Eight tips for Clash Royale newbies

I admit it, I’m Clash Royale-obsessed. There’s not another game around that can compete in terms of how many hours I’ve spent playing this title in recent months. With its short rounds, this gem from Supercell won’t absorb you for hours at a time, but mark my words – the constant urge to have a quick go adds up to a ton of time invested. Time that could have been better spent had you known several things about this game that I learned the hard way. Read on to find out the tips I wish someone had given me when I started playing Clash Royale.

Don’t waste your gems

I know they’re shiny and they make you itch to spend them on new cards at the start. I certainly made that mistake. Patience is not my strong point and seeing myself surrounded by gems made me spend compulsively to open the chests as fast as possible. And, no – don’t do this. You’ll end up with all these cards in a short time anyway and gems are the least accessible resource in the whole game. Accumulate as many as possible and invest them in things that are worth it, like swapping 500 gems for 10,000 gold coins or using them in challenges when you reach level 8.

Join a clan as fast as possible

As you get to new levels you unlock new options in Clash Royale, and one of the most important moments is when you hit level 3, which lets you join clans. Leave the game’s social features to the side for a bit (though they’re great), as the most important thing about a clan is that  you get more cards with the clan chests, and even more when you start playing. Because I ignored this until recently, I’ve prolonged my suffering in the lower divisions. Don’t be like me – join an active clan and then you’ll get cards way faster.

Donate cards whenever you can

I could well have conflated this point with the one above, but I think the importance of donating cards deserves its own place in this list of tips. Donating cards = more health. When you do it, you’ll get gold and experience faster, and you’ll also be a good Samaritan. If your clan friends see you donating generously, when you ask for cards yourself you’ll likely get them with no questions asked. Don’t hold onto your cards uselessly, as you’re not going to play them all. Donate with no fear.

Focus on leveling up the cards you use

Before joining a clan I thought the only way to get experience was to level up cards, so I ended up without gold coins and with a lot of leveled-up cards that I wasn’t going to use. This is doubtless not a clever tack. What you have to do is get gold and spend it wisely, in particular on the cards you’re going to play. Don’t let the gold burn a hole in your pocket and don’t waste it like I did. This will make your deck ever more powerful.

Know your cards well

Okay, this might sound trite, but it’s still true. Get to know the pros and cons of the different cards in Clash Royale and it’ll save you time suffering through rounds lost with cards you can’t figure out how to manage. I don’t mean you have to memorize every tiny detail, but at least ensure you can recognize the effect of each card on the others. Then you won’t go through the same agony I did when I saw Sparky for the first time.

Put together a balanced deck

When it comes to composing a deck that can compete against the rest, keep in mind the different kinds of troops (see previous point) and their cost. The basic idea is to balance more expensive cards with other, faster ones so you don’t get caught unawares. Plus knowing the reach (on land and in air) of all your troops is essential. Don’t forget to incorporate spells in your decks as they can be a discordant note that makes you win rounds.

Complete, and activate, the achievements

Clash Royale has different, relatively simple achievements that you’ll unlock as you play. What most people don’t know is that when you finish them you can get gems and experience. It doesn’t help that the interface is a bit unsettling and you can’t initially see where they’re located. Scatterbrained players like me have to stop tapping the trophy icon and look right below it at the activity log.

Dust off your patience chops

Let’s go for bingo with another super-trite – yet super necessary – tip. Patience is paramount in Clash Royale and should serve as the basis to build your game on. Not just in the rounds to see what your opponent does, but also in your eagerness to speed up the opening of the chests or buy resources that will make your wallet bleed. In Clash Royale everything comes in time – perhaps much longer than you’d like, but you’ll eventually get those cards you want. Try playing with others, learn strategies from your friends, and don’t waste your money (real or virtual). Though the way to the path to the top is long, the important thing is the journey.

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