The Prince is back. Honestly, if you’ve played Clash Royale for more than a week, you know the feeling of a galloping pony suddenly appearing at the bridge when you’re low on Elixir. It’s terrifying.
For a long time, the OG Prince felt kinda... mid. He was outshined by faster cycle cards or more versatile mini-tanks like the Valkyrie. But Supercell has been fiddling with his stats lately, and the recent Prince Clash Royale buffs have fundamentally changed how he interacts with the arena. We aren't just talking about a tiny damage tweak; we’re looking at a complete shift in his "intimidation factor."
📖 Related: Why Season 2 Fortnite Skins Still Run the Lobby After All These Years
Why the Prince Clash Royale Buff Actually Matters
Supercell didn't just give him more health and call it a day. The real magic happened with his charge mechanic.
Earlier in 2024, they slashed his charge distance from 3 tiles down to 1.5. People lost their minds. He was basically instant-charging into everything. It was broken. They eventually settled on 2 tiles, but even that felt oppressive. As of the more recent updates leading into 2026, they've toyed with a 2.5-tile charge distance to keep him from being an "auto-win" button while still making him feel much faster than his old, sluggish self.
Why does this matter? Because of the "panic factor."
When the charge distance is short, you have less time to react. If you’re a millisecond late with your Skeletons or your Tombstone, your tower is taking 1,000+ damage. The Prince Clash Royale buff isn't just a numbers game; it's a psychological one. You have to play perfectly against him now, or it's game over.
The Stats That Keep You Up at Night
Let’s look at what the Prince is actually doing at Level 14.
💡 You might also like: Why You Should Make Your Own Mini Crossword Instead of Solving One
- Health: 2,542 HP. That’s beefy. He survives a Rocket. He laughs at Fireball.
- Charge Damage: 1,037. Read that again. One thousand damage.
- Regular Damage: 518 per poke.
If he connects while charging, he deals double damage. That’s enough to one-shot basically any glass cannon in the game—Musketeer, Wizard, Witch—gone in a blink.
The "Double Prince" Meta Is Refreshingly Toxic
The Dark Prince also got a 7% damage buff in late 2025. When you pair these two together, it’s a nightmare. The "Double Prince" combo is a classic for a reason. The regular Prince handles the big tanks, and the Dark Prince clears the swarms with his splash damage.
It’s a blunt instrument. There’s no subtlety here. You drop a Giant or a P.E.K.K.A. in front, put both Princes behind them, and pray your opponent doesn't have a Rocket or a perfectly timed Evolution card.
Speaking of Evolutions, that’s where things get tricky. While the Prince itself hasn't received an official Evolution yet (everyone is waiting, Supercell!), the cards that support him have. Using an Evolved Knight or Evolved Zap to clear the way for your Prince is basically the standard operating procedure in the 2026 meta.
How to Stop the Buffed Prince (Without Crying)
So, he's strong. Does that mean he’s unbeatable? Nah.
You’ve got to be smart with your distractions. The Prince Clash Royale card is notoriously "dumb." He will charge at a single Skeleton just as happily as he’ll charge at a Tower.
- The Tombstone Play: This is still the hard counter. The skeletons keep popping out, resetting his charge over and over. Just make sure you place it in the center so he has to walk further.
- The Electro Spirit/Zap Reset: Any stun effect resets his charge. If you see him glowing and picking up speed, hit him with a Zap. It buys you another two seconds of life.
- The Guards: Since they have shields, the Prince has to hit them twice to kill them. This is huge. He wastes his massive charge damage on a tiny wooden shield, and then has to poke at them one by one while your tower chips away at him.
Honestly, the biggest mistake people make is trying to "tank" the Prince. Don't throw a Knight in front of a charging Prince. You’re just trading 3 Elixir for a dead Knight and a still-healthy Prince. You have to break the charge.
💡 You might also like: Finding Your Next Favorite Free Game of the Day Without Getting Scammed
The 2026 Meta Outlook
Where does the Prince sit right now? He’s a "punish" card.
In a meta dominated by expensive Heroes like the Hero Mini P.E.K.K.A or the Hero Knight, the Prince serves as a high-pressure alternative that doesn't require a Hero slot. He’s the guy you play when your opponent drops a 7-elixir tank in the back and you want to punish them instantly in the other lane.
Some pros are arguing he needs another nerf to his charge speed. Others say he’s finally "viable" for the first time in years. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. He’s a high-risk, high-reward card that rewards players who can track their opponent's Elixir.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Match
If you're going to use the buffed Prince, follow these rules:
- Never lead with him. He’s a counter-pushing beast. Use him to kill a Hog Rider or a Valkyrie on your side of the bridge, then let him go on the offensive with full health.
- Hover your small spells. If you’re sending a Prince in, you know they are going to drop Skeletons or Goblins. Have your Log or Arrows ready. If you predict the swarm, the Prince gets to the tower. If he hits the tower, you win.
- Watch for the "River Jump." Remember, they gave him the ability to jump over the river a while back. Use this to bypass buildings placed in the middle if you time it right.
The Prince Clash Royale buff has made the game more aggressive. It’s faster, it’s scarier, and it’s a lot less forgiving. Whether you love him or hate him, you better have a plan for when that pony starts galloping.
Next Steps for Your Deck:
- Audit your swarm defense: If you aren't running at least two ways to distract a single-target attacker, you’re going to get steamrolled by the current Prince meta.
- Experiment with Double Prince: Swap your Valkyrie for a Dark Prince and see if the extra offensive pressure outweighs the defensive utility.
- Check the latest balance logs: Supercell has been tweaking the charge distance by 0.5-tile increments almost every season; make sure you know exactly how many tiles he needs to start his run before you deploy.