Why Clash Royale's Mortar Was So Hated, But Not Anymore...

Gratz・2 minutes read

The mortar in Clash Royale has undergone numerous balance changes, shifting its playstyle from offensive to defensive with multiple adjustments to damage, range, and deploy times over the years. Despite various nerfs, the mortar remained viable in decks, with ongoing considerations for potential adjustments in the future.

Insights

  • The Mortar in Clash Royale has undergone numerous balance changes since its inception, transitioning from a more offensive card to a defensive one through adjustments in elixir cost, range, and deploy time, showcasing the game's evolving meta and the developers' commitment to fine-tuning gameplay mechanics.
  • Despite facing multiple nerfs over the years, the Mortar has remained a viable card in Clash Royale, adapting to new strategies and card combinations to maintain relevance in the ever-changing competitive landscape, highlighting its versatility and enduring appeal among players seeking both defensive and offensive options in their decks.

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Recent questions

  • What is the mortar in Clash Royale?

    A defensive building and Siege card with common rarity.

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Summary

00:00

Evolution of Clash Royale's Mortar Building

  • The mortar in Clash Royale is a defensive building and a Siege card with common rarity.
  • It has a slow hit speed of 5 seconds but offers a lot of range and health for a 4 Elixir building.
  • Originally, the mortar was a 6 Elixir card with a range of 13 tiles, dealing double the damage it does now.
  • The mortar was designed to be more offensive compared to the Expo, with a dead zone unique to it.
  • The mortar received 11 balance changes, with the first one reducing its lifetime from 60 to 40 seconds.
  • Subsequent changes in 2016 included reducing its Elixir cost to 4, balancing its damage and range.
  • The mortar's popularity grew in early 2016, leading to multiple balance changes to adjust its power.
  • In May 2016, the mortar's deploy time was increased to 5 seconds to prevent easy cycling.
  • By December 2016, the mortar's splash radius was increased slightly to improve its effectiveness.
  • In August 2017, the mortar's deploy time was adjusted to 3.5 seconds to find a balance between offense and defense.

13:22

Mortar Deck Evolution in Clash Royale

  • A bug in the game involving the mortar rocket cycle persisted for over 2 months until December 12th, 2017.
  • The mortar bug was fixed on December 12th, 2017, alongside a nerf to the rocket, affecting players who used this deck.
  • Despite the nerfs, long-term players continued to use the mortar rocket deck into 2018, especially in lower ladder ranges.
  • The mortar deck was known for being one of the most defensive in Clash Royale history, with a high draw rate of 18% and a win rate of 53% in March 2018.
  • On January 24th, 2018, Supercell nerfed the mortar by decreasing its minimum range from 4.5 tiles to 3.5, impacting its defensive capabilities.
  • The introduction of the Rascals in May 2018 significantly boosted the popularity and strength of mortar bait decks.
  • In July 2018, the mortar received a nerf to its damage and health, alongside the Rascals, due to increased popularity, leading to community backlash.
  • Despite the nerfs, the mortar remained viable, with various developments like the skeleton Barrel pairing in some decks.
  • In 2020, the mortar maintained a high win rate, exceeding the 45-55% range, leading to considerations for potential nerfs.
  • The mortar saw a resurgence in 2022, especially when paired with new Champions like the Skeleton King and Mighty Miner, leading to competitive play and a small nerf in October 2022.

27:07

Evolution Mortar Thrives Amidst Met Changes

  • The Evolution Mortar has seen a rise in usage due to other Evolution Nerfs and The Little Prince's assistance, while the evolutionist mortar lags behind. Supercell has not made changes to the card in over a year, relying heavily on its Evolution for viability. The rapidly changing Met with evolutions and Tower troops makes it challenging to determine a good balance change currently. The author wouldn't change the mortar at the moment, considering other cards should take priority. The future of Clash Royale in 2024 is anticipated to be intriguing, with more work ahead.
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