Clash Royale gets a rebalance change every month to shake up the meta. For the 85th season, several popular cards are getting adjusted. Season 85 brings balance changes to six cards, and Heroes make up most of the list. If you are wondering which cards got buffed and which ones got nerfed, here’s everything you need to know about the Clash Royale July 2026 balance changes.
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Clash Royale Balance Changes for July 2026 (Season 85)
Supercell has revealed the first draft of the Season 85 balance changes, and six cards are currently on the list. This time around, four cards are getting nerfed, one is receiving a buff, and Hero Tombstone is getting a rework. Here’s what’s changing:
- Shield HP Nerf for Hero Knight
- Teleport and Ability Shot Nerf for Hero Magic Archer
- Landing Damage Nerf for Hero Balloon
- Close Quarters Damage Nerf for Evo Executioner
- HP Buff for Ram Rider
- Rework for Hero Tombstone.
Keep in mind that these changes are still a work in progress, so some of the numbers or even the changes themselves could be adjusted before the update goes live.
All Nerfs in Clash Royale’s Balance Changes for July
Hero Knight Nerfs (& Our Thoughts)
Hero Knight is getting a nerf to its shield. Right now, activating its ability gives it a shield with 768 HP on top of its health. After the update, that shield will have 512 HP instead. That’s a 33% reduction.
I honestly think this nerf was overdue. Hero Knight has been the best Hero in the game for a while now, and his ability gets value in almost every match. Even after losing a third of its shield HP, I don’t think this is going to push it out of the meta.
Hero Magic Archer Nerfs (& Our Thoughts)
When you activate Hero Magic Archer’s first ability, it currently teleports back five tiles. After the update, that distance will be reduced to four tiles. Its first attack after teleporting, the Triple Threat Shot, is also losing some range. It currently reaches 15.4 tiles, but that will reduce to 14 tiles. Overall, that’s a 20% nerf to its teleport distance, and a 9% nerf to the range of its Triple Threat Shot.
I don’t think these nerfs will kill the card, but I can see a lot of other players switching her out of their decks, since Hero Magic Archer was annoying to come up against in the right deck.
Hero Balloon Nerfs (& Our Thoughts)
Hero Balloon’s ability summons a Skeletrooper that deals landing damage before attacking nearby troops. After the update, that landing damage will drop from 256 to 204, which is a 20% nerf.
I think this nerf is going to hurt more than it looks. One of the best things about Hero Balloon was how easily the Skeletrooper eliminated support troops after landing. With less damage, it could miss out on some important interactions against low HP support troops like Dart Goblin and Archers. We will have to see how those interactions play out once the update goes live.
Hero Balloon already took a landing damage nerf last month, so seeing another nerf this soon is a bit surprising. Even so, I don’t think this is enough to knock it out of the meta.
Evo Executioner Nerfs (& Our Thoughts)
Evo Executioner is the only Evolution getting changed in the July balance changes. Supercell is reducing the range of its Close Quarters effect by 14%. Before the update, enemy troops within 3.5 tiles would take 60% extra damage. After the update, that range will be reduced to 3 tiles. This means you will have to get a little closer to get the bonus damage.
This nerf was probably only a matter of time. Evo Executioner has been one of the strongest defensive evolutions in Clash Royale. The shorter Close Quarters range will definitely make it less threatening, but I don’t think this changes much overall. It still has the knockback effect, which is the biggest reason people use it in the first place. And it still takes only one cycle to evolve.
All Buffs in Clash Royale’s Balance Changes for July
Ram Rider Buffs(& Our Thoughts)
Ram Rider is the only card getting a buff in the July balance changes. Its HP is increasing by 4%, going from 1,697 to 1,766. It might not sound like a huge change, but those extra hit points should help it survive a little longer and, in some matches, get an extra hit on the tower.
I think Ram Rider needed this buff. It hasn’t been a popular win condition for quite a while because it can be countered easily. The Hog Rider has simply been the more reliable choice in most situations. I don’t think this update changes that overnight, but it does narrow the gap a little.
Hero Tombstone’s Rework (& Our Thoughts)
Hero Tombstone is getting a full rework. When it was released, it was meant to be both a defensive building and an offensive win condition. Once you activate its ability, a Skeleton Queen rises from the Tombstone and marches toward the enemy tower. The biggest issue was the six elixir ability cost. It was just too expensive.
Supercell is now reducing the ability cost from six elixir to five. The Skeleton Queen is also getting a big HP buff, going from 3,379 to 4,044 HP, which is a 20% increase. To balance things out, the Skeleton Queen’s damage is being reduced by 12%, reducing from 320 to 281. It will also no longer spawn Skeletons.
I think this is a step in the right direction. The six elixir ability was the biggest reason most players didn’t use the Hero Tombstone. Lowering the elixir cost to five should make it much easier to use.
Losing the Skeleton spawns definitely hurts, but the extra HP should help the Skeleton Queen stay alive long enough to make an impact. I’m looking forward to trying it because I can see this rework giving Hero Tombstone a place in the meta.
- Released
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March 2, 2016
- Engine
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Unity
- Multiplayer
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Online Multiplayer