Upcoming Balance Changes: Does This Flip the Meta?

Meteor Golems are getting nerfed.
But so is the Revenge Tower.

That alone tells you this Update isn’t about killing one strategy. It’s about pulling back things that were deciding attacks too easily, while lifting options that barely saw play.

These balance and league modifier changes go live on 28th January at 08:30 AM UTC during maintenance. Let’s break down what’s changing and what it really means.

Why These Balance Changes Are Happening

The logic is simple:

• Things with high use rate and high win rate get nerfed

• Things with low use rate and low win rate get buffed

Meteor Golems, Revenge Towers, and certain defenses were everywhere. Some troops, pets, and equipment barely survived long enough to matter. This update is meant to close that gap, not flip the game upside down.

Defensive Nerfs: Strong Bases Get Toned Down

Several popular defensive elements are being softened, especially ones that punished attackers too hard for small mistakes.

Major Defensive Nerfs

Ricochet Cannon

• Ricochet shot damage reduced from 100% to 70%

• Ricochet shot radius reduced from 4.5 tiles to 3.5 tiles

Still strong, but far less forgiving for clustered troops.

Multi Archer Tower

• Attack speed slowed from 500ms to 600ms

This gives attackers slightly more breathing room during pushes.

Revenge Tower (TH18)

• Attack speed slowed from 300ms to 350ms

• Stage 3 activation now requires 25 destroyed buildings (was 20)

• Stage 4 activation now requires 50 destroyed buildings (was 40)

This is a big one. Early and mid-attack pressure from the tower is clearly reduced.

Short Range Mode (Multi Gear Tower)

• Damage reduced at all levels

Short-range melt zones won’t be as punishing as before.

Builder Hut

• Movement speed reduced from 28 to 20

Less chaos, fewer surprise rebuilds during cleanup.

📌 A spreadsheet containing the detailed Balance Changes with exact level-by-level defense values is attached for players who want the full breakdown.

Defensive Buffs: Long-Range Gets More Respect

Not every defense was overperforming.

Long Range Mode (Multi Gear Tower)

• Damage increased at all levels

This shifts base design slightly toward coverage and positioning instead of pure close-range punishment.

Troop Buffs: Survivability Is the Main Focus

Most troop buffs are about staying alive longer, not raw damage spikes.

Super Archer (Levels 10–13)

• HP increased at each level

Better chances of surviving splash and traps.

Super Wizard (Levels 9–14)

• HP significantly increased at all levels

This is a big quality-of-life buff for Blizzard and value setups.

Thrower (Levels 1–4)

• HP increased

• DPS increased

• Movement speed increased from 16 to 18

Feels faster, smoother, and more reliable in real attacks.

Electro Titan (Level 4)

• HP increased from 8400 to 8700

A small but meaningful survivability boost.

Super Minion

• Long-range shots increased from 7 to 8

• Range increased from 10 to 10.25 tiles

Safer chip damage and better consistency.

Poison Lizard (All levels)

• Attack range increased from 350 to 450

• HP increased at all levels

Much harder to remove early in the attack.

Giant Giant

• AI logic changed so it is less prioritized by the Warden or Eagle

A subtle change that improves pathing and survivability.

Troop Nerfs: Meteor Golems Get Checked

No surprises here.

Meteor Golem (All levels)

• HP reduced

• DPS reduced

Meteor Golems were everywhere. This doesn’t delete the strategy, but it removes the “auto-pilot” feel. Cleaner planning will matter more now.

Equipment Buffs: Heroes Get Better Value

Hero equipment also gets some meaningful upgrades.

MP Noble Iron (All levels)

• Increased range

• Increased number of shots

• Increased attack speed

Overall, much better uptime and consistency.

Barbarian King – Giant Gauntlet (All levels)

• Increased damage reduction

• Increased duration

More forgiving timing and stronger frontline value.

League Modifier Changes: Pressure Comes Down Slightly

Across Legends, Masters, and Expert leagues, defensive scaling is reduced.

Legend League

• Defense DPS: 20% → 15%

• Defense Heroes: 20% → 15%

• Offense Heroes: 10% → 5%

• Equipment: no change

Masters League (E33)

• Defense DPS: 14% → 10%

• Defense Heroes: 14% → 10%

• Offense Heroes: 6% → 0%

• Equipment: no change

Expert League (E32)

• Defense DPS: 7% → 5%

• Defense Heroes: 7% → 5%

• Offense Heroes: 3% → 0%

• Equipment: no change

This makes attacks less dependent on league scaling and more about execution.

What This Means for the Meta

Here’s the straight answer:

• Meteor Golems are weaker, not dead

• Revenge Towers no longer hard-carry defenses

• High-HP troops and value setups benefit

• Hero equipment choices matter more

• Base building shifts slightly toward range and planning

This isn’t a meta flip. It’s a correction.

Final Thoughts

This update is controlled and intentional.

Supercell trimmed extremes, boosted underused options, and made both attacking and defending feel fairer. If you adapt instead of forcing old habits, you’ll be fine.

Maintenance goes live tomorrow at 08:30 AM UTC.
Update your armies, rethink your bases, and move on.