Updated for Town Hall 18 (October 2026).
The best troops for war and Ranked attacks at Town Hall 16 to 18 right now are the Thrower, the Dragon Rider and the Healer. They sit in S tier because Supercell’s own data puts the Dragon Rider army and the Thrower plus Healer army at the top of Town Hall 18 war attacks, and the nerfs that followed in July and September 2026 were small.
This list covers Home Village troops, including Super Troops, ranked for Clan Wars, Clan War Leagues and Ranked Battles at Town Hall 16, 17 and 18. Heroes, spells and siege machines are left out, and so are temporary event troops such as October’s Totem Thrower: since the Town Hall 18 update, temporary troops can’t be used in Ranked Battles, Clan Wars or Clan War Leagues.
How we ranked them
What went into this list, in order of weight:
- Official usage data from Supercell’s July 9, 2026 balance post and its September 16, 2026 post on X.
- Dated balance changes. Buffs and nerfs Supercell posted between January and September 2026, with their dates. This list reflects changes up to the September 22, 2026 Thrower adjustment, the most recent balance change before October.
- Our own armies. The TH16, TH17 and TH18 attack guides document four full armies each, 12 in total. We counted how many of those 12 use each troop, in your own camps or in the Clan Castle.
- Stats and housing space from our troop pages, at TH18 max level.
S tier: Supercell’s data puts the troop at the center of the most played armies. A tier: a main damage dealer or near-automatic support pick in our armies. B tier: strong in specific armies or on specific bases. C tier: space fillers, farming troops and troops no current TH16-18 army is built around.
The tier list at a glance
| Tier | Troops |
|---|---|
| S | Thrower, Dragon Rider, Healer |
| A | Super Bowler, Super Yeti, Inferno Dragon, Meteor Golem, Ice Golem, Super Wall Breaker, Baby Dragon, Headhunter |
| B | Electro Dragon, Ruin Witch, Dragon, Rocket Balloon, Lava Hound, Super Valkyrie, Apprentice Warden, Furnace, Balloon, Root Rider |
| C | Druid, Electro Titan, Super Minion, Super Barbarian, Wall Breaker, Wizard, Archer, Minion, Super Archer, Super Wizard, Super Witch, Super Giant, Super Hog Rider, Super Miner, Super Dragon, Ice Hound, Sneaky Goblin, P.E.K.K.A, Golem, Witch, Bowler, Yeti, Valkyrie, Hog Rider, Miner, Giant, Barbarian, Goblin |
S tier: the troops the meta is built on
| Troop | Tier | Why it is here |
|---|---|---|
| Thrower | S | Supercell said on September 16, 2026 that Thrower armies were in about one-third of Ranked and regular war attacks, with 3-star rates near 50% in Ranked and 64% in wars. The September 22 nerf was small: speed 18 to 16, and level 4 down to 2,650 hitpoints and 230 damage per second. 16 housing, 6-tile range, hits ground and air. |
| Dragon Rider | S | Dragon armies led by the Dragon Duke and Dragon Riders were the single most used TH18-vs-TH18 war army in Supercell’s July data, at roughly 20% of attacks. Trimmed twice (May 26 and July 14, 2026), level 6 still has 5,900 hitpoints and 490 damage per second for 25 housing. In 4 of our 12 armies. |
| Healer | S | The other half of the second most used TH18 war army, Throwers backed by Healers, and in 8 of our 12 armies. Level 11 heals 82 hitpoints per second on troops and 88 on heroes for 14 housing. |
In July, Supercell said these two army types made up about 40% of TH18-vs-TH18 war attacks and trimmed the Dragon Duke and Dragon Rider. The Thrower got its own cut in September. Neither change was large, and no official post since reports a new army taking their place.
A tier: main damage and must-have support
| Troop | Tier | Why it is here |
|---|---|---|
| Super Bowler | A | Main damage in the Dragon Duke Charge Super Bowler armies on both our TH17 and TH18 guides; the TH18 guide calls that army the strongest ground push at TH18. Level 10 went to 310 damage and 3,700 hitpoints on April 27, 2026. 30 housing, boulders bounce a third time. |
| Super Yeti | A | The core of Fireball Super Yetis at TH16 and TH17, and a Clan Castle pick in 4 more of our armies: 6 of 12 in total. 35 housing; it releases chain-shocking Electromites as it takes damage. |
| Inferno Dragon | A | In all three of our Dragon Rider armies (TH16, TH17, TH18). Its single-target beam ramps up on whatever it locks onto, for 15 housing. Level 12 arrived February 23, 2026. |
| Meteor Golem | A | Supercell called its July 14, 2026 buff the biggest of that round, after admitting earlier nerfs went too far. Level 3 now has 17,500 hitpoints and 580 damage. Main tank of our TH18 RC Walk Meteor Golem army. 40 housing, unlocks at TH17. |
| Ice Golem | A | In 9 of our 12 armies. At level 9 his death freeze stops defenses in a 7.5-tile radius for 9 seconds, for 15 housing. |
| Super Wall Breaker | A | In 9 of our 12 armies to open compartments. 8 housing, and the bomb goes off even if he dies on the way. |
| Baby Dragon | A | In 11 of our 12 armies, usually one unit sent to clear outside buildings and shape the funnel. Alone it deals 555 damage per second instead of 185 (level 12); 10 housing. |
| Headhunter | A | In 8 of our 12 armies. Deals four times her damage to defending heroes for 6 housing; level 4 was added April 27, 2026. Guardians don’t count as heroes, so she ignores them. |
B tier: strong in the right army
| Troop | Tier | Why it is here |
|---|---|---|
| Electro Dragon | B | Buffed twice in 2026 (January 12 and July 14); level 9 has 510 damage per second and 6,900 hitpoints. In July Supercell said Electro Dragons were popular but struggling among the popular war armies, and none of our 12 armies uses them. |
| Ruin Witch | B | Main damage of Fireball Ruin Witches at TH16. Since August 30, 2026 each one summons up to 10 Ruin Knights (was 8), and Knights no longer lose health over time. Supercell said in July she was still too new to judge. 26 housing. |
| Dragon | B | Eleven of them power RC Walk Dragons, the most consistent army on our TH16 guide, but no TH17 or TH18 army of ours uses them. Level 13: 430 damage per second, 6,000 hitpoints. |
| Rocket Balloon | B | In three of our four air armies (5 to 7 each), picking off outside defenses. 8 housing, with a speed burst for its first 4 seconds. |
| Lava Hound | B | One leads the TH18 Dragon Duke Charge Hydra army into the base, flying straight at Air Defenses. 30 housing, level 8 since February 2026. |
| Super Valkyrie | B | A Clan Castle pick in 4 of our 12 armies. Drops a Rage effect when she dies; 20 housing, level 12 since April 27, 2026. |
| Apprentice Warden | B | In 3 of our 12 armies (both Super Bowler armies and the Meteor Golem army). His Life Aura raises nearby troops’ hitpoints for 20 housing; since 2026 it no longer affects Totems or Siege Machines. |
| Furnace | B | In both TH17 Thrower and Super Yeti armies. Stays put and spawns Firemites for 60 seconds; 18 housing, maxed at level 4 at TH17. |
| Balloon | B | One to four Balloons show up in 10 of our 12 armies; our TH17 Thrower plan sends one ahead to find traps. 5 housing, level 13 since April 2026. |
| Root Rider | B | A 20-housing tank that breaks Walls by riding over them, with level 4 added April 27, 2026. Her damage was halved in June 2024, and none of our 12 armies is built on her. |
C tier: fillers, farming troops and older picks
| Troop | Tier | Why it is here |
|---|---|---|
| Druid | C | Supercell said in July he “isn’t picked very often” and gave him a healing bump at the top levels on July 14. One shows up in our TH18 Thrower army. 16 housing. |
| Electro Titan | C | One, in our TH18 Super Bowler army. 32 housing; level 5 has 9,200 hitpoints. |
| Super Minion | C | Clan Castle troop in one TH16 army. Its first 8 shots reach 10.25 tiles since January 28, 2026; 12 housing. |
| Super Barbarian | C | Four of them are in our TH18 Thrower army. Raged for 8 seconds after deploy, 5 housing. |
| Wall Breaker | C | Three in our TH18 Thrower army; most armies take Super Wall Breakers instead. 2 housing. |
| Wizard, Archer, Minion | C | Used in small numbers (one to four) to fill the last housing spaces in most of our armies, never as the plan. |
| Super Archer | C | Hitpoints raised at levels 10 to 13 on January 28, 2026, but in none of our 12 armies. 12 housing. |
| Super Wizard | C | 21% to 41% more hitpoints at levels 9 to 14 since January 28, 2026; in none of our armies. 10 housing. |
| Super Witch | C | Level 7 buffed January 12, 2026 and level 8 added in February; 40 housing and no current army. |
| Super Giant | C | Level 14 got 5,600 hitpoints and 205 damage per second on January 12, 2026. A 10-housing tank no TH16-18 army on our guides uses. |
| Super Hog Rider | C | Level 15 arrived February 23, 2026 with the Hog Rider. 12 housing; not in our armies. |
| Super Miner, Super Dragon | C | Big housing costs (24 and 40) and in none of our 12 armies. |
| Ice Hound | C | 40 housing, slows what it hits; level 8 added February 2026. The Lava Hound fills that slot in our Hydra army. |
| Sneaky Goblin | C | A farming troop: double damage to resource buildings and 5 seconds of invisibility. Not a war pick. |
| P.E.K.K.A | C | Level 13 has 940 damage per second and 8,800 hitpoints, but hits ground only and takes 25 housing. Not in our armies. |
| Golem | C | 30 housing; since the October 2025 Spring Trap rework, traps can knock him back and damage him. Not in our armies. |
| Bowler | C | Small level 10 buff on April 27, 2026, but our armies boost him into the Super Bowler instead. |
| Yeti, Valkyrie | C | One of each appears as support in our Super Yeti and Ruin Witch armies; their Super versions are the ones that matter. |
| Witch, Hog Rider, Miner | C | Each got a TH18 level (Witch 8, Hog Rider 15, Miner 12), but none of our 12 armies uses them. |
| Giant, Barbarian, Goblin | C | Cheap 1 to 5 housing troops; none appears in our 12 armies. |
How the list changes from TH16 to TH18
At Town Hall 16 (320 housing) the Thrower is capped at level 2 and the Ruin Witch unlocks. RC Walk Dragons is the most consistent army on our TH16 guide, so the Dragon would rank higher on a TH16-only list.
Town Hall 17 (340 housing) adds the Meteor Golem. Our TH17 guide leads with Dragon Duke Charge Super Bowlers, and the Furnace appears in two of its four armies.
Town Hall 18 (352 housing) is where Supercell’s usage numbers come from, and where the Thrower reaches level 4 and the Dragon Rider level 6.
Balance changes this list reflects
| Date (2026) | Change | Effect on the tiers |
|---|---|---|
| January 12 | Meteor Golem Wall damage halved; Electro Dragon, Druid, Super Witch and Super Giant buffed | Meteor Golem’s first step down from its launch peak |
| January 28 | Meteor Golem hitpoints and damage cut by about 13-16%; Thrower, Super Archer, Super Wizard, Super Minion and Electro Titan buffed | Throwers get faster |
| February 23 | Thrower level 4 buff reverted to 2,800 hitpoints and 240 damage per second | Small Thrower trim |
| April 27 | New levels for Dragon, Yeti, Root Rider, Druid and others; Super Bowler level 10 buffed | Super Bowler armies gain ground |
| May 26 | Dragon Rider level 6 cut to 6,000 hitpoints and 510 damage per second; Inferno Dragon level 12 trimmed | Air armies trimmed, still on top |
| July 14 | Dragon Rider cut again; Electro Dragon, Meteor Golem and Druid buffed | Meteor Golem back in A tier |
| August 30 | Ruin Witch summons up to 10 Knights, and Knights stop losing health | Ruin Witch into B tier |
| September 22 | Thrower speed 18 to 16; levels 3 and 4 lose some hitpoints and damage | Thrower stays S, with less margin |
Supercell’s July post named the Totem Spell, Sneezy, the Ruin Witch, the Angry Spell and the Sky Wagon as still on its watch list, so the next balance round could move things. We will update the tiers when Supercell publishes new changes or usage numbers.
For full armies, see the TH18 attack strategies, the hero equipment tier list and the full troop list.
Troop tier list FAQ
What is the best troop in Clash of Clans right now?
For TH16-18 war and Ranked, the Thrower: Supercell’s September 16, 2026 post put Thrower armies in about a third of Ranked and war attacks, with a 64% 3-star rate in wars. The Dragon Rider, core of the most used TH18 war army in July, is a close second.
Are Throwers still S tier after the September 2026 nerf?
Yes. The September 22 change took movement speed from 18 back to 16 and removed 100 to 150 hitpoints and 10 damage per second at levels 3 and 4. Supercell described it as a targeted adjustment, and the Thrower plus Healer army is still one of the two main TH18 war armies.
Which Super Troops should I boost for war at TH16-18?
Super Bowler and Super Yeti for ground armies, and Inferno Dragon and Rocket Balloon for Dragon Rider armies. Two boosts can run at once. Super Wall Breakers belong in almost every ground plan too.
Are Electro Dragons still good?
They are playable but not top tier. Supercell buffed them in January and July 2026 and said in July that their performance was lower than it wanted, and none of the 12 TH16-18 armies on our attack guides uses them.
Sources: Supercell posts and release notes (July 2026 balance update, Thrower balance post on X, September 16, 2026, State of Gameplay part 2, State of Gameplay part 1, January 12, 2026 balance changes, January 28, 2026 balance changes, February 2026 update, Sound of Clash update, August 2026 update, Town Hall 18 update, Cosmic Curse: Portal Panic), in-game data.
