjustments
The Dragon, with nine balance changes, faced gradual adjustments as defense buildings in the game evolved. Initially dominating battles, Dragons were powerful but became vulnerable with the introduction of new defenses and air traps.
In response, Supercell improved the Dragon’s area damage, health, and attack speed over many updates to keep them useful at higher Town Hall levels.
These improvements allowed Dragons to stay in players’ armies, showing that even strong troops need adjustments to stay balanced.
The Hog Rider – Navigating Ups and Downs
Often updated since its introduction, the Hog Rider had its most important improvement in August 2013, changing it from a disappointing troop to a base-destroying powerhouse.
Despite two immediate health reductions, it remained dominant, leading to indirect weakening through strengthening defensive structures like the Giant Bomb.
After becoming less popular, Supercell removed the Giant Bomb multiplier in 2016, then steadily improved its stats.
This allowed the Hog Rider to become useful again and keep its spot as a popular choice in various army compositions.
The Valkyrie – From Ignored to Overpowered
Known as one of the worst troops when first released, the Valkyrie underwent 12 balance changes. Early problems came from poor targeting, which was improved to use her area damage more effectively.
The 2016 rework was the turning point, increasing her attack speed and damage, which made her as popular as early Hog Riders.
Despite multiple health increases aimed at making her stronger across various Town Hall levels, it took the introduction of higher-level Valkyries in 2023 to solidify her role in Clash of Clans once again.
The Healer – Support Troop Dynamics
Though not a record holder, the Healer has had 13 balance tweaks largely due to its supporting role, affecting various game strategies.
Changes ranged from AI improvements to significant reductions in housing space, making the Healer easier to use.
Changed to stick with groups rather than wandering off, the Healer became essential in “Queen walk” tactics.
Despite weakening its effectiveness when multiple healers are used, its main role as a support unit has stayed the same, contributing greatly to the overall strategy of the game.
Concluding Lines
Balancing troops in Clash of Clans is a complex process requiring developers to consider both attack and defense dynamics, as well as player feedback and new strategies.
Through regular updates, Supercell ensures that Clash of Clans remains an exciting and balanced experience for its players, showing the ongoing evolution of game development.
Whether through direct strengthening and weakening or indirect defense improvements, troops in Clash of Clans will continue to change to keep the game fair and competitive.
As the game moves forward, so will the balance, ensuring that no troop becomes too strong or useless.
