Updated for Town Hall 18 (October 2026).
The Ice Golem is a 15-space tank that walks to defenses, slows whatever it punches, and freezes everything around it when it dies. It unlocks at Town Hall 11 with a level 8 Dark Barracks and maxes at level 9, which you can research from Town Hall 17. Players bring it less for its hitpoints than for that death freeze, which can shut down an Inferno Tower or a whole core for several seconds.
How the Ice Golem works
Ice Golems target defenses, move at speed 12 and attack once every 2 seconds for very little damage. Each hit chills the target, cutting its fire rate by 50% for 2 seconds. A defense the Ice Golem is punching therefore shoots at half speed for as long as he stays on it.
When he dies, he releases a freeze across a 7.5-tile radius that stops defenses and enemy units in place. The freeze does no damage, and it lasts 4 seconds at level 1 and 9 seconds at level 9. It doesn’t stop traps: a trap that is triggered during the freeze still goes off.
On defense the effect is much weaker. A Clan Castle Ice Golem freezes a 5.5-tile radius for 2 to 3.5 seconds depending on level.
He has more hitpoints per housing space than most tanks, but at 15 space and 4,350 hitpoints when maxed he won’t hold a whole base. Use him to take one important area, not to lead the entire attack.
Ice Golem levels and stats
Research is done in the Laboratory with Dark Elixir. Town Hall 18 added no new Ice Golem level, so level 9 is the max at both Town Hall 17 and 18.
| Level | Damage per second | Hitpoints | Freeze on death (attack) | Freeze on death (defense) | Research cost (Dark Elixir) | Town Hall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24 | 2,600 | 4s | 2s | – | 11 |
| 2 | 28 | 2,800 | 4.75s | 2.25s | 27,500 | 11 |
| 3 | 32 | 3,000 | 5.5s | 2.5s | 42,500 | 11 |
| 4 | 36 | 3,200 | 6.25s | 2.75s | 50,000 | 12 |
| 5 | 40 | 3,400 | 7s | 3s | 62,500 | 12 |
| 6 | 44 | 3,600 | 7.5s | 3.25s | 110,000 | 14 |
| 7 | 48 | 3,900 | 8s | 3.5s | 140,000 | 15 |
| 8 | 52 | 4,200 | 8.5s | 3.5s | 180,000 | 16 |
| 9 | 56 | 4,350 | 9s | 3.5s | 280,000 | 17 |
Research times run from 2 days for level 2 to well over a week for level 9. Costs are before Gold Pass discounts.
How to attack with Ice Golems
- Back him with damage. The freeze is wasted without something hitting the frozen buildings. Classic partners are Wizards, Witches, Bowlers and heroes; Ice Golem BoWitch was a common Town Hall 11 army.
- Kill an Inferno with it. Let the Ice Golem die next to a single-target Inferno Tower: the freeze resets its damage ramp and gives your troops time to take it down. Make sure the Inferno is inside the radius, or it keeps firing.
- Freeze before a hero dive. Without a Queen Charge, an Ice Golem freezing a compartment right before a lone Archer Queen goes in lets her clear most of it.
- Use the Bat Spell. The Golem tanks, the freeze holds splash defenses still, and the Bats get time to break them.
- Get him to the right spot. If heavy defenses would kill him early, send a cheaper tank such as a Giant first, or carry him in a Wall Wrecker or Battle Blimp so he freezes the core and the Town Hall’s defenses.
- He also tanks well for ground siege machines like the Log Launcher.
How to defend against Ice Golems
- A Spring Trap of level 4 or higher can throw an Ice Golem off the map. Place traps where his freeze would hit little of value, such as the entrance to an outer compartment.
- In your Clan Castle he soaks damage, and his freeze pins attacking troops and heroes so your defenses can catch up. The freeze is smaller and shorter on defense, and he only comes out if a ground unit gets into the Castle’s range.
Recent changes
- June 12, 2023: level 7 added; levels 4 and 5 made cheaper and shorter to research.
- December 12, 2023: Healers made less likely to target Ice Golems and Golems; Ice Golem death effect adjusted to match its freeze area and duration.
- April 17, 2024: level 8 added.
- November 25, 2024: Dark Elixir troop costs halved.
- March 24, 2025: level 9 added for Town Hall 17; training time removed that month.
- November 17, 2025: level 9 research made cheaper and shorter.
Don’t mix him up with the Golem, which splits into Golemites, or the Meteor Golem, a Town Hall 17 troop made permanent with Town Hall 18.
Other Dark Elixir troops by Town Hall
| Town Hall | Dark troops unlocked |
|---|---|
| 7 | Minion, Hog Rider |
| 8 | Valkyrie, Golem |
| 9 | Witch, Lava Hound |
| 10 | Bowler |
| 11 | Ice Golem |
| 12 | Headhunter |
| 13 to 16 | Apprentice Warden, Druid, Furnace, Ruin Witch (one per Town Hall) |
Ice Golem FAQ
What Town Hall unlocks the Ice Golem?
Town Hall 11, with a level 8 Dark Barracks.
How long does the Ice Golem’s freeze last?
On attack, 4 seconds at level 1 up to 9 seconds at level 9, across a 7.5-tile radius. From a Clan Castle it’s 2 to 3.5 seconds over 5.5 tiles.
What is the Ice Golem’s max level?
Level 9, added March 24, 2025. It needs a level 15 Laboratory (Town Hall 17).
Does the Ice Golem’s freeze stop traps?
No. Traps still trigger and fire during the freeze.
Sources: in-game troop and Laboratory data; Supercell release notes: Clash Anytime update (Ice Golem level 9), Town Hall 16 update (Healer targeting, death effect), Town Hall 17 update.
