Rick Flair
Clash Royale is a deep strategic game, despite the presentation. It may seem welcoming and simple, but that’s until you realise how tough it is to upgrade and evolve cards. The resources to upgrade cards for free are hard to get. Even if you are donating money, it still can require a significant investment to upgrade a card. The fact that you can upgrade a wrong card also makes you paralyzed by the fear of choice. We get it, we’ve been through that.
That’s precisely why we’ve decided to create this guide about the safe cards to upgrade in Clash Royale. Here, we will share what cards to upgrade, safe options, and a bit of an upgrade strategy.
But if you don’t want to bother with preserving resources and thinking too hard about them, order our Arena Boost. It will quickly and safely provide you with gems, gold, and chests that you’ll need to upgrade the cards.
Read our other Clash Royale guides:
Note: At Skycoach, you can Buy Clash Royale Boost at the best prices with fast delivery. Use our special PROMO CODE (in green) hidden in this article for a 20% DISCOUNT.
Best Clash Royale Cards to Level Up
The main criterion for our list was the cards' nerfability. Are they susceptible to it? Were they targeted by nerfs recently? Are they upcoming cards to be nerfed? As you’ll find later, the cards provided here are really strong and safe choices. They are either really hard to nerf or are just in a good spot in general. These cards are very safe to invest in, and there's no need to worry that they’ll be unplayable in the next season. After thorough research, we were able to identify the 16 best Clash Royale cards to level up. In no specific order, here they are:
| Name | Rarity | Description |
| Mini P.E.K.K.A | Rare | Available right from the get-go. This card is a great counter to Beatdown decks. High DPS and good compatibility with many decks. |
| Ballon | Epic | Still one of the best win conditions in the game. Very hard to counter without air defense. It’s always in high-ladder decks. |
| Miner | Legendary | This is the safest option for investing. Always viable, works in many deck archetypes. Great chip damage, good versatility as a support. |
| Knight | Common | Another sturdy contender. Very balanced, fits into nearly all decks. He’s safe from the nerfs and is always viable. |
| Poison | Epic | AKA better Fireball (hot take, no pun intended). Area control, tons of damage, slowing effect. Fits well with Miner. It’s a card that’s always been stable in every meta. |
| Cannon | Common | Unlocks very early on. Simultaneously, one of the best buildings to upgrade. Powerful evolution, but even the base version is gold. Works in virtually every deck. Don’t worry about the nerfs, as Goblin Hut is a stronger version of it and is more likely to be targeted soon. |
| The Log | Legendary | Easily one of the most used legendaries in the game. Even after nerfs, it’s still great, as it’s impossible to nerf its bait factor. Consistent value all across the board. |
| Goblin Gang | Common | High elixir efficiency, good versatility. Fits well into the Bait and Mortar decks. |
| Dark Prince | Epic | Recently buffed, so there’s a low chance he’ll be significantly nerfed soon. Shines in Beatdown. If regular Prince gets nerfed, this one will blow up. It’s still a strong card and an investment in the future! |
| Golden Knight | Champion | Very well balanced. Not as crazy as Boss Bandit, but stronger than Monk or Goblin Stein. Fits into the most popular deck archetypes. Safe and very flexible due to its options. |
| Valkyrie | Rare | Very early unlock. One of the top cards to invest in in Clash Royale. Super versatile, strong, and safe. Her ability is one of the best in the game. Counters Beatdown decks and is a great tank. |
| Hog Rider | Rare | But of course! How can we not include this card? A timeless win condition that rarely receives balance changes. A crown jewel of cycle decks. Has quite a high skill ceiling, but performs really well and reliably. It’s the core of one of the cheapest decks as well. |
| Mighty Miner | Champion | Imagine Inferno Dragon, but repositioning. One of the most useful champions in the game. Fits into popular decks, effective in offense and defense. Has a high compatibility with other cards. |
| Ice Wizard | Legendary | Great support for the Control and Beatdown archetypes. Good defensive option, gives positive elixir trades. Very stable and unlikely to receive nerfs. |
| Guards | Epic | Goblin Gang alternative. Survives most spells, which makes them great as ground defender units. Great value, but doesn’t have spell-bait and air defense. Not like it’s a deal breaker, though. |
| Fireball | Rare | Available right from the start, this card is the most versatile spell. While there are stronger options like the aforementioned Poison, this card is also good. Has reliable damage, provides high value against grouped troops, and is efficient in defense and tower chip. |
All of the cards in this list are the cards to upgrade first in Clash Royale. They, much like denim and the color black, never go out of style. Investing in these cards is a safe bet. Don’t think this means you need to spend your resources on them right away. Find the core cards for your deck and work from there. BLOG20
Clash Royale Best Cards for Progression
As you may have noticed, many cards in the list above are unlocked while playing the game. Some of them unlock pretty late into the Arenas. That means if you want the best cards, you’ll have to start somewhere. There are a few cards we recommend adding to your decks and/or building around. Here are Clash Royale’s best cards for progression:
- Knight: A very reliable low-cost tank unit that fits into many decks.
- Hog Rider: A consistent win condition with strong offensive value. Upgrading this card supports deck progression and is less likely to become obsolete.
- Miner: Versatile as both a chip damage and support unit. Because it’s viable in a wide range of deck types, it’s a good investment.
- Goblin Gang: Offers excellent value for elixir cost and slots into many decks.
- The Log: A small but highly dependable spell that remains relevant.
And if you are looking for some other good progression options, you can add Mini P.E.K.K.A and Cannon to this list. They’re good and safe picks that power spike your deck significantly.
Clash Royale Upgrade Guide
If you really want to progress in Clash Royale, you have to follow a specific routine and a path. You can be an F2P player without any problem, as the game provides enough resources for you to level up and evolve your cards. What you can’t be, though, is wasteful. The fastest way to ruin your account is by upgrading every single card. In this Clash Royale upgrade guide, we’ll give short tips on how to progress correctly:
- Don't Think that Rarity = Good: Card compatibility is more important. Even a cheap deck can win you many games. Case and point 2.6 Hog Cycle.
- Focus on Upgrading Card Levels: You can also upgrade your King tower level and your defense towers. You upgrade cards by collecting them from chests and battles.
- Main Progression is Tied to Trophies: Getting to higher trophy levels gets you new cards. New cards stop unlocking at 6500 trophies. Don't think that this is when you stop chasing them, though. Arena levels give you tons of rewards to upgrade your cards, so continue climbing them. After you get to an Arena, you can’t fall from it, so your progression doesn’t stop if you lose. If it’s getting hard to farm the Trophies, you can get our Trophies Boost to speed up the process.
- Claim All the Free Rewards in a Shop: They grant you gold and gems, and these are the most important resources to upgrade cards.
- Complete Card Masteries: They give you massive rewards to upgrade cards. The best way to farm masteries is to get into 2v2. As your winrate doesn’t suffer here, you can safely make a throwaway deck. Just get your cards on the field and you’re good.
- Always Check the Passive Progression Systems: Some of those, like King's Journey, Pass Royale, and events, grant you rewards just for playing. Also, try out different modes like Classic Challenges. The more you win in them, the more resources you get.
There are more tips we can share, but this is just a brief card-upgrade strategy for Clash Royale. If you want a more detailed guide on the leveling and progression, you can check out this Clash Royale Leveling Guide. It contains all the information you might find useful as you grow your account.
Conclusion
Many players consider non-paid leveling a waste of time. Doesn’t matter if you agree with them or not; you can’t deny one thing. Smart resource spending and understanding what to invest in will get you far. This was our handy guide on the best cards to upgrade. Stay in touch, as more lists on the best cards are coming right up!
F.A.Q
What are the best cards to upgrade in Clash Royale 2025?
The list is quite long, but you can start by upgrading Hog Rider, Miner, Poison, and Valkyrie.
Which Clash Royale cards are safe to upgrade without getting nerfed?
Out of all 121 cards, you can safely upgrade the following: Knight, Goblin Gang, Miner, Valkyrie, Hog Rider, Mighty Miner, Guards, Fireball, Mini P.E.K.K.A., Ballon, Poison, Cannon, The Log, and Goblin Gang.
Which Clash Royale cards give the best long-term value?
Cards that are relevant throughout the whole game are:
- Valkyrie
- The Log
- Hog Rider
- Miner
- Fireball
- Poison
- Cannon
Are The Log and Poison still worth upgrading in the current meta?
Yes, absolutely. Even after The Log was nerfed, it’s still a great card and will remain so. Poison is the best it ever was now as well.
Which champions should I prioritize upgrading in Clash Royale?
Try going for Golden Knight and Mighty Miner. They are very well-balanced and among the strongest champions in the entire game.
