Clash Royale July 2026 Balance Changes (Season 85)

Clash Royale gets a balance change every month to shake up the meta. Several popular cards are being modified for Season 85. Season 85 brings balance changes to six cardsand Heroes make up the bulk of the list. If you're wondering which cards were buffed and which were nerfed, here it is everything you need to know about Clash Royale July 2026 the balance changes.

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Clash Royale Balance Changes for July 2026 (Season 85)

pending clash royale balance changes for july season 85

Supercell has revealed the first draft of the Season 85 balance changes, and there are currently six cards on the list. this time, four cards get nerfed, one gets a buff, and Hero Tombstone gets 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 in development, so some numbers or even the changes themselves may be modified before the update is released.

The balance of all Nerfs in Clash Royale is changing for July

Hero Knight Nerfs (and our thoughts)

Hero Knight gets a nerf to his shield. Right now, activating his ability gives him a shield with 768 HP at the top of his health. It will have this shield after the update 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 quite some time, and his ability gains value in almost every matchup. Even after losing a third of the shield's HP, I don't think it would push him out of the meta.

Hero Magic Archer Nerfs (and our thoughts)

When you activate Hero Magic Archer's first ability, it teleports back five tiles. After the update, this distance will be reduced to four tiles. His first attack after teleporting, Triple Threat Shot, also loses some range. It currently reaches 15.4 tiles, but this will be reduced to 14 tiles. All in all, it is a 20% nerf to his teleport distance and 9% nerf to his triple shot range.

I don't think these nerfs will kill the card, but I can see a lot of other players swapping it out of their decks because Hero Magic Archer was annoying to run against in a proper deck.

Hero Balloon Nerfs (and our thoughts)

The Hero Balloon ability summons a Skeletrooper that deals damage upon landing before attacking nearby units. After the update, this damage will drop on landing 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 the Hero Balloon was how easily the Skeletrooper took out support units after landing. With less damage, he might lose some important interactions against low HP support units like Dart Goblins and Archers. We'll have to see how these interactions play out once the update goes live.

Hero Balloon already received a landing damage nerf last month, so to see another nerf so soon is a little surprising. Even so, I don't think this is enough to get kicked out of the meta.

Evo Executioner Nerfs (and our thoughts)

Evo Executioner is the only Evolution changed in the July balance changes. Supercell reduces the range of its Close Quarters effect by 14%. Before the update, enemy units within 3.5 tiles would take 60% extra damage. After the update, this range will be reduced to 3 tiles. This means you'll have to get a little closer to get the bonus damage.

This nerf was probably only a matter of time. Evo Executioner was one of the strongest defensive evolutions in Clash Royale. The shorter Close Quarters line certainly makes it less threatening, but I don't think it changes much overall. It still has the recoil effect, which is the biggest reason people use it in the first place. And it still only takes one cycle to evolve.

The balance of all buffs in Clash Royale is changing for July

Ram Rider Buffs (and our thoughts)

Ram Rider is the only card to receive a buff in the July balance changes. His HP increases by 4% from 1697 to 1766. That might not sound like much of a change, but these extra lives should help him survive a bit longer and get an extra hit on the tower in some matchups.

I think Ram Rider needed this buff. It has not been a popular win condition for a long time because it is easy to counter. Hog Rider was simply the more reliable choice in most situations. I don't think this update will change that overnight, but it does close the gap a bit.

Hero Tombstone's Rework (& Our Thoughts)

Hero Tombstone is getting a complete overhaul. When it was released, it was intended to be both a defensive building and an offensive win. Once you activate her ability, the skeleton queen rises from the tombstone and marches towards the enemy tower. The biggest problem was the cost of the six potion abilities. It was too expensive.

Supercell is now ability cost reduced from six potions to five. Skeleton Queen also gets a big HP buff 3,379 to 4,044 HP, an increase of 20%.. To balance this out, the Skeleton Queen's damage is reduced by 12%, so from 320 to 281. It will also no longer spawn skeletons.

I think it's a step in the right direction. The six elixir ability was the biggest reason most players didn't use Hero Tombstone. Reducing the potion cost to five should make it much easier to use.

Losing 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 out as I see this rework giving Hero Tombstone a place in the meta.