Updated for Town Hall 18 (October 2026).
The Ricochet Cannon is a merged defense that unlocks at Town Hall 16. You make it by combining two level 21 Cannons, and its cannonball bounces off the first target into a second one nearby. It only hits ground troops. You get two at TH16 and three from TH17, with a max level of 4 at TH18.
What the Ricochet Cannon merges
At TH16 the shop sells merges in place of new defenses. A Ricochet Cannon takes two Cannons that are both level 21, the highest Cannon level (reached at TH15). A Cannon that the Master Builder has geared up into Burst mode cannot be picked, because that one is reserved for the Multi-Gear Tower at TH17.
- Merging cannot be reversed. The two Cannons are gone once construction starts.
- You can place the new cannon on any free 3×3 space.
- Every merge your Town Hall allows has to be finished before the next Town Hall upgrade unlocks.
How many Cannons you have left after merging
Cannons disappear completely by TH17. Here is the count once all merges are done:
| Town Hall | Cannons available | Ricochet Cannons | Used by Multi-Gear Tower | Regular Cannons left |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TH15 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| TH16 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| TH17 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| TH18 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
At TH16 your three leftover Cannons should include the geared-up one, since it has to survive until the TH17 Multi-Gear Tower merge.
How the ricochet works
The Ricochet Cannon fires one cannonball every 0.8 seconds at a ground target up to 9 tiles away. After it hits, the shot jumps to a second ground unit within 3.5 tiles of the first. That second unit can be outside the cannon’s own range, so the effective reach stretches past 9 tiles when troops are bunched up. If no second target is close enough, the bounce is simply lost; it never hits the first target twice.
The bounce deals 70% of the main hit. That reduction, and the shorter 3.5-tile bounce distance (it used to be 4.5), both came in the January 28, 2026 balance changes. Before that, the second target took full damage.
Ricochet Cannon levels and stats
| Level | DPS | Damage per shot | Ricochet damage | Hitpoints | Upgrade cost (Gold) | Upgrade time | Town Hall required |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 360 | 288 | 201.6 | 5,400 | 12,000,000 | 7d | 16 |
| 2 | 390 | 312 | 218.4 | 5,700 | 13,000,000 | 8d | 16 |
| 3 | 405 | 324 | 226.8 | 6,000 | 17,500,000 | 9d | 17 |
| 4 | 412 | 329.6 | 230.72 | 6,100 | 26,500,000 | 13d 12h | 18 |
A maxed level 4 cannon at TH18 can take two Supercharge tiers: the first lifts DPS to 420 (336 per shot, 235.2 on the bounce), and the second lifts hitpoints to 6,250.
Where to place it
The Ricochet Cannon is at its best against the “tank in front, damage behind” pattern that most ground attacks use, and against a hero walking with a ground pet, because the bounce hits the unit right behind the target. Put it where ground pushes funnel together: near the core, covering the gaps between compartments, or behind a line of walls that troops will bunch up against.
It cannot touch air, so never let it be the only defense covering a section. Overlap it with an Air Defense, a Multi-Archer Tower or the Firespitter‘s cone so an air attack does not walk past it for free.
How to attack a Ricochet Cannon
- Go air, or at least clear its side with air units. A Balloon or Dragon can take it down without it firing a shot.
- Give heroes an air pet. A Ricochet Cannon cannot hit Electro Owl or Angry Jelly, so the bounce has nowhere to go if nothing else is nearby.
- Spread your ground troops. The bounce only reaches 3.5 tiles, so a wider approach loses less health than one tight clump.
- A Freeze Spell dropped as your tanks reach it stops both the main shot and the bounce while your damage dealers catch up.
Changes over time
- December 12, 2023: added with TH16, two per base.
- November 25, 2024: TH17 added a third cannon, level 3 and the first Supercharges, and cut level 1 and 2 costs.
- October 6, 2025: level 1 and 2 upgrade times reduced.
- November 17, 2025: TH18 added level 4 and moved the Supercharges to it.
- January 28, 2026: bounce distance cut from 4.5 to 3.5 tiles and the bounce now deals 70% of the main shot.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Ricochet Cannon hit air troops?
No. Both the main shot and the bounce only hit ground units.
How many Ricochet Cannons do you get?
Two at TH16, then three at TH17 and TH18. After the TH17 merges you have no regular Cannons left.
What is the max level of the Ricochet Cannon?
Level 2 at TH16, level 3 at TH17 and level 4 at TH18. See the max levels page for every other building.
Related pages: Town Hall 16 guide, Town Hall 17 guide, Super Wizard Tower and all defensive buildings.
Sources: in-game data (checked October 1, 2026); Supercell Town Hall 16 patch notes (Dec 12, 2023); Town Hall 17 update (Nov 25, 2024); TOWN HALL 18 Crash Lands (Nov 17, 2025); January 2026 balance changes (Jan 28, 2026).
